Boris Masník

A look at the life, work and importance of Czech filmmaker Karel Zeman (1910-89), a genius of world cinema, a wizard of special effects, revealing his sources of inspiration and his revolutionary filming techniques.

A look at the life, work and importance of Czech filmmaker Karel Zeman (1910-89), a genius of world cinema, a wizard of special effects, revealing his sources of inspiration and his revolutionary filming techniques.

“The fact that I’m playing myself doesn’t mean that it’s me.” Four old schoolmates, today well-known Czech actors (Pavel Liška, Tomáš Matonoha, Josef Polášek and Marek Daniel), decide to make a movie together. Their ambitious colleague Jan Budař takes up directing duties and financing has arrived from Poland. What started out pleasantly enough, however, soon goes awry. Liška’s pronunciation difficulties, Daniel’s alter ego Havlát, and Matonoha’s financial machinations turn the shoot into a fight for survival. More than just a film about friendship and the absurdity of actors’ lives, director Marek Najbrt gives us a witty meditation on reality and illusion, and a unique take on the reality film genre. One of Pavel Liška’s on-set comments (“I didn’t know if I should act as if I were acting, or act as if I weren’t acting, or just not act at all”) illustrates the provocative nature of Najbrt’s subversive, quasi-documentary game.

It is 1961 and an Albanian student (Nik Xhelilaj) of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, together with a group of Czech students, is shooting his graduate movie on a motorcycle factory, in the small market-town of Český Šternberk, in then Czechoslovakia. Coming from a country that is completely isolated from the rest of Europe, he is fascinated by the lifestyle, society and "erotic exuberance" of the Czech golden youth, yet feeling strong links with his family in his homeland. He falls in love with a married woman (Anna Geislerová), the wife of a police superintendent (Paolo Buglioni) and is insecure about his future.

Prague, Czechoslovakia, during the inter-war period. Jan Dítě, a young and clever waiter who wants to become a millionaire, comes to the conclusion that to achieve his ambitious goal he must be diligent, listen and observe as much as he can, be always discreet and use what he learns to his own advantage; but the turbulent tides of history will continually stand in his way.

Prague, Czechoslovakia, during the inter-war period. Jan Dítě, a young and clever waiter who wants to become a millionaire, comes to the conclusion that to achieve his ambitious goal he must be diligent, listen and observe as much as he can, be always discreet and use what he learns to his own advantage; but the turbulent tides of history will continually stand in his way.

Three backpackers head to a Slovakian city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.

A screwup angel is exiled from the Heaven down to Earth, incarnated as a beggar.

Fanny is ten year old girl and a very talented gymnast, but suddenly she's getting seriously injured and ends in a wheelchair.

After a fictitious marriage with a Russian emigrant, Cellisten Louka, a Czech man, must suddenly take responsibility for her son. However, it’s not long before the communication barrier is broken between the two new family members.

Pan Tau, the friend of all children, now also helps the adults. A movie producer is in trouble and decides to shoot another Pan-Tau movie. But the old Pan-Tau actor Karasek is no longer young enough to walk the almost weightless walk of Pan Tau. Mr. Novak turns up - he resembles Pan Tau like a twin brother. He succeeds every pirouette. And as if by magic, he solves all the problems between people! Who is Mr. Novak? Is he really ...?

Pan Tau, the friend of all children, now also helps the adults. A movie producer is in trouble and decides to shoot another Pan-Tau movie. But the old Pan-Tau actor Karasek is no longer young enough to walk the almost weightless walk of Pan Tau. Mr. Novak turns up - he resembles Pan Tau like a twin brother. He succeeds every pirouette. And as if by magic, he solves all the problems between people! Who is Mr. Novak? Is he really ...?

The film is a metaphor for the Cold War. It depicts two neighbouring nations: peace loving Fortuna and the not so peaceful land of the Steel City.

The film is a metaphor for the Cold War. It depicts two neighbouring nations: peace loving Fortuna and the not so peaceful land of the Steel City.

Short movie by Bretislav Pojar

Short film made by Bretislav Pojar

The fifth and last episode of the "Who threw that, gentlemen?" series. The series is the continuation of the previous "bear" series "Hey, Mister, let's play?". This time the bears decide to grow carrots and turnips. While working they come across a billy-goat who wants to relieve them of their crop. The bears force him to return the carrots and turnips and to carry all the crops back to their home.

Astronauts landing on an unknown planet are overcome with greed evoked by all-consuming amoebas transformed into gemstones. The greed kills the entire crew and the amoebas can take over their ship and eventually Earth. Among other techniques, Mergl uses animated xylographic illustrations and the film‘s uniqueness is underscored by its soundtrack.

A stop-motion Sisyphus is overwhelmed by the Czechoslovakian bureaucracy.

The third episode of the series "Hey, Mister, let's play", in which the heroes are two bears, one foxy and the other naive. In this episode the big bear out-smarts the small one by convincing him that the fish he caught is a spellbound princess.

The second part of the six-part series “Hey, Mister, Let’s Play”. The bears try go to the water, and the big bear is good and makes himself a car for the little bear.

Pilot of the series "Hey, Mister, Let's Play". The story of two bears, the older one is experienced and sly, the younger is naive and gullible. This is the story of how they met in the Czech town of Kolín.

This is one of three 15 minute cat films made by Bretislav Pojar in 1960-61. It features mime artist Ladislav Fialka as the painter Honza. He gets into all sorts of trouble when he has to look after two little kittens. It's a mixture of live action and animation. The other two films in the trilogy are Cat’s Promise Cat School Narrator Rudolf Deyl also provided the voice for the first series for Pojar’s Pojdte Pane films in the mid 60s.

A stop-motion film with no dialogue. A musician is playing his musicc to some animals, when an hungry lion shows up.

Puppet film-fairy tale in an entertaining form teaches viewers to ski correctly, to overcome steep hills.

The second cartoon by Jiri Trnka that was a sensation at the festival in Cannes in 1946 when it defeated the world animation elite of the time. It is a musical fairy-tale based on a famous folk story about animals that deterred thieves.