Kala film

1. Home
2. Films
3. Kala

---

Production year: 1958

Duration: 81 minuta

Technique: black and white

Genre:

---

Director:
Hieng, Andrej
Golik, Krešo

Production house:
Viba film (Ljubljana)

Camera:
Kališnik Janez

Synopsis:
Before WW II, young Andrej has a German shepherd, Kala, who often fights wolves that attack the village. After some time, the Yugoslav army surrenders and German soldiers occupy the country. Andrej’s father gets killed and Andrej ends up in a concentration camp. A German officer takes Kala and trains her to become a bloodthirsty beast. However, Kala runs away and returns to the village only to find it burned. Meanwhile in the camp, Andrej meets a former Yugoslav soldier, Philosopher, who is terrified of dogs. Philosopher and Andrej run away from the camp and meet Kala. Andrej does not recognize her and Philosopher wants to kill her. Kala manages to escape and hide in the wolf’s den. Kala befriends a wolf and together they roam the abandoned villages avoiding people. After the liberation, Andrej returns to his home village, rebuilds his house and joins his neighbor in the hunt for the wolf that kills the sheep. They kill the wolf but somebody keeps on killing the sheep, so Andrej continues the hunt and encounters Kala, who attacks him. After the attack she recognizes her former master and shies away. The neighbor shoots her and, wounded, Kala manages to crawl to her den to pick up her and the wolf’s babies. She takes them to Andrej’s house in the village. Andrej decides to take care of Kala’s younglings.

Cast:
Lojze Potokar (Grandpa), Jure Doležal (Andrej), Helena Kordaš (Ana), Stevo Žigon (Philospher), Slavko Švajger (Neighbour Krel), Marjan Kralj (illegal), Marijan Kralj, etc.

Country of production:
Federative National Republic of Yugoslavia (National Republic of Slovenia)

Screenplay:
Ivan Ribič (based on his own short story)

Music by:
Blaž Arnič

Edited by:
Darinka Peršin

Set designer:
Ivo Spinčić

Costume designer:
Juvanova

Commentary:
Before achieving the status of one of Slovenia’s most renowned contemporary writers, Andrej Hieng directed this film with co-directing help from an experienced Croatian colleague, Krešo Golik. Similar to Golik’s previous film The Girl and the Oak, Kala is a highly stylized and visually expressive film. Critics have praised this film. Because Slovenian films rarely reach Croatian theaters and television, very few have seen this film.

Screening permit: from July 9, 1958