Jaromil Jireš

An epic exploration of the Czechoslovak New Wave cinema of the 1960s and 70s, structured around a series of conversations with one of its most acclaimed exponents - Closely Observed Trains director Jiří Menzel.

An intimate psychological film which elaborates the Faustian theme about the dispute between the body and the soul - a study on human identity. Two young doctors carry out the surgical exchange of the brains of two women who are dying after a car accident - a young girl and member of a criminal gang, and a lonely seventy-year-old associate professor of oriental studies. The young girl wakes from the operation thinking like the elderly intellectual and tries in vain to live with her new identity. (https://www.filmovyprehled.cz/en/film/22344/double-role)

An intimate psychological film which elaborates the Faustian theme about the dispute between the body and the soul - a study on human identity. Two young doctors carry out the surgical exchange of the brains of two women who are dying after a car accident - a young girl and member of a criminal gang, and a lonely seventy-year-old associate professor of oriental studies. The young girl wakes from the operation thinking like the elderly intellectual and tries in vain to live with her new identity. (https://www.filmovyprehled.cz/en/film/22344/double-role)

The film tells the exciting life of the great Czech composer Leos Janácek (1854-1928), also known by the thick silver hair that crowned his head and his strong character, which could overcome the adversities of fate.

The film tells the exciting life of the great Czech composer Leos Janácek (1854-1928), also known by the thick silver hair that crowned his head and his strong character, which could overcome the adversities of fate.

Adaptation of Vladimir Paral's comic novel, which criticizes consumerism as an attitude of life.

Adaptation of Vladimir Paral's comic novel, which criticizes consumerism as an attitude of life.

Marta (Lucie Patikova) was blinded in an accident brought on by her careless and indulgent younger sister. Now in a school for the blind, Marta keeps up her hope that she will one day see again, mainly because her mother - out of good intentions - has led her to believe that the blindness is only temporary. Before long, Marta comes to realize that her condition will last until she dies, and she begins to despair, hating her mother for giving her false hope. Only a dedicated psychologist, Dr. Mos (Oldrich Navratil) seems to have the means of retrieving Marta from her depression.

Marta (Lucie Patikova) was blinded in an accident brought on by her careless and indulgent younger sister. Now in a school for the blind, Marta keeps up her hope that she will one day see again, mainly because her mother - out of good intentions - has led her to believe that the blindness is only temporary. Before long, Marta comes to realize that her condition will last until she dies, and she begins to despair, hating her mother for giving her false hope. Only a dedicated psychologist, Dr. Mos (Oldrich Navratil) seems to have the means of retrieving Marta from her depression.

Producción de la TV checa a partir de un cuento de hadas de la escritora checa Bozena Nemcová, narra la tradicional historia de un príncipe convertido en cisne por una malvada reina que sólo podrá recobrar su figura humana gracias al amor de una joven.

A twelve-year-old is looking for his biological parents after discovering the fact that he was adopted.

A twelve-year-old is looking for his biological parents after discovering the fact that he was adopted.

In an unusual, apolitical approach, director Jaromil Jires has fashioned a standard drama that features an older lawyer with failing health who goes to practice in the countryside. His series of odd court cases reveals more about the human condition than about law. In one of these litigations a wayward nephew has cheated his elderly aunt out of her savings. In court, the nephew insists the money was a gift, but his aunt explains she only gave him the money as a loan. Although the lawyer technically wins the case, everything of value seems lost in the meantime. His services are paid for in rabbits because the aunt has no currency, and in the end, the nephew cons his aunt into parting with her savings anyway. Other cases expose similar types of petty corruption.

Good-looking Edita Beningerová (Jana Brejchová) arrives at a chemical factory in the North Bohemian town of Ústí nad Labem together with her young assistant Nada (Zlata Adamovská). She is hoping that her ex-husband, outstanding practical chemical engineer Vik Panc (Eduard Cupák), will help her conduct an experiment to validate her proposed theoretical method of isolating cholesterol from lanolin. The success of Edita's invention is crucial for her career at the Prague Institute of Chemistry. Vik's roommate from his hostel Bréta (Ivan Vyskocil) is thrilled. He will finally meet the mysterious and fascinating Edita about whom he has learned so much from Vik.

Good-looking Edita Beningerová (Jana Brejchová) arrives at a chemical factory in the North Bohemian town of Ústí nad Labem together with her young assistant Nada (Zlata Adamovská). She is hoping that her ex-husband, outstanding practical chemical engineer Vik Panc (Eduard Cupák), will help her conduct an experiment to validate her proposed theoretical method of isolating cholesterol from lanolin. The success of Edita's invention is crucial for her career at the Prague Institute of Chemistry. Vik's roommate from his hostel Bréta (Ivan Vyskocil) is thrilled. He will finally meet the mysterious and fascinating Edita about whom he has learned so much from Vik.

