František Vláčil

František Vláčil (19 February 1924 – 27 January 1999) His film Marketa Lazarová is considered by some critics to be the best Czech film ever made.

Biography Early life He spent childhood in north Moravia. He shortly studied Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague but switched to the faculty of Arts at Masaryk University. He finished his studies in 1951. He was interested in filmmaking during his studies and worked as a screenwriter in Brno Cartoon and puppet film studio. He later went to newly formed Studio of Popular Scientific and Educational Films. He made 4 short documentary films in the studio.

Military film Vláčil worked in a studio of Czechoslovak military film during his compulsory military service. He was in the military from 1951 to 1958. He met with cinematographer Jan Čuřík with whom he frequently collaborated during his career. He also met another director Karel Kachyňa. Vláčil's short films made in the military studio were mostly instructory and propagandist. His first film was a 1953 short Vzpomínka that commemorated deceased communist president Klement Gottwald. Another of his film shorts is a documentary Posádka na štítě that is about meteorologists working on Lomnický štít. The film shows contrast between a man and mountains. Vláčil also participated in the filmmaking of other directors. In 1955, Vláčil participated as an adviser in the making of the war film, Tank Brigade, coordinating battle scenes. His last military short was an instructory and motivational film Sebeobrana. Vláčil left the army in 1958.

Barrandov Vláčil was employed at Barrandov Studios. He debuted with a short film "The Chase" (segment of No Entrance). The film is about two members of the border-guard who chase an enemy agent. The film not a regular story about the border-guard but features a strong focus on the beauties of nature. He made his first full-length film The White Dove in 1960, which was his only 'Big Three' film festivals' main competition nominee. The film received positive reviews and some awards. He made a historical film The Devil's Trap that was also a success. His next film was a historical drama Marketa Lazarová. He worked six years on the film. He collaborated with significant designers of costumes and decorations, Theodor Pištěk, Jan Koblasa and others. The film was highly acclaimed and was voted the all-time best Czech movie in a prestigious 1998 poll of Czech film critics and publicists. The film was also very expensive and Vláčil was forced to make The Valley of the Bees, another historical film. The Valley of the Bees used the same decorations so the expenditures of Markéta Lazarová could partially be repaid. The film starred Petr Čepek. Vláčil then worked with Čepek on his next film Adelheid.

Vláčil started to work with screenwriter Zdeněk Mahler and together they worked on some films. They made a biographical film Concert at the End of Summer. It was followed by other significant films Snake's Venom, Shades of Fern and Magician. These were his last films before he retired.

Filmography Year Czech Title English Title Director Writer Length Notes 1953 Létání bez vidu podle systému OSP Flying Blind Using System OSP 49 minutes Instructational colour film 1960 Vstup zakázán No Entrance 77 minutes Vláčil directed the segment "The Chase" 1960 Holubice The White Dove 76 minutes 1962 Ďáblova past The Devil's Trap 85 minutes Based on the novel Mlýn na ponorné řece by Alfréd Technik. 1967 Marketa Lazarová Marketa Lazarova 165 minutes Voted the all-time best Czech movie in a 1998 poll of Czech film critics and publicists. 1968 Údolí včel The Valley of the Bees 97 minutes 1970 Adelheid Adelheid 99 minutes 1973 Pověst o stříbrné jedli The Legend of the Silver Fir 54 minutes Inspired by a legend from the Beskydy Mountains. 1975 Sirius Sirius 50 minutes 1977 Dým bramborové natě Smoke on the Potato Fields 95 minutes 1978 Stíny horkého léta Shadows of a Hot Summer 99 minutes 1980 Koncert na konci léta Concert at the End of Summer 102 minutes Based on the life of Antonín Dvořák. 1981 Hadí jed Snake's Venom 84 minutes Inspired by Vláčil's struggle with alcohol. 1983 Pasáček z doliny The Little Shepherd Boy from the Valley 90 minutes Based on a novella by Antonín Fuks. 1985 Albert Albert 70 minutes Based on a short story by Leo Tolstoy. 1986 Stín kapradiny Shades of Fern 90 minutes Based on a novel by Josef Čapek 1988 Mág Magician 87 minutes Vláčil's last film. Based on the life of Karel Hynek Mácha

Short films Year Czech Title English Title Director Writer Length Notes 1950 Hospodaření s elektřinou Electricity Management 12 minutes Propagation film 1950 Lék č. 2357 Cure N. 2357 14 minutes 1951 Tepelná revoluce Thermal Revolution Educational film 1951 Úrazy elektřinou v průmyslu Accidents by electricity in industry 1953 Vzpomínka Remembrance 19 minutes 1956 Dopis z fronty Letter from front 23 minutes 1956 Posádka na štítě Garrison in the Peak 13 minutes 1957 Vojenská maturita Military Graduation 16 minutes 1958 Lesy našich vojenských prostorů Forests of our Training Areas 9 minutes Documentary 1958 Sebeobrana Self-Defense 10 Minutes 1958 Skleněná oblaka Clouds of Glass 20 minutes Vláčil's directorial debut. 1972 Město v bílém The Town in White 15 minutes 1973 Karlovarské promenády The Promenades in Karlovy Vary 15 minutes 1973 Vyprávěj mi o Praze Tell Me About Prague 30 minutes Documentary for Finnish television. 1974 Praha secesní Art Nouveau's Prague 19 minutes 1989 Pražský Odysseus Prague's Odysseus 20 minutes

Acting Year Czech Title English Title Notes 1959 Pět z milionu Five of Million Cameo as Franta. 1963 Spanilá jízda Beautiful ride Hejsek 1984 Slavnosti sněženek The Snowdrop Festival Cameo as an old man. 1985 Vesničko má středisková My Sweet Little Village Cameo as an old sick man named František who bears some traits similar to Vláčil. 1987 Potichu Quietly Student film, Vláčil's only main role. 1989 Rakovina vůle Cancer of Will

Accolades