couples wore woollen socks or slippers. Controversy Forman has commented on the issue of whether his film should be seen as an allegory of the larger society of the time: The film generated considerable controversy on its release. Among other things, fire companies across Czechoslovakia protested that the film was an attack on their integrity, to the extent that Forman and his team felt obliged to tour the country dispelling this literal reading. The Czechoslovak Communist party members took exception to the film's cynical tone. However, the film became a big hit in Czechoslovak cinemas, selling over 750,000 tickets. Carlo Ponti, the film's Italian producer, also took umbrage at the film and pulled his financing, leaving Forman to face a possible 10-years' imprisonment for "economic damage to the state". Forman drove from London to Paris to see Claude Lelouch, who had once promised he would buy international rights for any film Forman made, only to find out Lelouch was in Morocco at that time. By chance, Forman met with Claude Berri, who contacted François Truffaut, and after watching the film they both agreed to buy the international rights. Though the film did have a domestic release, and was shown in Czechoslovak cinemas in the reformist atmosphere of the Prague Spring, the film was subsequently banned after the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact countries in 1968. Awards The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 41st Academy Awards. It was also listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but that festival was cancelled due to the events of May 1968 in France. Home media Arrow Films released the film on Blu-ray in the UK in 2015. See also List of submissions to the 41st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film List of Czechoslovakia submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film References External links The Firemen's Ball an essay by J. Hoberman at the Criterion Collection 1968 films Czechoslovak comedy films Films directed by Miloš Forman 1960s Czech-language films 1960s black comedy films Films about firefighting Czech black comedy films Films with screenplays by Ivan Passer Films with screenplays by Miloš Forman Films shot in the Czech Republic 1968 comedy films 1967 comedy films 1967 drama films 1967 films 1968 drama films