The Prague film school
[Praška škola: Pametni filmovi mogu biti napravljeni za široku publiku](_blank)
( sh, Praška filmska škola, script=Latn, ), also known as the Czech film school
( sh, Češka filmska škola, script=Latn, ) or the Prague wave
[Dejan Dabić: Praška škola ne postoji](_blank)
( sh, Praški talas, script=Latn, ) was a group of
Yugoslav film directors
Yugoslav or Yugoslavian may refer to:
* Yugoslavia, or any of the three historic states carrying that name:
** Kingdom of Yugoslavia, a European monarchy which existed 1918–1945 (officially called "Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes" 1918–1 ...
who rose to prominence in the
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War i ...
after graduating from the
Film and TV School of the
Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague ( cs, Akademie múzických umění v Praze, AMU) is a university in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, specialising in the study of music, dance, drama, film, television and multi-media. It is the larg ...
(FAMU). Five prominent Yugoslav directors born from 1944 to 1947 attended classes at FAMU:
Lordan Zafranović
Lordan Zafranović (born 11 February 1944) is a Czech-Croatian film director. He was a major figure of the Yugoslav Black Wave.
Early life
Lordan Zafranović was born in 1944 in Maslinica, island of Šolta, Dalmatia, during the fascist occupati ...
(b. 1944),
Srđan Karanović
Srđan Karanović ( sr-Cyrl, Срђан Карановић, , born 17 November 1945) is a Serbian film director and screenwriter. He has directed 17 films since 1968. His film '' Miris poljskog cveća'' won the FIPRESCI prize at the 1978 Can ...
(b. 1945),
Goran Marković
Goran Marković ( sr-cyr, Горан Марковић, ) (born 24 August 1946) is a Serbian film and theatre director, screenwriter, writer, and playwright. He has directed approximately 50 documentaries, 13 feature films, and 3 theatre plays. ...
(b. 1946),
Goran Paskaljević
Goran Paskaljević ( sr-cyr, Горан Паскаљевић; ; 22 April 1947 – 25 September 2020) was a Serbian and former Yugoslav film director.
Biography
Born in Belgrade, he was raised by his grandparents in Niš in southern Serbia, foll ...
(1947-2020), and
Rajko Grlić
Rajko Grlić (born 2 September 1947) is a Croatian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is a professor of film theory at Ohio University and artistic director of the Motovun Film Festival in Motovun, Croatia.
Biography
Rajko Grlić w ...
(b. 1947).
[Istočnoevropski filmski fenomen](_blank)
Emir Kusturica
Emir Kusturica ( sr-cyrl, Емир Кустурица; born 24 November 1954) is a Serbian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and musician. He also has French citizenship.http://www.serbia.com/emir-kusturica-artist-builder-and-anti-glo ...
, who was born is 1954, is sometimes also considered a member of the ''Praška škola''. Cinematographers
Živko Zalar
Živko Zalar (born 24 April 1948 in Zagreb) is a Croatian cinematographer, son of Croatian cinematographer Slavko Zalar.
Zalar began making films as an amateur at the Kino Klub Zagreb, before going on to study cinematography at the Academy of P ...
(who has worked with Grlić, Karanović and Marković),
Predrag Pega Popović
Predrag ( sr-cyr, Предраг) is a Slavic masculine given name, predominantly borne by ethnic Slavs, derived from ''pre-'' ("very, much") and ''-drag'' ("dear, beloved"), both common in Slavic dithematic names. It roughly means "very beloved". ...
(who has worked with Zafranović and Marković),
Vilko Filač
Vilko Filač (14 February 1950 – 25 November 2008) was a Slovenian cinematographer. A graduate of the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, he is best known for his work with Emir Kusturica, including ''When Father Was A ...
(who has worked with Kusturica),
Valentin Perko, and
Pavel Grzinčič, also studied at FAMU.
As they were all FAMU students at the end of 1960s and the beginning of 1970s, the directors of the ''Praška škola'' were mostly influenced by the directors of
Czechoslovak New Wave
The Czechoslovak New Wave (also Czech New Wave) is a term used for the Czechoslovak filmmakers who started making movies in the 1960s. The directors commonly included are Miloš Forman, Věra Chytilová, Ivan Passer, Pavel Juráček, Jiří Menze ...
, such as
Miloš Forman
Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech and American film director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the United States in 1968.
Forman ...
,
Jiří Menzel
Jiří Menzel () (23 February 1938 – 5 September 2020) was a Czech film director, theatre director, actor, and screenwriter. His films often combine a humanistic view of the world with sarcasm and provocative cinematography. Some of these films ...
, and
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
-winning FAMU professors,
Ján Kadár
Ján Kadár (1 April 1918 – 1 June 1979) was a Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian-born Slovak film writer and director of History of the Jews in Hungary, Jewish heritage.
