April 25, 2022
Kateřina Hager: Each documentary film topic has its own unique origin story
Film director and documentarist Kateřina Hager was born on February 28, 1977 in Prague. She originally studied acting at the Conservatory of Jaroslav Ježek but ended up graduating from sociocultural anthropology at the Faculty of Humanities at Charles University. She…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
March 9, 2022
Robert Redford - A remarkable artist who sought his own path
Actor, director, producer, script writer, activist, founder of independent film festival Sundance, Robert Redford, was born on 18. 8. 1936. In late 60´and whole 70´s he became the most popular actor around the World and became idol for millions of…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
February 14, 2022
Tian Tsering: I try and tried to do independent stuff my way
Chinese director Tian Tsering visited Zlín Film Festival for the second time. Few years ago, he won with his film Barley Fields on the other Side of the Mountains, this time he was a jury member. We knew nothing about…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
January 16, 2022
Bill Gerber: To be able to live and work in Hollywood you have to have a hippo skin. You are either born with it or have to learn and develop it.
Probably the most attractive foreign gust of Zlín Film Festival 2021 was an American film prod Bill Gerber. He not only managed various known bands such as DEVO, The Cars, Heaven 17, Scritti Politti etc but also produced such well…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
December 27, 2021
Susan Sarandon: I like that creative process, that interaction among people, film is a team work whose result can be influenced by many factors beyond my control
American actress Susan Sarandon was born on 4. 10. 1946 in New York to big family with Irish- Welsh roots that bred eight more offsprings. Susan studied philosophy, maths and dramatic art at Catholic University in Washington. It was here…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
October 31, 2021
Olivier Pairoux: I just follow and fulfil my dreams
During Zlín Film Festival we met by pure accident a man whose face was in film journal that very morning. Olivier Pairoux, Belgian director, about who we have never heard before, who screened here his new film SpaceBoy. He was…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
October 16, 2021
Heather Kessinger: Making photos was very isolating thing
We have never heard the name of this photographer and director before Febiofest started. But we got interested how she transferred from photographer to director so applied for making interview with her. When we met her, we addressed her wrongly…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
September 7, 2021
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
July 4, 2021
Karel Zeman: Genius, who was ahead of his time
Since this year it will have been 111 years since the birth of our most famous and respected film director Karel Zeman and also 60 years since making his most talked about film Baron Munchausen, we decided to pay tribute…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
June 4, 2021
Monte Hellman: We learnt while we worked and I worked instinctively
This tribute article would not have been made if there was not that big... IF. If we wouldn´t prepare article about Jack Nicholson, we wouldn´t have hit the name Monte Hellman who was part at the birth of independent film…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
May 15, 2021
Story of top producer and agent Paul Kohner: From Teplitz on top of the Hollywood
Paul Kohner was born on 29. 5. 1902 in Teplitz, town on the North of Czechoslovakia. His parents Julius and Helen Kohner belonged to local Jewish community and Julius had nickname “Kino Kohner” since he run local cinema and published…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
April 10, 2021
Jean Paul Belmondo - A genuine film legend
Everybody knows a name of this French actor, who was born on 9. 4. 1933. He wasn´t even 30 years old when he became a star almost overnight. Thanks to his fine look, charisma, attitude, sense of humour, sense for…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
January 30, 2021
Keir Dullea: I have never worked with anybody like Stanley Kubrick
American actor Keir Dullea was born on 30.5.1936 in Cleveland. His parents owned a bookshop in New York. Keir studied in Pennsylvania and then continued in San Francisco and after graduation he started flirting with acting. It was in 1960…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
January 9, 2021
Scott Rosenbaum: I am grateful to be doing what I love
We met American director Scott Rosenbaum on Zlín Film Festival decade ago, where he screened in premiere his movie Perfect Age of Rock´n´Roll. Since that time, we kept in touch and because he made some interesting documents, we felt it´s…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
December 12, 2020
Paul Newman: Real film star and human being
We had many reasons why we decided to make this tribute article about legendary film actor Paul Newman. This year he would have celebrated 95th birthday (was born on 26.1.1925) and as it is written in his biography, he…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
November 18, 2020
Slávek Horák: For me creating and writing is the happiest spell in whole process of making the film
Czech film director Slávek Horák was born on 12.1.1975 in Gottwaldov. After finishing secondary school he attended local Film school and was accepted onto FAMU (Prague based Film Academy) which he didn´t finish due to being very busy with…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
October 6, 2020
David Kinsella: I want to make people smile
David Kinsella is acclaimed photographer and director.He hails from Belfast and lived and worked in Norway for past 30 years. Now he is back in Belfast creating fantasy world. He bought derelict original houses of Titanic shipyard workers, built between…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
March 2, 2020
Roger Corman: Father of independent film celebrates
American independent producer, occasional actor and director Roger Corman was born on 5.4.1926.He graduated on industrial engineering college and in 1948 he went to work for U.S.Electrical Motors.He stayed there for 4 days and left saying he made terrible mistake.He…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
February 17, 2020
Kirk Douglas: Tribute to fine film legend
Kirk Douglas became hero from zero by his own effort and sheer determination. He hailed from very poor environment and thanks to his Jewish roots he personally felt lots of hate, malice and antisemitism in 50´s and 60´s.He never forgot…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
January 23, 2020
Hero of independence John Landis: Process of shooting will never change
John Landis was born on 3.8.1950 and apart from being a script writer, stuntman, actor he also directed and produced his own films. In film business he started as a mail boy in 20th Century Fox. Then he became an…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek
January 13, 2020
Ivan Passer: In 60´s we supported each other, success of one paved the way for others
Ivan Passer (1933) is Czech script writer and director, member of famous Czech new wave in 60´s.He was close collaborator to Miloš Forman with who he is on friendly terms up until today. Mr.Passer was a star guest of Letní…
Written by Eva Csölleová, Vítek Formánek