Kersko
Road 2723
A common village road surrounded by greenery. A grass strip, telegraphic poles and a tourist sign along. Both its sides are supported by garden fences. Then you think to yourself: So what? Autumn, boring. Look closer, though, this is Kersko, writer Hrabal's favourite place with a special atmosphere, so very typical in his books, and filmed by director Jiří Menzel.
A man on a bicycle totters on the road. He's whistling happily. One hand on the handlebar, other holding and balancing a platter full with dessert. Beep beep, a bus drives by. Cut. The cyclist lies in the ditch, triumphantly holding the platter above his head, untouched by the incident. At this point, even the trees are staring, shaking their green crowns in disbelief.
Later in the film, on the very same spot near the St. Joseph spring, the life of the ever optimistic acrobat-stuntman suddenly fades out. It's sad and poetic at the same time.
Just a common road, you might say. This piece of tar is a setting of comic situations as well as fatal encounters, a line between places and people. This is the spine of Kersko. It will take you to the legendary restaurant Hájenka, to the St. Joseph spring, the restaurant U pramene or the forest atelier Kuba. Once you get enough of all the pine tree smell, feel free to keep going.
