Angel exit. Sekala has to die

Two very different films from Czechoslovakian filmmaker Vladimir Michalek. “Angel exit” is a gritty urban drama set in a lower class milieu, an outer suburb of Prague. Mikes is a young man with a criminal record and a history of drug abuse whose girlfriend implores him to change so they may make a life together. Lukas, Mikes best friend and Kaja, another young addict, encourage Lukas to continue using. The three of them are unable to forge an existence beyond the realms of petty crime, perpetual scoring and getting high. Filmed on digital, “Angel exit” utilises the style of cinema verite, and has a pallid colour scheme that reflects the futility of its angry and abusive protagonists. “Sekala has to die” is a World War II period drama, set in a rural Czech village where two interlopers - Sekala and Zaprdek, threaten the local community. Sekala is the half brother of Oberva, a highly regarded member of the town, who is respected by their father. When Sekala’s demands press the tolerance of the locals a young blacksmith is chosen to execute Sekala and rid them of his menace. Beautifully photographed, “Sekala has to die” is a moral tale, seeped in the typical golden tones of European art house cinema.