Plot Summary:One day of autumn 1950, during the forced collectivization, the farmers lead their cattle into the common stables of the new cooperative. The cooperative's chairman, Picin, publicly calls out the farmers' names. Only one among the farmers - the rich farmer Konvalinka - opposes the imposed violence in a horrific way, shooting all his cattle and himself committing suicide. The village witnesses the return of Konvalinka's daughter, nicknamed Miss (Jana Brejchová), a former nun whose cloister was closed by the new regime. She is running the remaining property alone, only with the help of the village fool Ambroz (Gustáv Valach).
Karel Kachyna与著名编剧Jan Prochazka合作的《圣夜》,是他的代表作之一,虽然卡切纳的电影很多,但真正值得推荐的还是他与Prochazka合作的那几部,包括《监听》《圣夜》《苦难》《希望》《共和国万岁》《维也纳快车》《可笑的人》和《高墙》,而这些作品都创作于60-70年间,正是新浪潮最兴盛的一段时期。1967年两人的影片《圣夜》取材于圣经中的故事,在这部电影里影射了两人从对集体公社的向往到最后现实的绝望。因为题材太过于敏感,在最终电影里并没有出现他们二人的名字。