A Path Across the Danube

Series about the life of Renaissance anatomist, scholar and politic Johannes Jessenius. Already legendary series today, was produced by Czechoslovak Television Bratislava, directed by Slovak director Miroslav Luther in the first half of 80's in Barrandov Studios in Prague. The story and screenplay of the series wrote Czech writer Vladimír Körner. Five-episodes epic historical narration is a biographical story of distinguished Renaissance scholar, anatomist and politic of Slovak origin, Johannes Jessenius (Ján Jesenský, 1566–1621). It displays his life from the first studies and successes. In 1594 he became professor of surgery and anatomy on Wittenberg University, which he had attended years before. From that moment, his life went through social and personal wins and losses, to the sad end on the Prague Old Town Square gallows, among 27 noblemen, knights and burgenses, after lose Bohemian Revolt in 1621. His destiny was coupled with key events of Czech history in the break of 16th and 17th century, when Renaissance and European humanism slowly fade out.

Maria, an inn keeper, is always a bride but never a wife. She meets newcomer Pierre, who disturbs the peace of the small village and teaches the locals how to enjoy life. E. Havetta's debut was inspired by naïve art, French impressionism, silent slap-stick and Western Slovakian folk traditions.

When a selfless king learns of a beautiful princess in a neighboring kingdom who callously turns down every suitor with an insult, he tries his luck to no avail. So, he hatches a plot with her father in which the princess is married to him, in disguise as a beggar, so he can teach her lessons about humility and compassion.

In the dead of night, a few hours after Mozart's death, the usual suspects are summoned to Mozart's room by Count Pergen, head of the secret police, who considered Mozart a potential revolutionary. Over the corpse, he interrogates them, trying to discover the true cause and significance of Mozart's demise.

The adventure fairy-tale about the brave prince and his faithful butler Jan wandering together.

The young couple's search for the secret of their ancestors. Its roots are in the time when the worst crimes of the last century took place, connected with corruption, boundless greed, ruthlessness, with borderline manifestations of inhumanity, but also with an unlimited desire for power. Dramatic reflection of memory and time in a story from the present in the confrontation of the Czechoslovak context during the Slovak State (1939/1945).

The Old Beekeeper brings a suggestive reflection on the pure soul of a brave simple man who strives to live honestly and selflessly. His relationship to the order of the world and nature also reflects his relationship to people, and he achieves harmony in life through his ability to live in accordance with his conscience and moral principles.

A young doctor, former partisan leader - is he a hero, or a murderer? His wife - a victim, or a minion of a totalitarian regime? And his lover - a political careerist, or a naive single mother betrayed by fate? The dramatic fates of these antiheroes from the era of rise of communism are stories of violence and resistance, weakness and courage, much like the ones that take place today.

Elo Havetta's student film.