DIR/SCR František Vláčil; SCR Vladimír Körner. Czechoslovakia, 1970, b&w/color, 99 min. In Czech and German with English subtitles. NOT RATED

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After running afoul of government censors for the controversial topics and critical views expressed in VALLEY OF THE BEES and ADELHEID, Vláčil was unable to direct features for a number of years, eventually making a return with this featurette-length children's film, which, despite the diminished circumstances of its scope and genre, displays an allegorical potency on par with his previous work. A 12-year-old boy named František enjoys idyllic country days playing with his beloved wolfhound Sirius. The presence of World War II only gradually comes into focus, after the German army, rooting out subversives, imposes stricter rules on the locals. They also begin commandeering all service animals — training dogs for attack purposes — forcing František to face a terrible choice.