Iconic Czech film director Otakar Vávra dies aged 100

Otakar Vávra, “the father of Czech cinema,” directed over 50 films and taught the craft to generations of filmmakers at Prague’s FAMU

Society

Brian Kenety | 16.09.2011

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Controversial director Otakar Vávra, seen here when guest of honor this year’s Summer Film School at Uherské Hradiště, was awarded the Czech Lion (Český lev) for his contribution to Czech culture

Known as “the father of Czech cinema,” Otakar Vávra directed over 50 films in his lifetime — under both the Nazi occupation and Communist regime — and helped found Prague’s famous academy FAMU, where he taught the craft to generations of filmmakers, including “Czech New Wave” masters like Věra Chytilová, Miloš Forman and Jiří Menzel (both Oscar winners), and a decade later, Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica.

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