As a filmmaker, he worked in Czechoslovakia, the United States, and Canada. ...
and
Elmar Klos
Elmar Klos (26 January 1910 – 19 July 1993) was a Czech film director who collaborated for 17 years with his Slovak colleague Ján Kadár and with him won the 1965 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for the film ''The Shop on Main Street' ...
.
[Novi kadrovi: Goran Marković - intervju](_blank)
The events of the
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring ( cs, Pražské jaro, sk, Pražská jar) was a period of political liberalization and mass protest in
the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. It began on 5 January 1968, when reformist Alexander Dubček was elected First Sec ...
and
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
The Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia refers to the events of 20–21 August 1968, when the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was jointly invaded by four Warsaw Pact countries: the Soviet Union, the Polish People's Republic, the People's Rep ...
in 1968 also strongly influenced the ''Praška škola'' and formed the basis for the loosely defined group.
History
The beginning of the emergence of the ''Praška škola'' came in 1968, when Grlić, as a student, directed his first professional television documentary entitled ''
Mi iz Praga'' (Us from Prague). The film, produced by
TV Zagreb
''Hrvatska radiotelevizija'' (abbr. HRT), or Croatian Radiotelevision, is Croatia's public broadcasting company. It operates several radio and television channels, over a domestic transmitter network as well as satellite. HRT is divided into thr ...
, focused on the interactions between the Yugoslav students in Prague. In this film, Marković states it was him and Karanović that had enrolled first in FAMU, prompting the others to follow in their steps. The first feature film directed by a ''Praška škola'' member was Zafranović's ''
Sunday
Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. In most Western countries, Sunday is a day of rest and a part of the weekend. It is often considered the first day of the week.
For most observant adherents of Christianity, Sunday ...
'' ( sh, Nedjelja) (1969), starring Goran Marković, followed by Karanović's ''
Društvena igra'' (1972) and Grlić's ''
Whichever Way the Ball Bounces
''Whichever Way the Ball Bounces'' ( hr, Kud puklo da puklo), also known in English as ''If It Kills Me'', is a 1974 Croatian film directed by Rajko Grlić.
References
External links
*''Whichever Way the Ball Bounces''at Rajko Grlić's offi ...
'' ( sh, Kud puklo da puklo) (1974), which were praised by the modernism-influenced film critics, but not yet universally accepted by the wider Yugoslav audience.
However, the second half of the 1970s brought fame to the members of the group, and the term ''Praška škola'' was coined by critics after the success of its members at several Yugoslav and international film festivals. In 1976, the TV series ''
Grlom u jagode
''Grlom u jagode'' (Cyrillic: Грлом у јагоде, "The Unpicked Strawberries") is a 1975 Yugoslavian TV series directed by Srđan Karanović and co-written by Karanović and Rajko Grlić. Depicting the life and times of a young man nickname ...
'', written by Grlić and Karanović and directed by Karanović, was highly successful in Yugoslavia. The same year, Paskaljević received the
Golden Arena for Best Director
The Golden Arena for Best Director ''( Croatian: Zlatna arena za režiju'') is an award given for best director at the Pula Film Festival, which was until 1992 the Yugoslav equivalent of the Academy Awards. Since 1992 and the breakup of Yugosla ...
award at the
Pula Film Festival
Pula Film Festival ( hr, Pulski filmski festival) is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held in ...
for his first feature film ''
Beach Guard in Winter
''Beach Guard in Winter'' ( sh, Čuvar plaže u zimskom periodu) is a 1976 Yugoslav film directed by Goran Paskaljević. It was entered into the 26th Berlin International Film Festival.
Cast
* Irfan Mensur as Dragan Pasanović
* Gordana Kosan ...
'' ( sh, Čuvar plaže u zimskom periodu). In 1977, Marković's debut film ''
Special Education
Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
'' ( sh, Specijalno vaspitanje) won the
FIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
award at the
International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg
The Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival (german: Internationales Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg), often referred to by the German-language initialism IFFMH, is an annual film festival established in 1952 hosted jointly by the citi ...
. In 1978, all four main prizes at the Pula Film Festival were awarded to films directed by former FAMU students: Zafranović's ''
Occupation in 26 Pictures
''Occupation in 26 Pictures'' ( sh, Okupacija u 26 slika; also distributed internationally as ''Occupation in 26 Tableaux'') is a 1978 Yugoslavian war film directed by Lordan Zafranović. It was entered into the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. The f ...
'' ( sh, Okupacija u 26 slika), Grlić's ''
Bravo maestro
''Bravo maestro'' is a 1978 Yugoslavian drama film directed by Rajko Grlić. It was entered into the 1978 Cannes Film Festival.
Plot
Vitomir Bezjak graduated from the Academy of Music in Zagreb near the top of his class. After graduation, he li ...
