Petr Haničinec

A beautiful animated film about a salmon swimming from its birth to its breeding ground, telling the story of its life

The Czech film Svítalo All Night was made to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the liberation of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Army and is dedicated to all those who fought and gave their lives in Prague in the May Uprising of 1945. Behind the historical events, the creators see mainly their simple, unassuming participants. Thus, we are presented with a number of apt portraits, whether it is the central hero Dr. Soukup and nurse Daniela on the side of the fighting Czechs, or a captain and a simple private in a Red Army unit coming to the aid of the fighting Prague, or an old, war-weary German major, who only realises the senselessness of the war at the sight of a fanatical, cynical lieutenant for whom Nazi ideology represents the meaning of life.

A historical film that takes place on the eve of the thirty year war combines aspects of fairy-tales with historical dramas, fencing with a child heroes who find themselves in great dangers. We are in the year 1611 and mercenaries that had previously invaded Czech lands now have to withdraw before the Hungarian king's army. In this chaos a magical bottle, that fulfills the owner one single wish, appears among some fugitives - however after the fulfillment it has to be sold for half it's price to a new owner. The director Ludvík Ráža has created an attractive and surprisingly cruel film aimed not only at young viewers.

Seventeen-year-old student Milan wants to get rid of his morbid fear of flies, which originated sometime in his childhood. Only then will he feel mature and responsible for himself and his actions...

It doesn't help to have an exacerbated situation like a family losing their only son - killed in a motorcycle accident. His parents, however, don't know the girl who survived, now being treated at a local hospital. Especially the honest and principled father, presented as a model worker and responsible official, cannot come to terms with her superficiality and carelessness, with her dubious life values...

Several bittersweet stories set in a Prague apartment building.

Dana is young medical student with no self esteem, she can't deal with life, people and even not with herself. After her boyfriend leaves her, she changes to selfish woman, manipulating people and making them to serve her. She plays with her husband, neighbors and friends - for her own good and for fun.

After the battle of Sudoměř the Hussite teaching spreads through the whole country and people start leaving their homes to help build the fortification of Tábor. Prague citizens request help against the army of Zikmund. The Hussite army with Jan Žižka in the lead make their way towards Prague. They fortify themselves on the mountain Vítkov and engage in a bloody battle with Zikmund’s huge army.

A broadly drawn ideological epic set in the summer of 1947 in the borderlands of northern Bohemia: reactionary elements plot to undermine postwar social change while committed local communists struggle to organize workers and defend the emerging order. The narrative follows several archetypal figures—steadfast party activists, wary peasants, and obstructive reactionaries—whose clashes illustrate the claimed inevitability of working-class victory under communist leadership.

A detective story revolving around an ancient treasure from the ninth century, believed to have been destroyed during World War II, takes place in an archaeological environment. Its main character is, alongside Captain Exner, who is investigating a strange murder committed on the premises of a scientific institute, a young student at the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Slovak Republic, Kamila Housková, who discovers that the treasure was not destroyed, but most likely stolen. The bright girl continues her search for the treasure against Captain Exner's will and leads the investigators to a trail that proves the connection between the lost treasure and the murdered woman...

A young woman, married to a wealthy man, but miserably lonely; trapped within a world ruled with an iron fist. Katerina is driven by a lust for life and for love. Her husband, though, is impotent; her father-in-law a tyrant. No wonder, then, that she longs to free herself from this yoke. When Sergei starts work on the family estate, she sees in him a chance for salvation. However, their subsequent affair marks the beginning of a descent into crime.

The late summer of 1918. Paul, Willi and Heinrich from an age-old German town are good friends, although there is a great deal that divides them. Heinrich comes from an officer's family with an army tradition and is preparing to enter cadet college. Paul's father and grandfather are workers, and Willi, left to depend on himself, works as a hotel messenger. The last year of the war is hard for everyone, but while Paul and Willi know their own minds and do not hesitate to help the war fugitives Tony and Sepp, for Heinrich everything is more complicated.

