A picture of generational confrontations between children and parents. A young and ambitious violin virtuoso, Peter, lives in long-lasting conflicts with his father. Only after his death Peter realizes how much he had been hurting his father. Still, not even the tragedy can make a change in his shallow life in stereotype.
Mikolás and his brother Adam end up with a young German hostage of noble blood during a robbery. While their clan prepares for the wrath of the German king, Mikolás is sent to pressure his neighbor Lazar into a defense pact. Persuasion fails and he abducts Lazar's daughter Marketa on the eve of her initiation as a nun in an act of vengeance.
Social ballad. Three short stories – "Uzlík tepla", "Chlapec a pánboh" and "Rubári" – depict three different human stories, the common denominator of which is suffering and existential threat.
This two-part production follows the lives of three generations of women from the Jablonczay family at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The first part begins in 1882 and focuses on the two older generations. The eldest, Maria (Emília Vášáryová), lives in a dead relationship with her husband Kálmán (Milan Kněžko). She is the mother of a son and three daughters, each of whom tries to cope with her despotic nature in different ways. In the second part, the youngest, third generation of characters enters the scene. Lenka (Zuzana Vačková) is first educated in a convent with the kind approach of the mother superior (Magda Vášáryová) and slowly gets to know the real world outside the convent and her strict family environment. The play is based on the novel by Hungarian prose writer Magda Szabó, originally titled "An Old-Fashioned Story," in which the author describes the family life of her own ancestors.
Television adaptation of the novel by the Italian writer Italo Svevo. His hero is Zeno Cosini, the son of a merchant in Trieste. He is a type of useless person, defeated by life and incapable of action. The ironic insight with which the author draws a picture of the townspeople of Trieste at the turn of the century sounds like an accurate diagnosis of a social class that is doomed with its entire lifestyle and morality.
A play about the issue of family relationships, real and calculated partnership.
This downbeat, grim drama about three brothers who are reunited at their mother's funeral is actually visually as dark as its story, making it difficult at times to clearly distinguish a scene. These brothers are not particularly exceptional as people go, but at least they have branched out into separate vocations in their lives. One brother is a doctor, another is a criminal, and the third is a bus driver. Like others in Europe, they suffered through World War II, yet no matter what their backgrounds and experiences, their interpersonal relationships are not exactly gripping drama.
The film presents a parade of customs, music, songs and dances of the Slovak people in four seasons, based on a theatre play by I. Teren and K.L. Zachar from the first years after the liberation.
A surreal movie by peter Weigl starring Michael Biehn and Lubomir Kafka.
The original television production of the play by Jozef Gregor Tajovský. A drama from a Slovak village at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in which the author shows the senselessness of linking human destinies for the sake of property. In the play, the author showed how property had taken over the entire thinking and actions of the farmer Palčík and his wife Mary. They persuaded the poor Ľavkovs to give them their son Ďurek as their own and marry him to Zuzka, with the understanding that they would transfer all the property to them after their death.
The film is essentially a feature-length commercial for an exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of the nationalisation of the Czechoslovak film industry, to be held at the Prague U Hybernu venue. The protagonists of the piece are comedians Oldrich Kaiser and Jirí Lábus, who are set to accept an award from Japanese television representatives at the exhibition. At the same time, five gangsters plot to seize a revolutionary invention devised by professor Suzuki - a super holograph, which enables any figure from television to be transported in the flesh into the real world, and vice-versa.
Eduard and Charlotte live an isolated and idyllic life together. But soon Eduard feels that something is missing and he invites his friend Otto to come stay. Charlotte, meanwhile, decides that her foster daughter Ottilie should come live with them. Complex and passionate relationships between the four people begin. Based on Goethe's novel of the same title.
A television film based on a play by Ján Kákoš with the theme of Slovak National Uprising.
The television production is an episode from the life of Andrej Sládkovič. Braxatoris, known as Sládkovič, comes to Banská Štiavnica and wants to find the inspiration for his poetry - Marína. Her parents reject him. Marína marries Gerža, a rich merchant. Sládkovič finds affection and understanding with Antonia, whom he marries...
