With films like Doubt, First Reformed, and Spotlight, crises in the Church have been a focal point of recent films. While those are all American productions, 2020’s Servants comes from Slovakian director Ivan Ostrochovský. It is a tale of clergymen trying to balance duty to God and duty to their country.
Set in 1980s Czechoslovakia, the film features young boys Juraj (Samuel Skyva) and Michal (Samuel Polakovič) as they enter the seminary. There is a sense of unease, however, as dissident priests are communicating with Radio Free Europe. At the time, the country was part of the unit Pacem in Terris, which subjugated the church over to Communist control. To combat this disobedience, the secret police send Dr. Ivan (Vlad Ivanov), who has a strong grasp on some of the senior clerics. Dr. Ivan is pure wickedness and is portrayed with unrelenting venom. It doesn’t help that he has a skin disorder, a rash permeating his body as he weeds out the uncooperative.
Juraj soon links up with a group of radicals, ignoring Michal. One critique is that this rift isn’t fully explored, as the overall struggle between theology and politics takes center stage. However, Ostrochovský still tells a fascinating story and has a dazzling, disorienting choreography style. Some scenes start with characters frozen in place before they launch into motion. The whole film is in black and white. It makes for uneasy viewing, but you can’t turn your eyes away. There’s a reason it was selected for festivals across Europe and the US, after all. The drama film would work for students studying theology, political science, and modern history. Consider this title if you are programming a series of films that address crises of faith.