Jaromil Jireš

CzechMate: In Search of Jiří Menzel

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur

Jiří Menzel, Antonín Máša

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.

The Joke

Jaromil Jireš

Josef Somr, Jana Dítětová

In the 1950s, Ludvik Jahn was expelled from the Communist Party and the University by his fellow students, because of a politically incorrect note he sent to his girlfriend. Fifteen years later, he tries to get his revenge by seducing Helena, the wife of one of his accusers.

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

Jaromil Jireš

Jaroslava Schallerová, Helena Anýzová

Valerie, a Czechoslovakian teenager living with her grandmother, is blossoming into womanhood, but that transformation proves secondary to the effects she experiences when she puts on a pair of magic earrings. Now seeing the world around her in a different light, Valerie must endure her sexual awakening while attempting to discern reality from fantasy as she encounters lecherous priest Gracian, a vampire-like stranger and otherworldly carnival folk.

Křik

Jaromil Jireš

Eva Límanová, Josef Abrhám

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.

Strejda

Jaromil Jireš

Vlastimil Brodský, Vladimír Zavázal

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

Učitel tance

Jaromil Jireš

Martin Dejdar, Miloš Kopecký

Lev s bílou hřívou

Jaromil Jireš

Luděk Munzar, Zlata Adamovská

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.

...a pozdravuji vlaštovky

Jaromil Jireš

Magda Vášáryová, Július Vašek

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.

Hlídač dynamitu

Jaromil Jireš, Zdeněk Sirový

Eman Fiala, Eva Svobodová

Neúplné zatmění

Jaromil Jireš

Lucie Pátiková, Oldřich Navrátil

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.

Sál ztracených kroků

Jaromil Jireš

Ladislava Nováková, Petr Trnka

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.

Ostrov stříbrných volavek

Jaromil Jireš

Erwin Geschonneck, Iva Bittová

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.

Perličky na dně

Jaromil Jireš, Evald Schorm

Ferdinand Krůta, Alois Vachek

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.

Mladý muz a bílá velryba

Jaromil Jireš

Eduard Cupák, Ivan Vyskočil

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.

Stopy

Jaromil Jireš

Václav Lohniský, Vladimír Hlavatý

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

Helimadoe

Jaromil Jireš

Jakub Marek, Josef Somr