Elektafilm a.s., formerly Elektafilm s.r.o. was a Czechoslovak

film production Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, casti ...

and film distribution company that existed from 1923 to 1951. It produced and distributed silent and since 1930 sound films in Czech,

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and

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languages. In the 1930s, Elektafilm was the biggest film production company in Czechoslovakia. The most successful Elektafilm-produced film was Gustav Machatý's ''

Ecstasy Ecstasy may refer to: * Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness * Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria * Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand outside o ...

''. Most of its films were shot at rented A-B Ateliers in Vinohrady,

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

in 1920s, and Barrandov Studios since 1930. Another Czechoslovak production company, Elekta-Journal (1929-1937), had no connection to Elektafilm despite the similar name. Elektafilm frequently worked with directors

Martin Frič Martin Frič (29 March 1902 – 26 August 1968) was a Czech film director, screenwriter and actor. He had more than 100 directing credits between 1929 and 1968, including feature films, shorts and documentary films. Throughout his life, Fri ...

, Svatopluk Innemann,

Karel Lamač Karel Lamač (27 January 1897 – 2 August 1952) was a Czech film director, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He directed more than 100 films in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Life Lama� ...

and Miroslav J. Krňanský.

History

Elektafilm was founded by Josef Auerbach, Julius Schmitt and Jan Reiter as a limited liability company in 1923. In 1926, Elektafilm acquired a production company Vircofilm. In 1928, the company transformed to joint-stock company. In 1930, Elektafilm bought two other Czechoslovak film production companies Slaviafilm (then owned by

Sascha-Film Sascha-Film, in full Sascha-Filmindustrie AG and from 1933 Tobis-Sascha-Filmindustrie AG, was the largest Austrian film production company of the silent film and early sound film period. History The business was established in 1910 by Alexande ...

) and Moldaviafilm. In 1932, Auerbach acquired 100% of shares of Elektafilm. He sold Moldaviafilm in 1934. In 1939, Auerbach moved to New York through Brazil because of the worsening political situation for the Jews in Europe. During the war years, the company was taken over by the Germans and produced films for

UFA GmbH UFA GmbH, shortened to UFA (), is a film and television production company that unites all production activities of the media conglomerate Bertelsmann in Germany. Its name derives from Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft (normally abbreviated as ...

. In 1945, the company was nationalized and finally dissolved in 1951. Josef Auerbach's effort to get the company back were not successful. In USA, he went into real estate and popcorn business, then he worked with

The Mirisch Company The Mirisch Company was an American film production company owned by Walter Mirisch and his brothers, Marvin and Harold Mirisch. The company also had sister firms known at various times as Mirisch Production Company, Mirisch Pictures Inc., Mirisc ...

. In 1964 he accepted the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for Lauro Venturi's short documentary film ''

Chagall Marc Chagall; russian: link=no, Марк Заха́рович Шага́л ; be, Марк Захаравіч Шагал . (born Moishe Shagal; 28 March 1985) was a Russian-French artist. An early modernism, modernist, he was associated with se ...

''.

International operations

In the 1930s Elektafilm was co-producing their multi-language movies with French

Gaumont Film Company The Gaumont Film Company (, ), often shortened to Gaumont, is a French film studio headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Founded by the engineer-turned-inventor Léon Gaumont (1864–1946) in 1895, it is the oldest extant film company in ...

, German Sonorfilm and Ondra-Lamač-Film or Austrian DonauFilm.

Film produced

Elektafilm

Slaviafilm

References

Bibliography

* Auerbach, Norbert: ''Z Barrandova do Hollywoodu'', 2006, Prague: Mladá fronta * Jiras, Pavel: ''Barrandov I: Vzestup k výšinám'', 2011, Ottovo nakladatelství * Jiras, Pavel: ''Barrandov II: Zlatý věk (1933-1939)'', 2012, Ottovo nakladatelství * Bednařík, Petr: ''Arizace české kinematografie'', 2003, Karolinum {{ISBN, 80-246-0619-4 Film studios Film production companies of the Czech Republic Entertainment companies established in 1923 Film distributors