










Prague in the 1870s. Work in Smolík's sulphur factory is hard and dangerous to health. The poorly paid workers resemble torches because their clothes are soaked with poisonous phosphorus. Young Josef Rezler also works in the sulphur factory and uses his earnings to feed his mother and little sisters. He throws his perpetually drunken father out of the house. The older worker Brož forces Josef to learn to read and write. A cholera epidemic breaks out in Prague and Josef is the only one of his family to survive the disease...
Directed by Vladimír Čech, Pochodně leans on a strong ensemble — Eduard Cupák, Zuzana Stivínová, Jaroslav Vojta — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1961.
Read More on the Blog
Loading reviews…
At the tense 1938 Munich Conference, former friends who now work for opposing governments become reluctant spies racing to expose a Nazi secret.
Get weekly picks and blog posts in your inbox.
Live availability isn't tracked for this title yet — try these popular platforms:

The Michael Jackson biopic arrives on JioHotstar on August 29, 2026. Here is where to watch it, what you need, and why it is one of the year’s biggest music films.

The average person spends more time scrolling than watching. Here's a 5-minute method to pick tonight's movie or show by mood, not by endless browsing.