An Ambiguous Report About the End of the World

An Ambiguous Report About the End of the World

1997 · 154 min · ★ 6.7 · Mystery, Fantasy

Set over a two-decade period in a tiny Central European village, this drama not only chronicles a couple's tragic star-crossed love, it also serves as a metaphor for the tragedy of lost traditions. After opening in the snowy wilds as two people spectacularly die, the story jumps back 20 years as young Verona prepares to marry. Unfortunately, voracious wolves descend upon the ceremony and all but Verona and her courageous 10-year-old brother-in-law Goran, who saves her, perish. That day, Verona gives birth to Veronika and promptly betroths her daughter to the heroic Goran. A decade passes and on Veronika's 10th birthday, her engagement to Goran is formally announced at a big party. Festivities halt when a troupe of female circus performers and their sly employer Madina show up. Veronika soon finds herself more interested in Madina's young son Michal than she is in the adult Goran. Meanwhile, the worldly Madina attempts to adjust to life in an old-fashioned village.

Directed by Juraj Jakubisko · Written by Juraj Jakubisko

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 55m together

An Ambiguous Report About the End of the World

Wild Flowers

Both from Juraj Jakubisko.

More from Juraj JakubiskoSee all →

Infidelity the Slovak Way

Infidelity the Slovak Way · 1981

Infidelity the Slovak Way

Jakubisko’s comedy about infidelity inside the community of lumberjacks in three chapters. First, a group of men gets to know that there comes a group of female brigadiers to a near village and tries to seduce them, which won’t come out as precisely as they wanted. In the next chapter, one girl got pregnant and lumberjacks tries to solve this by a wedding to a man called Domino. In the final phase, they’re struggling for the successful wedding and are afraid of possible punishment from their wives.

Infidelity, Slovak Style

Infidelity, Slovak Style · 1981

Infidelity, Slovak Style

A comedy about three flirtatious woodcutters realistically capturing Slovak village life and criticizing insincerity, hypocrisy and male pride.

The Hall of Lost Steps

The Hall of Lost Steps · 1964

The Hall of Lost Steps

MovieDramaDocumentary

In a series of juxtaposed images and sounds, Jaromil Jireš comments on the tragic premature death of thousands as well as their posterity due to the atomic bomb.

Frankenstein's Aunt

Frankenstein's Aunt · 1987

Frankenstein's Aunt

SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy

Frankenstein's Aunt is the protagonist of three novels - two by Allan Rune Pettersson and a seven-episode TV miniseries based on the first one. The story is a humorous homage to the Universal Horror Frankenstein films.

The Feather Fairy

The Feather Fairy · 1985

The Feather Fairy

MovieFantasyFamily

A fairy-tale about an old lady who takes care of snow and Jakub who does not fear death. It reflects the idea of people's longing for happiness, love and understanding, their effort to overcome troubles and win over death. It criticizes greed and evil desires.

Birds, Orphans and Fools

Birds, Orphans and Fools · 1969

Birds, Orphans and Fools

MovieDramaFantasy

In the aftermath of war, two men and a woman begin acting more like children than adults, leading to tragedy.

The Deserter and the Nomads

The Deserter and the Nomads · 1968

The Deserter and the Nomads

An apocalyptic story of three wars in three film tales encompassing the end of the WWI,WWII, as well as a vision of the world destroyed by nuclear weapons. This film was honored at the film festivals in Venice and Sorrento. Immediately after that the copy with Italian subtitles was locked in a safe as evidence of the anti-communist activities of the director, who used real footage of the Soviet invasion.

Wild Flowers

Wild Flowers · 2000

MovieDramaHorror

Seven seemingly unconnected fairy tales - glued together only by folklore, mood, color and light - make up this Czech collection of visual poetry. The original piece of literature, written by Karel Jaromír Erben in 1853, contained twelve tales.

The Millennial Bee

The Millennial Bee · 1983

The Millennial Bee

MovieComedyDrama

A family saga taking place mostly in a small Slovak village over a period of thirty years (1887–1917). The first part captures the life of Martin Pichandu in the development of his craft, masonry; in the second part, his son is center stage living in a period of socio-political crisis, which ultimately results in the first World War. After originally airing on Czechoslovakian television in 1983 as a four-part 226-minute mini-series, this production received a 163-minute theatrical release in 1984.

