Section Archive Arts
DVD series resurrects 1950s Czechoslovak Socialist Realist films
Filmy patří lidu (Films Belong to the People) is the title of a series of
Socialist Realist pictures that have been released on DVD in the Czech
Republic in recent months. These propaganda-filled films are from the
1950s, the harshest decade of the communist era, notorious for its brutal
repression, show trials and forced labour camps. More
Time travel, Sci-Fi, films by Todd Haynes highlighted at 12th Mezipatra Queer Film festival
This Thursday saw the opening of the 12th annual Mezipatra Queer Film
festival in the Czech Republic. In this week’s Arts, I talk to the head
of the festival Aleš Rumpel, who discussed not only this year’s main
theme but also its focus on the work of Todd Haynes. Also discussed are
gay
and lesbian issues in the Czech Republic, gay studies, as well as queer
interpretations of the popular Sci-Fi series Star Trek. More
The Polemics of Miloš Jiránek on view at National Gallery
This Thursday saw the opening of a new exhibition at the National
Gallery’s Kinský Palace Stables Gallery marking 100 years since the
death of post-impressionist painter, man-of-letters and critic Miloš
Jiránek, who contributed strongly to the Czech “National Awakening” at
the end of the 19th century. Although he died at the age of just 35,
Jiránek was a most influential figure whose paintings, as well as written
works, have seen renewed appreciation. The show, entitled The Polemics of
Miloš Jiránek, features oils, water colours, drawings, and woodcut prints
– many of the images pristine, featuring earthy hues and soft light.
It’s a small show but well-worth seeing. More
Czech Catholic literature 1918-1945: from utopia to despair
Opposed, later persecuted – and finally forgotten. That was the fate of
many Czech Catholic writers, who stood outside the literary mainstream. In
one of Europe’s most atheist nations, the impact of these authors
gradually diminished throughout the 20th century although in their heyday,
in the interwar period, they managed to convey many original ideas and
intriguing artistic expressions. More
Pinter’s "In Other Rooms" at Divadlo Na Zábradlí
In this week’s Arts, I talk to David Peimer, professor of theatre at
University College in the UK, also involved with the Pinter Centre for
Performance and Creative Writing in London. In our interview Mr Peimer
discusses In Other Rooms - a production in English of lesser-known short
plays by the late Nobel Prize laureate Harold Pinter. While not as
widely-known as Pinter’s most famous work, the short plays are highly
recommended – and Czech audiences will have a chance to see them this
weekend when the production, co-directed by Mr Peimer, comes to the Theatre
on the Ballustrade in Prague. More
Author Jaroslav Rudiš discusses Alois Nebel – graphic novel and film focussing on the fog of history and troubled European past
In this week’s Arts, I speak to Jaroslav Rudiš, the author of an
influential graphic novel (trilogy, actually) that delves into the fog of
history and troubled Central European past. The story of Alois Nebel – a
slightly mad railwayman working in a remote border region – it has been
made into a new film that premiered last week in the Czech Republic after
being featured in festivals in Venice and Toronto. More
Photographer Jiří Jírů on life behind the Iron Curtain, exile and ‘Photostroika’
Jiří Jírů developed a love for photography from his uncle, the
avant-garde Czech photographer Václav Jírů, before studying the
discipline in Brussels and working for US publications such as Time and
Newsweek. In the course of his career, Jiří Jírů has snapped celebrities
ranging from the Bee Gees to Queen Elizabeth II, and spent almost a decade
working as President Václav Havel’s official photographer. Jírů divides
his time between Prague and Brussels, which is where he found himself on
August 21, 1968: More
Surviving Life - Master Švankmajer returns to the screen with a ‘psychoanalytical comedy’
It is only every five years or so that the renowned Czech animator Jan
Švankmajer brings out a new film, and the wait is now over. “Surviving
Life” draws on many of Švankmajer’s traditional themes and styles
while exploring them through an experimental medium, once again confirming
why he is the most acclaimed Czech art house director at home and abroad. More
Fresh Film Festival opens in Prague with “defiance” as main theme
The Fresh Film Festival – highlighting work by debuting directors and
student filmmakers – got underway in Prague this week, offering viewers
a
rare opportunity to see films they would otherwise have little chance to
see. Last year “heroes” were the main theme; this year it’s
“defiance”. More
James Stafford – Author of The Sorrowful Putto of Prague
In this week’s Arts, my guest is Welsh writer James Stafford, the author
of a wonderfully irreverent new webcomic The Sorrowful Putto of Prague.
The
comic tells the story of a 400-year-old putto (or cherub) named Xavier
living in the city and it has captured the attention of both Czech and
English-language readers. After looking up the site myself, I was curious
to learn more about Xavier and his world. Luckily James Stafford – who
is
not usually based in Prague – was able to come to the studio to discuss
the project. More
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