Jan Němec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jan Němec
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Jan Němec in 1967
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| Born | 12 July 1936 |
| Died | 18 March 2016 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1960–2016 |
| Movement | Czech New Wave |
| Spouse(s) |
Ester Krumbachová
(m. 1963–1968)Marta Kubišová
(m. 1970–1973)Veronica Baumann
(m. 1984–2003)Iva Ruszelakova
(m. 2003–2016) |
| Children | 1 |
Jan Němec (born July 12, 1936 – died March 18, 2016) was a famous Czech movie director. He made many important films, especially in the 1960s. Some people called him a "rebel" of the Czech New Wave film movement.
Contents
Life and Career
Jan Němec started his film career in the late 1950s. He studied at the FAMU film school. At that time, his home country, Czechoslovakia, was a communist state. It was closely linked to the Soviet Union.
Filmmaking in Communist Czechoslovakia
During this period, artists in Czechoslovakia faced strict rules. The government controlled what people could say or show in public. This included movies. However, in the 1960s, things started to change.
Filmmakers began to create more unique and creative movies. This period became known as the Czech New Wave. Jan Němec was an important part of this exciting time in film history.
Early Successes
For his graduation project, Němec made a film based on a story by Arnošt Lustig. This story was about the the Holocaust. Later, Němec directed a very important film called Diamonds of the Night (1964). This movie was also about the Holocaust.
The film follows two boys who escape from a train. The train was taking them to a concentration camp. The movie uses special camera tricks and flashbacks. It makes you wonder what happens to the boys in the end. This film was a big success for him.
A Report on the Party and the Guests
Němec's most famous film is A Report on the Party and the Guests (1966). This movie caused a lot of trouble with the government. One of the actors looked a lot like Vladimir Lenin, a famous communist leader.
Also, many actors in the film were dissidents. These were people who disagreed with the government. The president of Czechoslovakia was very angry after seeing the film. He even thought about arresting Němec.
More Films and Exile
Despite the problems, Němec made another film called Martyrs of Love (1966). This movie was not about politics. But its unusual, dream-like style still didn't please the authorities. In 1967, he made a short film called Mother and Son. It won an award at a film festival.
In 1968, the Soviet Union and its allies invaded Czechoslovakia. Němec was filming a documentary at the time. He secretly took his footage of the invasion to Vienna. It was shown on Austrian television.
He combined this footage with his documentary. The new film was called Oratorio for Prague. It was very popular at the New York Film Festival. His footage was later used by many news channels around the world.
Because of his films, Němec was fired from his job. He was warned that he would be arrested if he came back to Czechoslovakia. So, in 1974, he left the country. He lived in Germany, Paris, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States.
While living abroad, he couldn't make traditional movies. So, he started using video cameras. He filmed weddings, including for the Swedish royal family.
Return to Czech Republic
In 1989, communism ended in Czechoslovakia. Jan Němec was able to return home. He made several new films, like Code Name Ruby (1997). His film Late Night Talks with Mother (2000) won a big award.
In 1996, he became a professor at FAMU, the film school he attended. In 2014, he protested against the Czech president, Miloš Zeman. He returned medals given to him by the first Czech president, Václav Havel.
Personal Life
Jan Němec was married four times. His first wife was Ester Krumbachová, a costume designer. He later married singer Marta Kubišová. His third wife was Veronica Baumann. His last wife was Iva Ruszelakova, a film editor. He became a father in 2003.
Jan Němec passed away on March 18, 2016, at the age of 79.
Filmography
Director
- The Loaf of Bread (1960) short film
- Diamonds of the Night (1964)
- Pearls of the Deep (segment "Podvodníci", 1966)
- A Report on the Party and the Guests (1966)
- Martyrs of Love (1967)
- Oratorio for Prague (1968)
- The Flames of Royal Love (1990)
- Code Name: Ruby (1996)
- Late Night Talks with my Mother (2001)
- Landscape of My Heart (2004)
- Toyen (2005)
- The Ferrari Dino Girl (2009)
- Heart Beat 3D (2010)
- The Wolf from Royal Vineyard Street (2016)
Actor
- Vstup zakázán (1960) - Young Border guard (segment "The Chase")
- The Murder of Mr. Devil (1970)
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) - cameraman filming the tanks in Prague
- 68 (1988) - Dezsö Horváth
- Corpus delicti (1991) - Suitor
See also
In Spanish: Jan Němec para niños
