Shades of Fern
Stín kapradiny
Synopsis
Based on the only extensive prose work by the surrealist painter Josef Capek, Shades of Fern most resembles the philosophical fairy tales and fables of Josef’s older brother, the legendary Czech novelist and playwright Karel Capek. Two young poachers, more boys than men, kill a gamekeeper when they are caught illegally hunting. Panicked, they retreat into a forest that grows steadily more forbidding and deadly as their fear for the future—and guilt over their action—mounts. Loosely based on hundreds of oral folk tales and legends that haunt the woods of Czechoslovakia, Vlácil’s contemporary updating artistically underscores the relationship between man and nature, crime and punishment, isolation and society, and guilt and memory.
Top Cast
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Marek Probosz
Ruda Aksamit
Zbigniew Suszyński
Vašek Kala
Miroslav Macháček
Keeper / Vagabond / Beggar
František Peterka
Father Aksamit
Vladimír Hlavatý
Čepelka
Milada Ježková
Čepelková
Josef Patočka
Elsner
Oldřich Velen
Police Officer
Jaroslav Tomsa
Policeman
Marta Vančurová
Rousová
Emma Černá
Keeper's Wife
Jana Švandová
Jiří Schmitzer
Zdeňka Sajfertová
Petr Skarke
Marjánka
Vítězslav Jandák
Policeman
Arnošt Böhm
Josef Pechanec
Release History & Theatrical Window
Blaník cinema, Prague
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- František Vláčil
- Screenplay & Story
- Vladimír Körner, František Vláčil
- Original Score
- Jiří F. Svoboda
- Original Title
- Stín kapradiny
- Country of Origin
- Czechoslovakia
- Spoken Languages
- Czech
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Production Studios
- Filmové studio Barrandov
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
František Vláčil
Vladimír Körner, František Vláčil, Jiří Blažek, Josef Čapek
Jiří F. Svoboda
František Uldrich
Miroslav Hájek
Department Leadership Roster
František Vláčil
Director
Jiří F. Svoboda
Original Music Composer
František Uldrich
Director of Photography
Miroslav Hájek
Editor
Theodor Pištěk
Costume Design
Vladimír Körner
Screenplay
František Vláčil
Screenplay
Jaromír Švarc
Production Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Shades of Fern.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Shades of Fern.
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MovieLens[10K:20K]
František Vláčil (1924 - 1999)
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Frequently Asked Questions About Shades of Fern
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Shades of Fern about?
Based on the only extensive prose work by the surrealist painter Josef Capek, Shades of Fern most resembles the philosophical fairy tales and fables of Josef’s older brother, the legendary Czech novelist and playwright Karel Capek. Two young poachers, more boys than men, kill a gamekeeper when they are caught illegally hunting. Panicked, they retreat into a forest that grows steadily more forbidding and deadly as their fear for the future—and guilt over their action—mounts. Loosely based on hundreds of oral folk tales and legends that haunt the woods of Czechoslovakia, Vlácil’s contemporary updating artistically underscores the relationship between man and nature, crime and punishment, isolation and society, and guilt and memory.
Who directed Shades of Fern?
Shades of Fern was directed by František Vláčil.
Who stars in Shades of Fern?
The principal cast of Shades of Fern includes Marek Probosz, Zbigniew Suszyński, Miroslav Macháček, František Peterka, Vladimír Hlavatý.
When was Shades of Fern released and how long is it?
Shades of Fern was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 1h 30m.
Who composed the musical score for Shades of Fern?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Shades of Fern was composed by Jiří F. Svoboda.
Is Shades of Fern based on a book or true story?
Shades of Fern is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Josef Čapek".