(*1938, Prague, Czech Republic)
Graduated from the Film and Television Academy in Prague ( FAMU). Married to a university teacher.
1968 – 1971: script editor in Film Studios Bratislava – Koliba, screenwriter in Film Studios Barrandov, Prague, released for political reasons.
1990: Rehabilitated
1971 – 1978: Various manual professions. Director of audiovisual programmes.
Signed the Charter 77.
1978: Emigration.
Since 1979 worked as a screenwriter and director in Germany, in 1992 returned to Czech Republic, where he cooperated with various film producers such as TAURUS FILM or TELEPOOL.
Teaching:
1996 Ludwig-Maximilians Universitaet Muenchen as a freelance teacher at the Philosophical faculty of the Institute for Slavic Philology (course: Czech film script editing), since 1998 Film and Television faculty of Academy of Music Art (AMU), department of screenwriting and dramaturgy. Since 2002 head of the department, member of the Board of Arts at the Academy of Music Arts (AMU.
1994 – 1997 member, 1997 – 2000 chairman, 2003 -06 vice-chairman of the Board of the State Fund for Support and Development of Czech Cinematography.
2006 – member of the Committee of Miloš Havel Foundation.
FILMOGRAPHY AS A WRITER:
completed films:
Forecast Zero (Předpověď nula)
1965, graduation film by Elo Havetta, FAMU Prague (CZ)
Crist´s Years
(Kristove roky/Kristova léta)
1967, d. Juraj Jakubisko
SF Bratislava (SR)
Celebration in the Botanical Garden
(Slávnosť v botanickej záhrade)
1968, d. Elo Havetta
SF Bratislava (SR)
Arch of Fools (Archa bláznů)
1970/1990, d. Ivan Balaďa
FS Barrandov Prague (CZ)
Oil Lamps (Petrolejové lampy)
1971, d. Juraj Herz
FS Barrandov, Prague (CZ)
co-written with Václav Šašek
Build a House, Plant a Tree
(Postav dom, zasaď strom)
1978(9), d. Juraj Jakubisko
SF Bratislava (SR)
(because of the political prosecution the screenplay wasn´t listed under its author´s name)
Don´t Worry Jacob
(Furchte dich nicht, Jakob!)
(Neboj se, Jakube!)
1981, d. Radu Gabrea,
Gala Film München (D)
Pals from the Forrestry (Foersterbuben)
(Hoši z lesovny)
1984, d. Peter Patzak
MR Film Wien a ORF (AT)
Marlene
1984, d. Maximilian Schell
OKO Film a BR München (D)
Rosenemil
1986, d. Radu Gabrea
Gala Film München (D)
Vast Land (Das weite Land)
(Širá zem).
1987, d. Luc Bondy
Satel Film Wien a ZDF (D)
SCREENPLAYS FOR FILMS FOR VARIOUS REASONS NEVER MADE OR ONLY PARTIALLY PRODUCED
Selected titles
Under the Ground! Under the Ground!
(Pod zem, pod zem!)
1967/9, d. Elo Havetta,
STV a SF Bratislava (SR)
There is a Comedian on the Branch (Na větvi je komediant)
1970, d. Juraj Herz,
FS Barrandov, Prague (CZ)
City of Anatol (Stadt Anatol)
(Město Anatol)
1976, d. Juraj Herz
DEFA Berlin a FS Barrandov, Prague (CZ)
Hotel Savoy
1985, d. Peter Patzak,
Taurus Film München. Landesfoerderung Bayern (D)
Sindibad, the Seafarer
(Sindbad, der Seefahrer)
(Sindibád mořeplavec)
1987, d. Jaroslava Havettová,
Full-length animated,
Direkt Film Muenchen (D)
Bronsky´s Confession
(Bronskys Gestaendnis)
(Bronského přiznání)
1989, d. Peter Patzak
Rubicon Film Köln (D)
Nijinsky – Married to God
(Nijinsky – Hochzeit mit Gott)
(Nižinsky – Svatba s bohem)
1984, d. Werner Schroeter
OKO Film München (D)
6 Screenplays for the “Bible” project
(6 scénářů pro projekt „Bible“)
for Taurus Film München (D)
Screenplays were used in preparation phase for the series of films based on biblical stories (for D/I/ USA) coordinated by Kirch Gruppe.
Joseph I – III / Joshua / Ruth / Gedeon.
DOCUMENTARY FILM DIRECTOR AND WRITER
Hour Zero (Hodina nula)
1992, Slovak Public Television, 60´
with Jan Fajnor
Still Point (Pevný bod)
(German version Mitten in Prag)
1994, KF Prague and Bayerischer Rundfunk
55´ (Germany 45´)
Stones from Sumava
(Die Steine aus dem Boehmerwald)
(Kameny ze Šumavy)
1995, BR München, 10´
Trio from Sumava
(Drei aus dem Boehmerwald)
(Tři ze Šumavy)
1995, BR München , 45´
Short Life of Helmut Hirsch (Das kurze Leben des Helmut Hirsch)
(O krátkém životě Helmuta Hirsche)
1997, BR München a Czech Television Prague, 2 x 45´
Who Learns Czech
(Kdo se učí česky)
1998, Febio film Prague, 20´
Light of the Lost World
(Das Licht der verlorenen Welt)
(Světlo ztraceného světa)
1999, Meir Dohnal
Filmproduktion München pro BR, 45´
Nothing else but Prague
(Nic víc než Praha)
2000, Luxor Film and Czech Television Prague, 2 x 55´
Widows from Stribrna
(Die Wittwen aus Silberbach)
(Vdovy ze Stříbrné)
2001, Meir Dohnal Filmproduktion München for BR, 10´
Knownothing (Ničnevednice)
2001, Czech Television Prague, 9´
Compatriots (Landsleute/ Krajané)
2002, Meir Dohnal Filmproduktion München for BR. 45´
…And Let Anybody get to Know the Truth (…a pravdy každému přejte)
2003, Studio Pět and Czech Television Prague, 55´