The Firemen's Ball: Pour Decisions Week at FOMO

One bad decision. One last round. One night that spirals completely out of control.

This week we're celebrating cinema's greatest tales of intoxication, addiction, excess, reckless behaviour and spectacular self-destruction. From cult comedies and chaotic bachelor parties to psychological breakdowns and unforgettable hangovers, this week's films prove that alcohol never solves anything… except giving us incredible movies.

THE FIREMEN'S BALL

Miloš Forman | 1967 | Czechoslovakia | 1h13m | Czech language with English subtitles

Directed by Miloš Forman, this razor-sharp Czech comedy follows a volunteer fire brigade as they attempt to organise their annual ball. What begins as a simple evening of dancing, endless rounds of beer and spirits, raffles, speeches, and a beauty pageant gradually unravels into complete disorder. As the drinks continue to flow, prizes mysteriously disappear, the beauty contestants flee in embarrassment, and every well-intentioned plan somehow becomes an even bigger disaster than the last.

Although packed with visual gags and brilliantly awkward humour, THE FIREMEN'S BALL is far more than a comedy. Released in 1967 during the Prague Spring, the film was widely understood as a satire of bureaucracy, corruption, and institutional incompetence in communist Czechoslovakia. Shortly after the Soviet invasion in 1968, it was banned by the authorities, while Forman himself left the country and would later become one of Hollywood's most celebrated directors, winning Academy Awards for ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and AMADEUS.

Adding to its authenticity, almost the entire cast consists of non-professional actors, many of whom were real firefighters from the town where the film was shot. Their wonderfully natural performances give the film an almost documentary-like quality, making every awkward conversation and escalating mishap feel completely believable.

The film's influence can still be felt in many of today's great ensemble comedies. Its escalating chain of misunderstandings, social awkwardness, and institutional dysfunction paved the way for the kind of cringe comedy later perfected by works such as The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Death of Stalin. If you enjoy watching well-meaning people slowly lose control of an increasingly impossible situation, you'll feel right at home here.

While alcohol is never the joke itself, the constant drinking helps fuel the evening's steady collapse into comic disaster. Nearly sixty years after its release, THE FIREMEN'S BALL remains one of the defining classics of the Czechoslovak New Wave and the perfect way to begin our week of POUR DECISIONS.

It all starts with one more drink.

To celebrate POUR DECISIONS Week, every guest who purchases an alcoholic drink before their screening can enjoy a second alcoholic drink for 50% off during or after the film. Offer valid on the same day only.

FOOD AND DRINK POLICY: FOMO Cinema Lounge Bar opens 1 hour before the first screening of the day and closes at 02:00, serving a wide selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic refreshments including coffee and tea, as well as fresh hot popcorn! Outside food is allowed in the bar but not in the cinema. No alcohol from outside allowed. All guests are invited to arrive early and stay late!

LOCATION: FOMO Secret Cinema, Bazari Orbeliani, Tbilisi. A five minute walk from Liberty Square metro.

HOW TO FIND FOMO: Enter Bazari Orbeliani via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs on your left to Level 1. Signage on the door. You can also check our Instagram story highlights for a video showing exactly how to find us: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTMzMTA2Mjk0MDI5MjM1