The hero of this popular fairy tale is a young prince who, after the death of his parents, goes out into the world. During his travels he meets a magical talking horse and falls in love with the beautiful princess Slavna. On the advice of his horse, he binds one eye and pretends to be dumb and enters into service as the castle gardener.
A remake of Vávra's 1948 atomic age thriller Krakatit. Engineer Prokop creates the devastating explosive “Krakatit” and soon confronts manipulative agents and imperialist conspiracies. Realizing his invention’s threat, he fights to prevent its misuse, risking everything to stop those who seek to exploit his epochal discovery.
This film is a psychological study of a woman who chooses solitude as an escape from the duplicity and emotional barrenness of the men around her.
When a comet passes the Earth very closely, it pulls a small part of North Africa, and a small swathe of humanity, along with it.
Based on the eponymous novel by Ladislav Ballek. An aging man wanders through a familiar rural landscape, triggering memories of his blond-boyhood in a small town. As he recalls everyday lives, adventures, and background events - war’s end, shifting borders, loyalties - the boundary between real and imagined blurs.
Francin, manager of a small-town brewery, has a charming wife whose abundant blonde locks are an adornment to the town. Maryska looks ethereal but loves meat and beer, while Francin is an ascetic. The strict members of the brewery board of directors come to audit the accounts, but are diverted from concentrating on Francin's detailed reports by Maryska, who has organized a pig-killing feast and is ably assisting the butcher. When she invites the old curmudgeons on the board to enjoy the fresh pork, they are too happy to agree. Francin doesn't know whether he is going to get a permanent contract. To make things worse his brother Pepin - eccentric, noisy and garrulous - turns up on an indefinite visit.
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.
Miller’s daughter Zuzanka Vojířová, betrothed to Ondřej Zachar, hesitates before marriage when Lord Peter Vok of Rožmberk invites her to his castle. There she bears his son Petříček, but his wife hides the child. After Vok’s death in battle, Zuzanka is expelled and lives as a beggar, reunited with her son and former fiancé, finding solace in the continuation of the Rožmberk lineage.
Three arias from Antonín Dvořák´s fairytale opera Rusalka turned in to a movie, sung by Gabriela Beňačková (Rusalka), Libuše Márová (Witch), René Tuček (Hunter).
An apocalyptic story of three wars in three film tales encompassing the end of the WWI,WWII, as well as a vision of the world destroyed by nuclear weapons. This film was honored at the film festivals in Venice and Sorrento. Immediately after that the copy with Italian subtitles was locked in a safe as evidence of the anti-communist activities of the director, who used real footage of the Soviet invasion.
A tragic story of an uneasy marriage between a young girl and an elderly, crotchety man who cannot understand or approach her.
In the aftermath of war, two men and a woman begin acting more like children than adults, leading to tragedy.
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.
Tereza lives and works in Prague. She meets a handsome man, Tommie, speaking in a language incomprehensible to her. It seems that he is the manager of the Finnish ice hockey team. A love story starts to blossom. When the coach of the Czech ice hockey team tries to use Tereza to retrieve information about the strategy of the Finnish team, Tommie leaves Tereza. Will Tereza be able to clear up this misunderstanding?
A tale based on novel by Czech writer Bozena Nemcova.
While hunting, Prince Radúz of Maguria wanders into the rival kingdom of the Tatra King, Stojmír. He discovers that their nations' long-standing feud stems from the bitter jealousy of Queen Runa, who was once rejected by Radúz’s father. Radúz is soon captured by Runa’s forces after crossing the border. His fate becomes entwined with the royal family when it is revealed that the white deer he killed belonged to Mahulena, the King’s youngest and most delicate daughter.
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 story takes place in the Czech-German border region in 1938. The hero Tomás Jakl marries but the marriage is not very lucky and falls apart. His German friend forced him to enter the Nazi party.
