The Ear // Bleak Week

dir. Karel Kachyňa // 1970 // 1 hr 35 min

When Ludvík, a Communist party official, and his wife Anna return home from a party one evening, they discover that their house has been broken into and bugged—and that the state may be listening in on their every word. A number of Ludvík’s colleagues have already been terminated in an ongoing purge: could he be next? Unfolding like THE CONVERSATION by way of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, THE EAR evokes the ever-present sense of dread that defines life under authoritarianism.

About Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair

Presented in partnership with the American Cinematheque, 'Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair' isan annual film festival showcasing some of the greatest works of cinema from across the globethat venture into the darkest sides of humanity and the bleakest points in human history.

The fifth annual edition in June 2026 expands to nearly 100 theaters across the U.S., Canada,U.K. and South and Central America, with each venue presenting its own original curated lineupof uncompromising films defined by unpleasanttruths and raw empathy.

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Host or Publisher Stray Cat Film Center