About

Known credits:
163
Birthday:
1911-02-28
Place of birth:
Hradec Králové, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic]
Website:
N/A

Otakar Vávra

Overview

Otakar Vávra (28 February 1911 – 15 September 2011) was a Czech film director, screenwriter and pedagogue.

Vávra attended universities in Brno and Prague, where he studied architecture. During 1929–30, while still a student, he participated in the making of a handful of documentaries and wrote movie scripts. In 1931, he produced the experimental film Světlo proniká tmou. The first movie he directed was 1937's Panenství.

His 1938 film The Merry Wives was praised in Variety for "first-rate direction, a salty yarn and elaborate production effort", even though it had undergone certain cuts because it was considered too "ribald" by American censors.

Vávra was a member of the Communist Party from 1945 to 1989. After the Communists seized power in 1948, Vávra adapted quickly to the new political climate and produced films praising the current regime and supporting the new, official interpretation of the past.

In the 1950s he filmed the "Hussite Trilogy", one of his most famous works, consisting of Jan Hus (1954), Jan Žižka (1955) and Against All (1957).[2]

In the 1960s, Vávra made his most celebrated films Zlatá reneta (1965), Romance for Bugle (1966) and Witchhammer (1969). Romance for Bugle was entered into the 5th Moscow International Film Festival where it won the Special Silver Prize.

In the 1970s Vávra produced his "War Trilogy" consisting of semi-documentary movies Dny zrady, Sokolovo and Osvobození Prahy, all being heavily influenced by communist propaganda. The film Dny zrady (Days of Betrayal, 1973) was entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a Diploma. In 1979 he was a member of the jury at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival.

Since the 1950s Vávra taught film direction at Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Among his students were several directors of the "Czech New Wave".

Known for

Acting
2018 CzechMate: In Search of Jiří Menzel Actor Self 59
Average
2005 Searching for Ester Actor Himself N/A
N/A
2002 Moje Praha Actor Self N/A
N/A
1986 The Great Movie Robbery Actor 59
Average
1985 Barrandovské nokturno aneb Jak film tančil a zpíval Actor Self - Audience Member N/A
N/A
1958 A Box of Film Actor Self N/A
N/A

Directing
2002 Moje Praha Directing Director N/A
N/A
1989 Evropa tančila valčík Directing Director 59
Average
1986 Veronika Directing Director 59
Average
1985 Oldrich and Bozena Directing Director 58
Average
1984 Komediant Directing Director 59
Average
1983 Putování Jana Amose Directing Director 59
Average
1980 Dark Sun Directing Director 58
Average
1978 A Story of Love and Honor Directing Director 59
Average
1977 The Liberation of Prague Directing Director 59
Average
1975 Sokolovo Directing Director 58
Average
1973 Days of Betrayal Directing Director 59
Average
1970 Witchhammer Directing Director 60
Fair
1969 The Thirteenth Chamber Directing Director 59
Average
1967 Romance for Bugle Directing Director 59
Average
1965 Golden Queen Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Horoucí srdce Directing Director 59
Average
1961 The Night Guest Directing Director 59
Average
1961 August Sunday Directing Director 59
Average
1961 Policejní hodina Directing Director 59
Average
1960 Národní umělec Zdeněk Štěpánek Directing Director N/A
N/A
1960 První parta Directing Director 58
Average
1959 Občan Brych Directing Director 59
Average
1957 Against All Directing Director 58
Average
1956 Jan Žižka Directing Director 58
Average
1955 Jan Hus Directing Director 59
Average
1953 Nástup Directing Director 58
Average
1949 Láska Directing Director N/A
N/A
1949 Silent Barricade Directing Director 59
Average
1948 Krakatit Directing Director 59
Average
1947 Presentiment Directing Director 59
Average
1946 The Adventurous Bachelor Directing Director N/A
N/A
1946 Cesta k barikádám Directing Director N/A
N/A
1945 Rozina the Love Child Directing Director 59
Average
1945 Vlast vítá Directing Director N/A
N/A
1945 Návrat presidenta dr. Edvarda Beneše do Prahy 16. května 1945 Directing Director 59
Average
1943 Happy Journey Directing Director 59
Average
1942 Přijdu hned Directing Director 59
Average
1942 Okouzlená Directing Director 59
Average
1941 Turbina Directing Director 59
Average
1940 May Fairy Tale Directing Director 59
Average
1940 The Masked Lover Directing Director 59
Average
1940 Pacientka dr. Hegla Directing Director 59
Average
1940 The Girl in Blue Directing Director 59
Average
1939 The Magic House Directing Director 59
Average
1939 Humoreska Directing Director 59
Average
1938 The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins Directing Director 59
Average
1937 History of Philosophy Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Virginity Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Camel Through The Eye Of A Needle Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Listopad Directing Director 59
Average
1934 We Live in Prague Directing Director 59
Average
1931 Modern shoe production Directing Director N/A
N/A
1930 The Bať family's trip to Yugoslavia Directing Director N/A
N/A
1930 The Light Penetrates the Dark Directing Director 59
Average