A film based on short stories by K. Przerwu-Tetmajer's Grey Eyes and M. Urban's Melted Heart. The heroines of both stories are young women with the same name - Kristka. They fight for their love, they both love with humility and surrender, but when necessary, they can be decisive and uncompromising. One is cruel in her love, the other fights for it with touching tenderness and kindness. These are not idyllic loves; they are full of life, full of raging blood...
Jules Massanet's lyrical opera is transformed into a superb film production by Petr Weigl, shot on location in Prague, with music conducted by Libor Pesek. First produced by the Vienna Opera in February 1892, "Werther" rapidly confirmed Massanet's position on the French opera scene and achieved enormous popularity outside France, notably in Italy, America and England. The tragic story tells of Werther's intense passion for Charlotte, who has married his best friend, Albert, fulfilling a pledge to her now deceased mother. But Werther's letters of love bring Charlotte to his side when he promises to take his own life.
Two historical stories about love. In the story "The Arabian Horse", the scheming townsman Messer Francesco Vergellesi is so firmly convinced of his wife's virtue that he does not hesitate to bet her against a rare stallion he has a crush on... The story "The Earrings" shows how a poor girl can help herself to a rare jewel and what intrigues are needed for an elderly noble couple to finally have an heir...
Two friends, who go hunting meet a woman who questions their practice.
A man changes his behavior according to the term of the year.
In Bratislava at the end of the 1980s, two estranged sisters try to make up with each other while balancing their private lives and careers.
Levoča, first half of the 16th century. Master Paul creates his most famous work - a late Gothic altar in the Church of St. James. He has just recruited the carving companion Kristof into his service.
A dramatization of a novella by American writer Henry James. This subtle, psychologically profound story is narrated by young literary scholar Henry Jones, who, while searching for documents related to the romantic poet Jeffrey Aspern, finds himself in Venice at the end of the 19th century. Juliana Bordereau, whom Aspern sang about in his work and who owns much of his correspondence, still lives there. However, Juliana refuses to show it to Jones because these letters are the only link connecting her to life. Jones therefore decides to resort to trickery. He moves in with Juliana under a false name as a lodger and, by pretending to be in love, wins over her niece Tina, who is ultimately willing to help him. However, it soon becomes clear that such manipulation of people, even if motivated by a noble goal, does not pay off.
Documentary feature about Czech director Jiří Menzel, featuring Menzel himself as well as Miloš Forman, Emir Kusturica, István Szabó and others.
Two newly qualified civil engineers, with very different personalities, soon discover that they know very little about their future work and the people they will be dealing with. In addition to difficulties at work, they also have personal problems to contend with.
A TV adaptation of a novel by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig. The tragic love story of a lame girl and a lieutenant provides a framework for reflection on human compassion. A young officer wants to gain status and is looking for a "good match." He insinuates himself into the home of a local wealthy man, partly because he loves his niece. Under unfortunate circumstances, he discovers that the wealthy man's daughter has been paralyzed from the waist down for some time. She takes the officer's apologies and frequent visits as a sign of affection. She believes him and begins to hope again that she will recover. This is also so that she can be an equal partner to him, like other women. At first, the officer plays along.
A filmed version of Tchaikovsky's opera. Onegin visits a friend, his fiancee and her sister Tatiana, who believes Onegin is her fated love. She writes a note telling him so, but he rejects her. Years later he returns, finding her married, but now he's smitten with her.
Benjamin Britten’s opera of the Henry James novel. An inexperienced governess is sent to a country house to care for two children, whom she is gradually convinced have been corrupted by the ghosts of a previous manservant and governess…
Version of the fairy tale "The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs"; unlike this one, the young charcoal-burner's son, who has been prophesied as the hard-hearted king's successor - which he is determined to prevent - has a begrudging foster brother. The king uses him for his sinister plans. While the hero wins the princess's heart through honesty, kindness and courage and masters the tests set by the king, the two darklings bring each other to ruin.
Donizetti's opera as film.