About

Known credits:
88
Birthday:
1929-02-02
Place of birth:
Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
Website:
N/A

Věra Chytilová

Overview

Věra Chytilová was an avant-garde Czech film director and pioneer of Czech cinema.

At the age of 28 she was accepted into the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU). While attending FAMU she studied underneath renowned film director Otakar Vavra, graduating in 1962.

Chytilová is best known for her once highly controversial film Sedmikrásky (Daisies) – (1966). Daisies is known for its un-sympathetic characters, lack of a continuous narrative and abrupt visual style. Chytilová states that she structured Daisies to “restrict [the spectator’s] feeling of involvement and lead him to an understanding of the underlying idea or philosophy”. The film was banned within Czechoslovakia upon its initial release in 1966 until 1967, but in 1966 the film won the Grand Prix at the Bergamo Film Festival in Italy.

After Daisies the government made it very difficult for Chytilová to find work within Czechoslovakia, even though she was never officially classified as a 'blacklisted' director. After the Soviet Union invasion in 1968 it was virtually impossible for her to find work and she resorted to directing commercials under her husband’s name, Jaroslav Kučera.

In 1976, due to the low cinema attendance she was approached by the government to begin directing films through a state-run production company. At the same time the United States was assembling a 'Year of Women' Film Festival and contacted Chytilová to gain permission to screen Daisies as their opening film. She informed the festival that the only non-censored prints of the film could be found in Paris and Brussels, and that her government would not allow her to attend the festival, nor were they allowing her to direct films. The festival then began to apply international pressure upon the Czechoslovakian government by petitioning on Chytilová’s behalf. In accordance with this international pressure Chytilová wrote a letter directly to President Gustáv Husák. Due to the success of the international pressure, and Chytilová’s personal appeal to President Husak, Chytilová began production of Hra o jablko (The Apple Game, 1976). The Apple Game was completed and then was screened at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and won the Silver Hugo and the Chicago International Film Festival.

Chytilová described herself as a control freak and was known as being actively critical of the Soviet Union, stating that “My critique is in the context of the moral principles you preach, isn’t it? A critical reflection is necessary”. She would routinely cause havoc to make films that were loyal to her vision regardless of the heavy censorship that was routinely imposed. Věra Chytilová’s last film was released in 2006, and she has taught directing at FAMU.

Chytilová embodied a unique cinematographic language and style that does not rely on any literary or verbal conventions, but rather utilizes various forms of visual manipulations to create meaning within her films. Chytilová used observations of everyday life in accordance with allegories and surreal contexts to create a personalized film style that is greatly influenced by the French New Wave, and Italian neorealism.

Known for

Acting
2018 CzechMate: In Search of Jiří Menzel Actor Self 59
Average
2016 To Make a Comedy Is No Fun Actor Self 59
Average
2012 Naughty Young People: Chytilová, Kučera, Krumbachová Actor N/A
N/A
2005 Searching for Ester Actor Herself N/A
N/A
2004 Journey: Portrait of Věra Chytilová Actor Herself 59
Average
1984 The Very Late Afternoon of a Faun Actor 58
Average
1982 Chytilová Versus Forman Actor Self N/A
N/A
1970 Pravda Actor Self (uncredited) 59
Average
1966 An Occasion to Speak Actor Self N/A
N/A
1962 Green Street Actor Commentary (voice) 59
Average
1962 Ceiling Actor Model (voice) 58
Average
1960 Caterwauling Actor Cat (voice) N/A
N/A
1957 Konec jasnovidce Actor 59
Average
1952 The Emperor and the Golem Actor First Handmaiden 59
Average

Directing
2007 Troublemakers Directing Director N/A
N/A
2006 Pleasant Moments Directing Director 58
Average
2005 Searching for Ester Directing Director N/A
N/A
2003 Trója v proměnách času Directing Director N/A
N/A
2001 Expulsion from Paradise Directing Director 58
Average
2000 Flights and Falls Directing Director N/A
N/A
1998 Traps Directing Director 58
Average
1993 Kam panenky... Directing Director N/A
N/A
1992 The Inheritance or Fuckoffguysgoodday Directing Director 59
Average
1991 My Pragues Understand Me Directing Director 59
Average
1990 TGM the Liberator Directing Director N/A
N/A
1989 A Hoof Here, a Hoof There Directing Director 59
Average
1988 The Jester and the Queen Directing Director 59
Average
1987 Wolf's Hole Directing Director 59
Average
1985 Prague – The Restless Heart of Europe Directing Director 59
Average
1984 The Very Late Afternoon of a Faun Directing Director 58
Average
1982 Chytilová Versus Forman Directing Director N/A
N/A
1982 Calamity Directing Director 59
Average
1981 Panelstory or Birth of a Community Directing Director 59
Average
1978 Time is inexorable Directing Director N/A
N/A
1978 The Apple Game Directing Director 59
Average
1971 Comrades Directing Director 59
Average
1970 Fruit of Paradise Directing Director 59
Average
1966 Daisies Directing Director 64
Fair
1966 Pearls of the Deep Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Something Different Directing Director 59
Average
1963 A Bagful of Fleas Directing Director 59
Average
1962 Green Street Directing Director 59
Average
1962 Ceiling Directing Director 58
Average
1960 Caterwauling Directing Director N/A
N/A
1957 Lost Children Directing Assistant Director 59
Average

Writing
2007 Troublemakers Writing Idea N/A
N/A
2007 Troublemakers Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
2006 Pleasant Moments Writing Writer 58
Average
2003 Trója v proměnách času Writing Story N/A
N/A
2003 Trója v proměnách času Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
2001 Expulsion from Paradise Writing Screenplay 58
Average
2000 Flights and Falls Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
2000 Flights and Falls Writing Story N/A
N/A
1998 Traps Writing Writer 58
Average
1993 Kam panenky... Writing Story N/A
N/A
1993 Kam panenky... Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1992 The Inheritance or Fuckoffguysgoodday Writing Writer 59
Average
1991 My Pragues Understand Me Writing Writer 59
Average
1989 A Hoof Here, a Hoof There Writing Writer 59
Average
1987 Wolf's Hole Writing Writer 59
Average
1985 Prague – The Restless Heart of Europe Writing Story 59
Average
1985 Prague – The Restless Heart of Europe Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1984 The Very Late Afternoon of a Faun Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1982 Calamity Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1981 Panelstory or Birth of a Community Writing Story 59
Average
1981 Panelstory or Birth of a Community Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1978 Time is inexorable Writing Story N/A
N/A
1978 Time is inexorable Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1978 The Apple Game Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1978 The Apple Game Writing Story 59
Average
1971 Comrades Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1970 Fruit of Paradise Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1966 Daisies Writing Story 64
Fair
1966 Daisies Writing Screenplay 64
Fair
1966 Pearls of the Deep Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1963 Something Different Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1963 Something Different Writing Story 59
Average
1963 A Bagful of Fleas Writing Story 59
Average
1963 A Bagful of Fleas Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1962 Green Street Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1962 Green Street Writing Story 59
Average
1962 Ceiling Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1962 Ceiling Writing Story 58
Average
1960 Caterwauling Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
Peaches Writing Original Film Writer N/A
N/A

Camera
1955 Hudba z Marsu Camera Clapper Loader 59
Average
1954 Severní přístav Camera Clapper Loader 59
Average

Crew
1968 Seven Days to Remember Crew Cinematography 59
Average