Name: The Firemen’s Ball [screening: Havel 90 Festival]
Start: 2026-10-03T20:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-10-03T21:50:00-04:00
Location: Bohemian National Hall

The Firemen’s Ball [screening: Havel 90 Festival]

The Czech Center New York actively promotes Czechia by showcasing Czech culture, innovations and creativity in the US. Our program includes concerts, screenings, exhibitions, panel discussions, and other events dedicated to a vast range of areas from visual and performing arts, film, literature, and music to architecture, design, fashion, and innovations. In addition to hosting our own events, we support and collaborate with other groups dedicated to intercultural initiatives in New York and beyond.The Event organizer has the right to refuse the attendees entrance to the venue despite previous registration due to capacity and security measures. Participants must arrive on time, in case of late arrival, the organizer cannot guarantee that your registration will still be valid.

Czech Center New York

Miloš Forman’s uproarious satire turns a provincial firemen’s ball into a chaotic portrait of vanity, corruption, and institutional collapse

Bohemian National Hall

This screening is part of the Havel 90 Festival Film Marathon, a three-day exploration of Havel’s relationship with cinema within a four-day celebration of his life, art, and legacy.The Firemen’s Ball (Hoří, má panenko) / dir. Miloš Forman / 1967 / comedy, satire / Czechoslovakia / Czech with English subtitles / 73 min.

A small-town volunteer fire brigade plans an evening of celebration, complete with a raffle, a beauty contest, and a ceremonial gift for its retiring chairman. Instead, the prizes disappear, the contestants flee, and a nearby house catches fire. As one well-intentioned plan after another collapses, the festivities descend into glorious chaos.Working largely with nonprofessional performers, Forman observes the evening’s failures with both affection and merciless precision. Beneath the comedy lies a portrait of a system in which vanity overwhelms competence, petty self-interest defeats collective responsibility, and no one is willing to admit that anything has gone wrong.Forman’s first color feature and final film made in Czechoslovakia before he left for the United States, The Firemen’s Ballwas banned after the 1968 invasion and later nominated for an Academy Award. Forman and Havel, friends since their youth, shared a gift for exposing bureaucracy and moral compromise through absurdity, humor, and sharply observed human behavior.Havel 90 Festival is organized by the Czech Center New York and the Vaclav Havel Center, with support from the Bohemian Benevolent &amp; Literary Association.

DISCLAIMERTickets and Admission: Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. All ticket sales are final. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the screening begins; latecomers may be refused admission.Media Recording Notice: By attending this event hosted by the Czech Center New York, you consent to being photographed and recorded. The Czech Center New York and its partners may use these images and recordings for promotional purposes.Health and Safety: By attending this event at the Czech Center New York, you acknowledge and accept that participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The Czech Center New York is not responsible for any illness, injury, or other health-related issues that may arise before, during, or after the event. We encourage all guests to follow current health guidelines and act responsibly for their own safety and that of others.

The Firemen’s Ball [screening: Havel 90 Festival]

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The Firemen’s Ball [screening: Havel 90 Festival]

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Bohemian National Hall

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