▁conflict ▁between ▁religion ▁and ▁science . ▁Religion ▁is ▁represented ▁by ▁a ▁fan at ical ▁Jes uit ▁priest , ▁while ▁science ▁is ▁represented ▁by ▁an ▁old ▁mill er ▁and ▁his ▁son . ▁V lá č il ▁wanted ▁the ▁film ▁to ▁dep ict ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century ▁as ▁auth ent ically ▁as ▁possible . ▁ ▁Cast ▁ ▁V ít ě zs lav ▁Ve j ra ž ka ▁as ▁Sp á len ý ▁Mi ros lav ▁Mach á č ek ▁as ▁Pro bus ▁V ít ▁Ol mer ▁as ▁Jan ▁Č est m ír ▁ Ř anda ▁as ▁a ▁Reg ent ▁Kar la ▁Ch ad im ová ▁as ▁Mart ina ▁V last im il ▁Ha š ek ▁as ▁Game keeper ▁Filip ▁ ▁Plot ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁The ▁Reg ent ▁of ▁V ale č ▁dis lik es ▁Sp á len ý , ▁the ▁local ▁mill er , ▁whom ▁local ▁people ▁greatly ▁respect . ▁Sp á len ý ▁knows ▁the ▁local ▁lands ▁well , ▁but ▁his ▁family ▁is ▁sus pected ▁of ▁w itch craft ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁incident ▁that ▁occurred ▁gener ations ▁ago . ▁When ▁Swedish ▁soldiers ▁arrive ▁and ▁pl under ▁the ▁land , ▁they ▁also ▁burn ▁the ▁mill , ▁but ▁Sp á len ý ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁mi rac ul ously ▁surv ive . ▁Pro bus , ▁a ▁fan at ical ▁priest , ▁is ▁invited ▁to ▁investigate ▁Sp á len ý . ▁Pro bus ▁un success fully ▁tries ▁to ▁turn ▁the ▁local ▁people ▁against ▁Sp á