Vladimír Michálek

One of Czech Republic's most notable film directors, Michalek's work is set apart by its variety of genres. His feature film Amerika (America, 1994) was a creative adaptation of Franz Kafka's novel of the same name. His next film, Zapomenute Svetlo (Forgotten Light, 1996), inspired by the writing of Jakub Demla – tells a story of a principled village priest struggling with totalitarian despotism. In the "war Western" Je treba zabit Sekala (Sekal Has to Die, 1998), the director reflects on the warped Czech mentality, and received 10 Czech Lion awards. He contributed to the movie mosaic Praha ocima... (Prague Through the Eyes..., 1999) with a short story Karty jsou rozdany (The Cards Have Been Dealt). His adaptation of a novella by Jachym Topol Andel Exit (2000) he peeks into the druggy underworld in Prague's Smichov neighborhood.

The bitter comedy Babi leto (Indian Summer, 2001) tells the story of two elderly mischief-makers, while the film O rodicich a detech (Of Parents and Children, 2008) is built around a conversation between an aging father and his adult son. Int the drama Postel (The Bed, 2012) the director tells the morally intense story about two friends that make their living as messengers. His latest movie Pohadkar (Storyteller, 2014) – adapted from a book by Barbara Nesvadbova – is a complex criminal mystery about the identity of an irresponsible adventurer and philanderer.

He also directed the series Zachranari (Rescurers, 2003) and Okno do hrbitova (Window to the Cemetery, 2011). Michalek has also made documentary films. For HBO Europe he made Em a ON (EM and HE, 2011) about musician Xavier Baumax.

HBO Europe