The late summer of 1918. Paul, Willi and Heinrich from an age-old German town are good friends, although there is a great deal that divides them. Heinrich comes from an officer's family with an army tradition and is preparing to enter cadet college. Paul's father and grandfather are workers, and Willi, left to depend on himself, works as a hotel messenger. The last year of the war is hard for everyone, but while Paul and Willi know their own minds and do not hesitate to help the war fugitives Tony and Sepp, for Heinrich everything is more complicated.

A model Communist village is visited by a flying saucer.

Three short stories. Prague finally sees the approval of the subway construction. Thousands of individuals took part in preparing, course and finalizing construction of subway and their lives crossed at certain points of this construction.

Three short stories. Prague finally sees the approval of the subway construction. Thousands of individuals took part in preparing, course and finalizing construction of subway and their lives crossed at certain points of this construction.

Three short stories. Prague finally sees the approval of the subway construction. Thousands of individuals took part in preparing, course and finalizing construction of subway and their lives crossed at certain points of this construction.

This film, chronicling the last days of Czech resistance fighter Maruska Kuderikova (played by Magda Vasaryova), is based on her diaries. Though she was tortured and eventually executed by the Nazis, her diaries indicate that she was optimistic for the humanity of her captors and did not by any means hate them. Told with simple dignity, this film makes clear why Maruska became a national hero.

This film, chronicling the last days of Czech resistance fighter Maruska Kuderikova (played by Magda Vasaryova), is based on her diaries. Though she was tortured and eventually executed by the Nazis, her diaries indicate that she was optimistic for the humanity of her captors and did not by any means hate them. Told with simple dignity, this film makes clear why Maruska became a national hero.

This film, chronicling the last days of Czech resistance fighter Maruska Kuderikova (played by Magda Vasaryova), is based on her diaries. Though she was tortured and eventually executed by the Nazis, her diaries indicate that she was optimistic for the humanity of her captors and did not by any means hate them. Told with simple dignity, this film makes clear why Maruska became a national hero.

Valerie, una adolescente checoslovaca que vive con su abuela, se está convirtiendo en mujer, pero esa transformación resulta secundaria a los efectos que experimenta cuando se pone un par de aretes mágicos. Ahora que ve el mundo a su alrededor bajo una luz diferente, Valerie debe soportar su despertar sexual mientras intenta discernir la realidad de la fantasía mientras se encuentra con el sacerdote lascivo Gracian, un extraño vampiro y una gente de carnaval de otro mundo.

Valerie, una adolescente checoslovaca que vive con su abuela, se está convirtiendo en mujer, pero esa transformación resulta secundaria a los efectos que experimenta cuando se pone un par de aretes mágicos. Ahora que ve el mundo a su alrededor bajo una luz diferente, Valerie debe soportar su despertar sexual mientras intenta discernir la realidad de la fantasía mientras se encuentra con el sacerdote lascivo Gracian, un extraño vampiro y una gente de carnaval de otro mundo.

Ludvik Jahn, director de un instituto científico, descubre que Helena, una periodista de radio, es la esposa de Pavel, un ex compañero de estudios responsable de su expulsión de la universidad y de las Juventudes Comunistas. Debido a una broma trivial, es obligado a incorporase a un batallón militar de castigo durante dos años y medio, pasar dos años en una prisión militar, y tres años trabajando en las minas. 15 años después, la oportunidad de vengarse parece asomar... El guion de Jaromil Jires y Milan Kundera está basado en la novela de este último, la primera de sus novelas de éxito mundial. Este guion, en donde no dudaron en cortar o cambiar algunas escenas, es considerado como la mejor adaptación de una obra de Kundera. La película se comenzó a rodar en 1967, incluso antes de la aparición del libro, y se terminó de rodar después de la llegada de los tanques soviéticos en 1968.

Ludvik Jahn, director de un instituto científico, descubre que Helena, una periodista de radio, es la esposa de Pavel, un ex compañero de estudios responsable de su expulsión de la universidad y de las Juventudes Comunistas. Debido a una broma trivial, es obligado a incorporase a un batallón militar de castigo durante dos años y medio, pasar dos años en una prisión militar, y tres años trabajando en las minas. 15 años después, la oportunidad de vengarse parece asomar... El guion de Jaromil Jires y Milan Kundera está basado en la novela de este último, la primera de sus novelas de éxito mundial. Este guion, en donde no dudaron en cortar o cambiar algunas escenas, es considerado como la mejor adaptación de una obra de Kundera. La película se comenzó a rodar en 1967, incluso antes de la aparición del libro, y se terminó de rodar después de la llegada de los tanques soviéticos en 1968.