Freckled Max and the Spooks

Freckled Max and the Spooks · 1987

Freckled Max and the Spooks

MovieAdventureComedy

A parody of Frankensteinian stories. It is a story of a little boy, an orphan who arrives at the Castle of Count Frankenstein - a world inhabited by mysterious and sometimes a bit ridiculous scary creatures. Although each one of them is different, they all share one thing: they feel lonely and they are desperate for a little love and affection.

A Rosy Story

A Rosy Story · 1991

MovieFantasyDrama

After her mother had passed, Darinka lives with her grandma. In her fantasy she lives her own version of Sleeping Beauty. Her musical talent helps her to cope with illness and fulfill her dreams.

See You in Hell, Friends

See You in Hell, Friends · 1970

See You in Hell, Friends

As a car full of an assortment of characters rolls down an embankment and bursts into flames, the old driver says "See You in Hell, Friends." The relations between the characters are shown in flashbacks. The pretty Rita and her fiancee Petras meet the old colonel, and come to live in his farmhouse. Rita marries the colonel as well as her fiancee, and has a daughter Christine. The colonel's supposed father shows up, and also makes amorous advances on Rita. They all live blissfully together until two holy women with axes arrive. The women start chopping down trees to build an ark. Rita starts having nightmares and Christine is crucified.

Sitting on a Branch, Enjoying Myself

Sitting on a Branch, Enjoying Myself · 1989

Sitting on a Branch, Enjoying Myself

MovieDramaComedy

Pepe and Prengel, returning from war, meet Ester and both fall in love with the girl and live together in a deserted house. Fanatic communist, Zelmira, wants to turn their world upside-down.

Bathory: Countess of Blood

Bathory: Countess of Blood · 2008

Bathory: Countess of Blood

MovieDramaFantasy

Bathory is based on the legends surrounding the life and deeds of Countess Elizabeth Bathory known as the greatest murderess in the history of mankind. Contrary to popular belief, Elizabeth Bathory was a modern Renaissance woman who ultimately fell victim to men’s aspirations for power and wealth.

Build a House, Plant a Tree

Build a House, Plant a Tree · 1980

Build a House, Plant a Tree

Juraj Jakubisko's first feature film after a forced nine-year-long break is a story about an unconventional man, Jozef Matúš. He arrives to a small village in eastern Slovakia to settle down and start a family. He is ready to subordinate everything to his goal. It all starts with stealing building material and ends with him disregarding those close to him to a point where his ambitions are turning against him. Build a House, Plant a Tree is a viewer-friendly film with a plot resembling a western, including several attractive action sequences.

The Prime of Life

The Prime of Life · 1967

The Prime of Life

MovieComedyDrama

Juraj, a Slovak artist living in Prague, takes stock in his life, realizing that his days pass without purpose. He lives a carefree life. But now he has to choose between two women, between the city and the country, and between creative work and craftsmanship. He has a passion for art but he also has to make a living. Through his relationships with close people, he grows aware of his position and this knowledge helps him to live a more fulfilling and better life.

More Like This

Son of the Mask

Son of the Mask · 2005

Son of the Mask

MovieFantasyComedy

Tim Avery, an aspiring cartoonist, finds himself in a predicament when his dog stumbles upon the mask of Loki. Then after conceiving an infant son "born of the mask", he discovers just how looney child raising can be.

Murders in the Rue Morgue

Murders in the Rue Morgue · 1932

Murders in the Rue Morgue

MovieHorrorMystery

In 19th century Paris, a maniac abducts young women and injects them with ape blood in an attempt to prove ape-human kinship but constantly meets failure as the abducted women die.

The Curse of the Cat People

The Curse of the Cat People · 1944

The Curse of the Cat People

MovieFantasyDrama

Amy, the young, friendless daughter of Oliver and Alice Reed, befriends her father's late first wife and an aging, reclusive actress.

Images

MovieThrillerMystery

While holidaying in Ireland, a pregnant children's author finds her mental state becoming increasingly unstable, resulting in paranoia, hallucinations, and visions of a doppelgänger.

Noroi: The Curse

Noroi: The Curse · 2005

Noroi: The Curse

MovieHorrorMystery

A documentary filmmaker explores seemingly unrelated paranormal incidents connected by the legend of an ancient demon.

Rock & Rule

Rock & Rule · 1983

MovieAdventureAnimation

A malevolent rock star kidnaps a female singer to force her to participate in the summoning of a demon and her band must help her stop him.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter