Midnight Mass (1962)

Fascist Slovak State, Christmas Day 1944: regardless of this important Christian holiday, cruel Nazi repression is taking place in Slovakia. Men, women and children are executed by the hundreds by the Germans for taking part in the Slovak National Uprising and for merely helping the partisans. The Kubis family tries to survive the war as best they can, even if it means collaboration. Son Marian is a commander of the fascist guards, his cynical brother-in-law Palo runs a business and tries to keep a low profile as much as possible. Palo's wife Angela has begun an affair with Nazi Major Brecker, who is staying with the Kubis. However, a serious threat to everyone, including the grandparents, comes from their nineteen-year-old son Juraj, who fought with the partisans and managed to escape execution. The young man arrives home with an injured leg. While the Germans carry out house-to-house searches for the fugitive, Juraj waits in the attic for medical help and begins to delirious with fever. An "idyllic" Christmas Eve dinner takes place downstairs, to which Major Brecker himself has invited himself.