Documentary about the film academy in Prague and the Czech Film in 1965.

A manifesto of sorts for the Czech New Wave, this five-part anthology shows off the breadth of expression and the versatility of the movement’s directors. Based on stories by the legendary writer Bohumil Hrabal, the shorts range from the surreally chilling to the caustically observant to the casually romantic, but all have a cutting, wily view of the world.

A manifesto of sorts for the Czech New Wave, this five-part anthology shows off the breadth of expression and the versatility of the movement’s directors. Based on stories by the legendary writer Bohumil Hrabal, the shorts range from the surreally chilling to the caustically observant to the casually romantic, but all have a cutting, wily view of the world.

It is the depths of winter and in the middle of a desolate landscape on a snowy slope stands a log cabin, inhabited by an old man. The man puts his last log into his stove and the warmth of the fire visibly delights him. He rocks his rocking chair energetically and sings merrily. The flames die away and the old man looks around for something to put on the fire. In the end he sacrifices the chair, but soon that too is burnt up. The man tears the remnants of posters from the walls, gathers various rags and throws everything into the stove. Then he takes an axe and gradually chops up the wooden walls of his house, although it is obvious that he cannot win this duel with cruel nature. The fire gradually eats up the planks and beams until the cabin entirely collapses. The man wants to get warm, and so runs around the dying flames. (https://www.filmovyprehled.cz/en/film/396670/the-log-cabin)

It is the depths of winter and in the middle of a desolate landscape on a snowy slope stands a log cabin, inhabited by an old man. The man puts his last log into his stove and the warmth of the fire visibly delights him. He rocks his rocking chair energetically and sings merrily. The flames die away and the old man looks around for something to put on the fire. In the end he sacrifices the chair, but soon that too is burnt up. The man tears the remnants of posters from the walls, gathers various rags and throws everything into the stove. Then he takes an axe and gradually chops up the wooden walls of his house, although it is obvious that he cannot win this duel with cruel nature. The fire gradually eats up the planks and beams until the cabin entirely collapses. The man wants to get warm, and so runs around the dying flames. (https://www.filmovyprehled.cz/en/film/396670/the-log-cabin)

It is the depths of winter and in the middle of a desolate landscape on a snowy slope stands a log cabin, inhabited by an old man. The man puts his last log into his stove and the warmth of the fire visibly delights him. He rocks his rocking chair energetically and sings merrily. The flames die away and the old man looks around for something to put on the fire. In the end he sacrifices the chair, but soon that too is burnt up. The man tears the remnants of posters from the walls, gathers various rags and throws everything into the stove. Then he takes an axe and gradually chops up the wooden walls of his house, although it is obvious that he cannot win this duel with cruel nature. The fire gradually eats up the planks and beams until the cabin entirely collapses. The man wants to get warm, and so runs around the dying flames. (https://www.filmovyprehled.cz/en/film/396670/the-log-cabin)

While a woman is in the hospital preparing to deliver her child, her husband has all day to reflect upon his wife and their relationship. As he tends to his job as a television repairman, Slavek fondly remembers how he first met Ivana and the days they spent getting to know one another. Slavek also grows increasingly aware of the environment that surrounds him and questions the society his new child will be entering. Loaded with a repeated plea for social change, this is the first feature from Czech writer/director Jaromil Jires.

In a series of juxtaposed images and sounds, Jaromil Jireš comments on the tragic premature death of thousands as well as their posterity due to the atomic bomb.

In a series of juxtaposed images and sounds, Jaromil Jireš comments on the tragic premature death of thousands as well as their posterity due to the atomic bomb.

In a series of juxtaposed images and sounds, Jaromil Jireš comments on the tragic premature death of thousands as well as their posterity due to the atomic bomb.

While a woman is in the hospital preparing to deliver her child, her husband has all day to reflect upon his wife and their relationship. As he tends to his job as a television repairman, Slavek fondly remembers how he first met Ivana and the days they spent getting to know one another. Slavek also grows increasingly aware of the environment that surrounds him and questions the society his new child will be entering. Loaded with a repeated plea for social change, this is the first feature from Czech writer/director Jaromil Jires.

This early short by Jaromil Jireš anticipates the formal and stylistic experimentation that would characterize VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS.

In this six-minute short, a man’s attempt to burgle a home is interrupted by a child.

In this six-minute short, a man’s attempt to burgle a home is interrupted by a child.