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Věra Chytilová

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(*1929)

photo: mojefoto.cz

A film director and FAMU graduate who is an extremely prominent exponent of the Czech New Wave.

She began her career in film as a script girl and assistant director. Her work is influenced by the style of cinéma-verité, particularly its documentary and philosophizing strands. Chytilová is celebrated for her experimental techniques, for introducing philosophical themes and an essayistic approach, as well as for the sharp satirical tone of her work.

Sedmikrásky (Daisies) is the title of her most famous film from the 1960s. As with all filmmakers of the New Wave, she clashed with the communist government, which resulted in her being banned from making films for several years during the normalisation era. She currently teaches at FAMU.

Important films:

1966 – Sedmikrásky (Daisies)
1969 – Ovoce stromů rajských jíme (Fruit of Paradise)
1976 – Hra o jablko (The Apple Game)
1983 – Praha, neklidné srdce Evropy (Prague: The Restless Heart of Europe) – a distinctive documentary view of the capital city