'', Paskaljević's ''
The Dog Who Loved Trains
''The Dog Who Loved Trains'' ( sh, Pas koji je voleo vozove), is a 1977 Yugoslav film directed by Goran Paskaljević.
The film was nominated for the Golden Bear award at the 28th Berlin International Film Festival in 1978.
The plot revolves aro ...
'' ( sh, Pas koji je volio vozove), and Karanović's ''
Miris poljskog cveća'', for which
Živko Zalar
Živko Zalar (born 24 April 1948 in Zagreb) is a Croatian cinematographer, son of Croatian cinematographer Slavko Zalar.
Zalar began making films as an amateur at the Kino Klub Zagreb, before going on to study cinematography at the Academy of P ...
was also awarded the
Golden Arena for Best Cinematography
List of winners
The following is a list of winners of the Golden Arena for Best Cinematography at the Pula Film Festival.
Yugoslav competition (1955–1990)
Croatian competition (1992–present)
Notes
:A. Although the festival was open ...
.
Throughout the
1980s
File:1980s replacement montage02.PNG, 420px, From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, ''Columbia'', lifts off in 1981; US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ease tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the ...
, the term ''Praška škola'' was associated with many successful films, popular with critics, as well as the general public. Seven out of ten
Golden Arena for Best Director
The Golden Arena for Best Director ''( Croatian: Zlatna arena za režiju'') is an award given for best director at the Pula Film Festival, which was until 1992 the Yugoslav equivalent of the Academy Awards. Since 1992 and the breakup of Yugosla ...
awards from 1976 to 1986 went to the ''Praška škola'', with each member except for Marković receiving at least one. The success of two-time
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...
winner Emir Kusturica, who attended FAMU several years after the other members of the ''Praška škola'', further boosted the academy's reputation in field of Yugoslav cinema.
Recognition and criticism of the term
The legitimacy of the term ''Praška škola'' is sometimes doubted, as the members themselves never used the term to describe their work, and their work varied in artistic sensibility and directorial approach, sometimes considerably.
In 1990, Marković wrote a book entitled ''Češka škola ne postoji'' (The Czech School Doesn't Exist), in which he describes his days at FAMU, his relationships with the other students and their artistic similarities and differences.
In a 2001 interview, Karanović expressed strong opposition to the term, saying:
:"I think that everyone got extremely bored of the term ''Praška škola'' quite a while ago. I cannot deny that I studied in Prague, that I learned a lot — yet, not everything — there, and that I made lasting friendships with my colleagues from former Yugoslavia who studied there at the same time. Yet, I reckon that we are all very different artists and only in some of our films can one find some hints of influence from 1960s Czech cinematography. I appreciate the films by Rajko Grlić, Goran Marković, Goran Paskaljević, Lordan Zafranović and Emir Kusturica very much, but I think that all of them deserve to be observed individually, and not as a part of this or any other group."
[Srđan Karanović: Ne pripadamo istoj fioci](_blank)
However, retrospectives of the ''Praška škola'' were held in Belgrade in 2001,
and in Zagreb in 2014, when all the initial ''Praška škola'' members, except for Karanović, met and reminisced about their Prague years.
In August 2014, Zafranović, Marković, Paskaljević and Grlić announced they would be filming together for the first time. Grlić and Marković said that an
anthology film
An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...
with the working title ''Nirvana'' was to be filmed in the memory of their professor
Elmar Klos
Elmar Klos (26 January 1910 – 19 July 1993) was a Czech film director who collaborated for 17 years with his Slovak colleague Ján Kadár and with him won the 1965 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for the film ''The Shop on Main Street' ...
.
Zajednički erotski film reditelja iz bivše Juge
However, this film never came to fruition. In September 2018, a program dedicated to the ''Praška škola'' entitled ''Mi iz Praga 1968.-2018.'' was held in Rijeka, and Paskaljević, Karanović, Zafranović and Grlić joined a panel discussion.
As of 2022, all the founding members of ''Praška škola'' are still alive and active, except for Goran Paskaljević, who died on 25 September 2020.
Gallery
File:BUDOVA FAMU.jpg, Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU)
File:Elmar Klos (1966).jpg, FAMU professor Elmar Klos
File:Lordan Zafranovic 80-ih.jpg, Lordan Zafranović
File:Goran Markovic by Branislav Mihajlovic.jpg, Goran Marković
File:Goran Paskaljevic KVIFF 2010.jpg, Goran Paskaljević
File:Rajko Grilić 280508.jpg, Rajko Grlić
File:Emir kusturica 72 9643.jpg, Emir Kusturica
File:V.Filac by Barbato.jpg, Vilko Filač
File:Valentin Perko, DOP.jpg, Valentin Perko
References
External links
Ivan Velisavljević: Autorske poetike reditelja „Praške grupe“ jugoslovenskog filma
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prague film school
Film genres
Cinema of Yugoslavia