Lucie Rýdlová is found dead at a destroyed car after a night accident. The seat position shows that she cannot have been driving, and the dissection proves that she had died about four hours after the accident. It is for sure that a timely medical assistance could have saved her life. A pretty young tennis player Lucie lived at her grandmother, because her parents had been working abroad. Criminalists found out that the girl was going out with the interpreter Valenta (Eduard Cupák), who was twenty years older than her, divorced and a bit egoistic man.

The life story of Blessed Zdislava of Lemberk, about whom legends rather than sparse historical references tell us that she was a deeply religious woman with healing powers who devoted herself entirely to the humble service of her sick and suffering neighbors.

Joseph Sheridan le Fanu's tale, "Inn at the Flying Dragon," brings dark fantasy, ghostly apparitions, and mysteries to the TV screen. It's part of his well-known collection, "The Dark Mirror," published a century ago, yet still captivating readers today. Bohumila Zelenková drew inspiration from this novella, not just for its mysterious and romantic elements but also for the characters' intriguing portrayal of the post-Napoleon era—a time when many sought greatness, even if it meant embracing deception.

The sequel to the film Icarus focuses on the further fates of pianist Kára, who decided to fight the demon of alcohol. With the support of his family, he enters an alcohol treatment center. He decided to undergo treatment voluntarily. He did not want to continue to torment his family, who care so much about him. In the treatment center, he gradually gets used to the new environment and the harsh daily routine. He also meets several patients, and perhaps the closest he gets to know is the alcoholic Fendrych. The man's struggle to gain new self-esteem and restore damaged relationships with his surroundings begins.

The film, in individual episodes, captures the fate of Bedřich Smetana from 1856 until the end of his life, from his young years until the moment when, exhausted by human and artistic hardship, he sees the fulfillment of his great dream, the opening of the National Theatre.

The news that the television is going to make a film about the cooperative's leisure activities leads the locals to extraordinary social and sporting activity, but the only result is a chain of endless confusions, misunderstandings and disasters...

In the thick woods at the edge of the Bohemian Forest, two border guards are keeping watch - rifleman Kucera (Rudolf Jelínek) and dog handler Stencl (Josef Hajducík), whose sluggishness and clumsiness have won him the nickname Simpleton. The official army dog, the bitch Líza, picks up the scent of an alien dog on the German side - Black Wolf. She bites through her leash and runs away. Soon afterwards, the border boundary was interrupted. The two soldiers are wounded in the gunfire that follows, but Stencl's shot also hits the target and the intruder - an attractive woman in a black jersey - is dead. The investigation reveals that this agent knew someone among the local residents. The locals are all called in to identify the body but nobody admits to knowing the woman.

A Czechoslovak battalion, led by Captain Hloušek, conquers a Slovak mountain village two days before Christmas Eve 1944. Christmas and classical music is heard from nearby German positions. The soldiers get permission from their commanders to celebrate Christmas. The only one against is the austere second lieutenant Jílek, about whose past there are various rumours and whom the soldiers distrust. Captain Hloušek decides to reconnoitre the enemy positions, which, despite a minor incident, goes off without a hitch. The holiday of peace and tranquility can begin both with ours and the enemy...

Thirty Cases of Major Zeman is a Czechoslovak action-drama television show intended as a political propaganda to support the official attitude of the communist party. The series were filmed in the 1970s. Each episode encompasses one year, and investigations are stylized to that year. Most are inspired by real cases. The series follows the life of police investigator Jan Zeman during his career from 1945 to 1975.

Inženýrská odysea is a Czechoslovak/Czech TV series about three young students and their lives.

Unforgettable stories of two boys Jája and Pája, a retired sailor Grandfather Lebeda and an envious neighbor Krkovička.

Látal's nine-part puppet series completes Trnka's thirty-year-old work on Švejk. He thus completed the adaptation of Jaroslav Hašek's most famous literary work, a tragicomic satire about the wartime adventures of the eccentric Josef Švejk, in a puppet version based on Lada's artistic style.

Okres na severu is a Czechoslovak/Czech TV series filmed by Evžen Sokolovský in 1981.