Writing
2002 Moje Praha Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
2002 Moje Praha Writing Story N/A
N/A
1986 Veronika Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1985 Oldrich and Bozena Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1984 Komediant Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1983 Putování Jana Amose Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1983 Putování Jana Amose Writing Story 59
Average
1980 Dark Sun Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1978 A Story of Love and Honor Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1977 The Liberation of Prague Writing Story 59
Average
1977 The Liberation of Prague Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1975 Sokolovo Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1975 Sokolovo Writing Story 58
Average
1973 Days of Betrayal Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1973 Days of Betrayal Writing Story 59
Average
1970 Witchhammer Writing Screenplay 60
Fair
1969 The Thirteenth Chamber Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1967 Romance for Bugle Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1965 Golden Queen Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1963 Horoucí srdce Writing Story 59
Average
1963 Horoucí srdce Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1961 The Night Guest Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1961 August Sunday Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1961 Policejní hodina Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1960 Národní umělec Zdeněk Štěpánek Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1960 První parta Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1959 Občan Brych Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1957 Against All Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1957 Against All Writing Creative Producer 58
Average
1956 Jan Žižka Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1956 Jan Žižka Writing Creative Producer 58
Average
1956 Jan Žižka Writing Story 58
Average
1955 Jan Hus Writing Story 59
Average
1955 Jan Hus Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1954 Shoesmachine Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1953 Nástup Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1951 Posel úsvitu Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1950 Racek Is Late Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1950 Dva ohně Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1949 Láska Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1949 Rodinné trampoty oficiála Tříšky Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1949 Revoluční rok 1848 Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1949 Revoluční rok 1848 Writing Story N/A
N/A
1949 Revoluční rok 1848 Writing Creative Producer N/A
N/A
1949 Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“ Writing Story 59
Average
1949 Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“ Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1949 Hostinec „U kamenného stolu“ Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1949 Silent Barricade Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1949 Silent Barricade Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1949 Vzbouření na vsi Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1949 Na dobré stopě Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1948 Až se vrátíš... Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1948 White Darkness Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1948 The Musician Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1948 Dravci Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1948 Krakatit Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1948 Krakatit Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1947 Presentiment Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1947 Presentiment Writing Creative Producer 59
Average
1946 The Adventurous Bachelor Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1946 Cesta k barikádám Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1946 Cesta k barikádám Writing Idea N/A
N/A
1945 Rozina the Love Child Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1945 Vlast vítá Writing Idea N/A
N/A
1945 Vlast vítá Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1945 Návrat presidenta dr. Edvarda Beneše do Prahy 16. května 1945 Writing Idea 59
Average
1945 Návrat presidenta dr. Edvarda Beneše do Prahy 16. května 1945 Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1943 Happy Journey Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1942 Přijdu hned Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1942 Okouzlená Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1941 Turbina Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1940 May Fairy Tale Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1940 The Masked Lover Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1940 Pacientka dr. Hegla Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1940 The Girl in Blue Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1939 The Magic House Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1939 Humoreska Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1938 The Guild of the Kutná Hora Virgins Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1938 Její pastorkyně Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1937 Hlídač č. 47 Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1937 History of Philosophy Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1937 Virginity Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1937 Morality Above All Else Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1937 Camel Through The Eye Of A Needle Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1936 A Little Street in Paradise Writing Writer 59
Average
1936 Uličnice Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1936 Ulička v ráji Writing Story N/A
N/A
1936 Ulička v ráji Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1936 Tři muži ve sněhu Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Vdavky Nanynky Kulichovy Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Bezdětná Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Jedenácté přikázání Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Maryša Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Listopad Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1934 We Live in Prague Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1934 We Live in Prague Writing Story 59
Average
1933 Svítání Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1933 Ze světa lesních samot Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1930 The Light Penetrates the Dark Writing Idea 59
Average
1930 The Light Penetrates the Dark Writing Screenplay 59
Average

Editing
1935 Listopad Editing Editor 59
Average
1934 We Live in Prague Editing Editor 59
Average
1930 The Light Penetrates the Dark Editing Editor 59
Average