

The Firemen's Ball
A colorful comedy, in which people dance, steal and extinguish the fire.
The firemen of a provincial Czechoslovakian town throw a ball in honor of the old chief's retirement. There will be music and dancing, a beauty pageant and a raffle. The whole town will be in attendance. However, the proceedings are dogged by difficulty at every step. Workplace injuries, stolen prizes, a shortage of pretty girls... and fire.
TMDB
7.1/10
269 votes
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Not rated yet
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
- —
- Language
- Czech
- small town
- dark comedy
- czechoslovakia
- political satire
- czech new wave
- communist era
- joyful
Top billed cast







Behind the camera
Director
Music
Produced in
Czechoslovakia, Italy
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
Gallery












Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- Theatrical29 Sept 1968
AustriaAT
- Digital / OTT1227 Mar 2017
FinlandFI
- TheatricalS18 Apr 1969
FranceFR
- Theatrical15 Jun 1978
- PhysicalDVD23 Feb 2005
- Digital / OTTVOD1 Feb 2020
- PhysicalBlu-Ray7 Apr 2021
GreeceGR
- PhysicalDVD15 Dec 2004
NetherlandsNL
- PhysicalBlu ray12 Oct 2015
XCXC
- Theatrical15 Dec 1967
Frequently asked questions
The Firemen's Ball was released on 15 December 1967.
Audience reviews
1- D7/10
deepkino
9/26/2025
Miloš Forman's final film in the Czech language is a pure critique of bureaucracy. Set entirely at a banquet honoring a dying, 86-year-old former fire chief, it masterfully depicts the event's descent into fiasco. The film exposes the decay of Czechoslovak society and its so-called socialism, making the audience smile and even laugh, all without ever compromising its sharp comedic edge. It is a rare work that brillia…
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