The refreshingly radical Daisies follows no rules and is exuberantly anarchistic. Czechoslovakia, 1966—two years before the Russian invasion. Marie I and Marie II, two spirited young women, are bored. Communist culture is bleak and devoid of imagination, so they decide to shake things up. They put on swimsuits and brightly colored dresses, stage a massive food fight, steal whatever they need, and completely disrupt the daily order. For the "daisies" of the title, nothing is sacred—everything and everyone is an object of their surreal, subversive mockery. Humor and joy become a form of protest in a society that exalts collectivism and political obedience above all else.
Věra Chytilová was a pioneer of the Czech New Wave. As early as 1962, she was making personal and controversial films. Initially, the Communist Party wanted to ban Daisies for its "nihilistic" tone, but under pressure from the younger generation, they relented. However, the authorities imposed a work ban on Chytilová until 1975—after 1968, there was no longer any trace of the "socialism with a human face" under party leader Alexander Dubček.
A 4K-restored classic.