Directing

Jan Schmidt

Born January 3, 1934 · Prague, Czechoslovakia [now Czech Republic]

Died September 27, 2019 · aged 85

Jan Schmidt was a Czech film director and actor, known for his work in Czechoslovak cinema. He directed several films between 1960 and 1995, including Late August at the Hotel Ozone (1967) and The Lanfier Colony (1969). Schmidt's films often delved into dystopian and post-apocalyptic themes, reflecting the socio-political climate of his time. His contributions have left a lasting impact on Czech …

Known For

AmadeusAmadeus · 1984
Amadeus
8.01984
MovieDramaHistory
Disciplined Italian composer Antonio Salieri becomes consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the hedonistic and remarkably talented young Salzburger composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
House CallHouse Call · 1979
House Call
8.51979
MovieFamilyAdventure
Third movie of the famous Czech adventure trilogy: Osada Havranů Na veliké rece Volání rodu
On the Great RiverOn the Great River · 1978
On the Great River
8.01978
MovieAdventureFamily
Second movie of the famous Czech adventure trilogy: Osada Havranů Na veliké rece Volání rodu
You Are Not AloneYou Are Not Alone · 1978
You Are Not Alone
7.51978
MovieDramaRomance
Young teenager Bo is too sensitive for the hothouse atmosphere of a boarding school run by a cold, unfeeling would-be man of the cloth. Lonely and scared, he finds a soulmate in the headmaster's son Kim with whom he forms a bond of friendship... that slowly grows into something more.
The Bride with the Most Beautiful EyesThe Bride with the Most Beautiful Eyes · 1976
The Bride with the Most Beautiful Eyes
7.51976
MovieFamilyFantasy
Exotic, yet lyrically aimed fairy tale about a young gypsy Pista in search of a beautiful, gentle and faithful bride. An old man told him where to find a girl with those qualities, so Pista sets out on a journey to find the girl of his dreams without knowing that she is special: an hour a day human and rest of the day a chicken...
Putování Jana AmosePutování Jana Amose · 1983
Putování Jana Amose
5.51983
MovieHistory
The distressing fate of the Czech great Jan Amos Komenský, forced to leave his homeland after the White Mountain disaster. It depicts his encounters with various European personalities of the 17th century - the Queen of Sweden, artists and scientists. It emphasises the hero's nobility, but also his inner resilience, which allowed him to overcome many personal and professional tragedies. The parable of The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart becomes part of the story. However, Comenius's concept is sculpturally lifeless and, in particular, the religious dimension is "erased" from it. The simplistic biography therefore does not avoid schoolboyish dryness.
Cars Without a HomeCars Without a Home · 1959
Cars Without a Home
6.31959
MovieDocumentary
Jan Schmidt and Pavel Juráček turn their attention to the problem of Czechoslovakia's unloved cars in this whimsical documentary short.
Joseph KilianJoseph Kilian · 1964
Joseph Kilian
6.81964
MovieDrama
The story is about Harold, an isolated figure in an overwhelming world of totalitarian bureaucracy. Harold tries to find the elusive Joseph Kilian, an old acquaintance, in Prague. When Harold stumbles across a state-run cat-lending store, he impulsively rents a feline for the day. Later, he attempts to return the cat and finds that the store no longer exists. Now with a furry companion, Harold continues his search for Kilian. Written and directed by Pavel Juracek, this 40 minute film effectively aims its allegorical shots at personality cults and the absurdities of a totalitarian regime.

Filmography

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Love from the PassageLove from the Passage · 1985
Love from the Passage
4.51985
MovieCrime
Nineteen-year-old Pavel Kříž spends all his free time in Prague's arcades, bistros and discos with a group of thieves called Roby. Pavel has a high school diploma, but works as a window cleaner, and a large part of his income comes from the scams, scams and thefts of Roby's crew, to whom he supplies guaranteed tips. So he's not too happy when the cleaning manager assigns him a young temp, Jana Hálková. Although the girl makes no secret of her distaste for Pavel's way of life, a fragile emotional bond develops between them. But this cannot last in the environment in which Pavel moves. The young man gets into more and more trouble - part of Roby's party is caught by the police and he cannot find the money to pay back the debt. The situation escalates when a group of thieves kidnap Jana...
Settlement of CrowsSettlement of Crows · 1978
Settlement of Crows
7.21978
MovieAdventureFamily
First movie of the famous Czech adventure trilogy: Osada Havranů Na veliké rece Volání rodu, based on the works of Eduard Štorch and directed by Jan Schmidt. Each of the films is a completely separate and self-contained story, although they are all connected by some characters and, of course, by time - five thousand years ago. The story of the Ravenpiercer, a young hero from the Stone Age, is shrouded in mystery - for he was brought there by a swollen river. He was fished out of the waves by a young hunter, Sokol, and adopted by the Raven village. The fate of the boy from his childhood through his desire to become a hunter, through the many disappointments that await him among the adults, to the founding of a new family - this is the plot thread connecting the individual parts.

Director

JehlaJehla · 1982
Jehla
2.01982
MovieDrama
In a veterinary research institute, its workers are trying to deal with the sudden appearance of rabies. However, the work problem grows into a personal issue for each of them, especially for MVDr. Eva Krausová. Up until this point, Eva had lived the most ordinary life. A single mother in her forties, employed at the institute in a job that had already become routine; one day a week spent with a boyfriend – without any claim to any shared perspective; short holidays with a family in the countryside with a child, who is looked after by Eva's mother during the year. A woman who has not made it very far. Until one day, chance presents her with an opportunity that she has subconsciously been waiting for since her youth and forgotten about for years. But now, at forty?