- Occupation
Producer - Country
Czech Republic
Beránek Ondřej
Half Past Three
A documentary film about peculiar and unconventional people living in a peculiar and unconventional place. After several visits to the easternmost region of interwar Czechoslovakia, a director and a cinematographer decided to revisit the place; this time with a film camera, to bring back a message about the peaceful yet original everyday life of the locals. With a slightly detached point of view, they follow the uneasy life of several individuals who were not able to choose their destiny, but who refuse to grumble about it.
Give Me Your Soul, Keep the Rest
Semi-acted documentary about the Salesians and their activities in the Czech Republic and the world.
The Landscape of Destiny
Documentary by Pavel Kolaja dedicated to Ivan Vyskočil is the author's original testimony about the essence of dialogical proceedings, and at the same time his portrait. This exceptional visual poem was shot during the course of several years. The creators succeeded in penetrating not only the substance of Vyskočil's works and pedagogical methods, but also in revealing the source of his general creative attitude to life. They captured cheerfulness, inventiveness and free-mindedness, which have been accompanying this personality all life. Shooting this documentary, the director Pavel Kolaja found inspiration in Vyskočil's works as well as in his own experience as a student in his classes.
The Madman from La Verna
The Franciscan spirituality and primarily the person of Francis of Assisi represents one of the most inspirational sources in the European cultural context. Despite the barrier of eight centuries, it has been appealing not only to Christians/Catholics but also to Muslims and those whom we are used to call nondenominational. Francis' language can be universal and it is not toothless at the same time. There are lots of Franciscan topics: the relation of man to nature, our place in the universe, the sense of suffering, humility, poverty as a gift (ability), interpersonal (inter-religious) dialogue, the knighthood of the spirit, sacrifice, love. The documentary has two story lines – the life of Franciscans at the present time, which mingles with the life of St. Francis himself. The film is a continuation of the documentaries by Otakáro M. Schmidt about Jesuits (We Are Not Angels, We Just Do Their Job), John of Nepomuk (The Most Famous Czech – John of Nepomuk, a Five Star Saint) and Salesians (Give Me Your Soul and Keep the Rest). These three previous films have shown the poetry of Otakáro’s style of direction and narration, which enables to transfer important information through images and entertainment. We want to combine acted scenes and documentary witness accounts with symbolic images of the world of today.
Francis of Assisi - A Fool for Christ
The Franciscan spirituality and primarily the person of Francis of Assisi represents one of the most inspirational sources in the European cultural context. Despite the barrier of eight centuries, it has been appealing not only to Christians/Catholics but also to Muslims and those whom we are used to call nondenominational. Francis' language can be universal and it is not toothless at the same time. There are lots of Franciscan topics: the relation of man to nature, our place in the universe, the sense of suffering, humility, poverty as a gift (ability), interpersonal (inter-religious) dialogue, the knighthood of the spirit, sacrifice, love. The documentary has two story lines – the life of Franciscans at the present time, which mingles with the life of St. Francis himself. The film is a continuation of the documentaries by Otakáro M. Schmidt about Jesuits (We Are Not Angels, We Just Do Their Job), John of Nepomuk (The Most Famous Czech – John of Nepomuk, a Five Star Saint) and Salesians (Give Me Your Soul and Keep the Rest). These three previous films have shown the poetry of Otakáro’s style of direction and narration, which enables to transfer important information through images and entertainment. We want to combine acted scenes and documentary witness accounts with symbolic images of the world of today.
A documentary film about peculiar and unconventional people living in a peculiar and unconventional place. After several visits to the easternmost region of interwar Czechoslovakia, a director and a cinematographer decided to revisit the place; this time with a film camera, to bring back a message about the peaceful yet original everyday life of the locals. With a slightly detached point of view, they follow the uneasy life of several individuals who were not able to choose their destiny, but who refuse to grumble about it.
Give Me Your Soul, Keep the Rest
Semi-acted documentary about the Salesians and their activities in the Czech Republic and the world.
The Landscape of Destiny
Documentary by Pavel Kolaja dedicated to Ivan Vyskočil is the author's original testimony about the essence of dialogical proceedings, and at the same time his portrait. This exceptional visual poem was shot during the course of several years. The creators succeeded in penetrating not only the substance of Vyskočil's works and pedagogical methods, but also in revealing the source of his general creative attitude to life. They captured cheerfulness, inventiveness and free-mindedness, which have been accompanying this personality all life. Shooting this documentary, the director Pavel Kolaja found inspiration in Vyskočil's works as well as in his own experience as a student in his classes.
The Madman from La Verna
The Franciscan spirituality and primarily the person of Francis of Assisi represents one of the most inspirational sources in the European cultural context. Despite the barrier of eight centuries, it has been appealing not only to Christians/Catholics but also to Muslims and those whom we are used to call nondenominational. Francis' language can be universal and it is not toothless at the same time. There are lots of Franciscan topics: the relation of man to nature, our place in the universe, the sense of suffering, humility, poverty as a gift (ability), interpersonal (inter-religious) dialogue, the knighthood of the spirit, sacrifice, love. The documentary has two story lines – the life of Franciscans at the present time, which mingles with the life of St. Francis himself. The film is a continuation of the documentaries by Otakáro M. Schmidt about Jesuits (We Are Not Angels, We Just Do Their Job), John of Nepomuk (The Most Famous Czech – John of Nepomuk, a Five Star Saint) and Salesians (Give Me Your Soul and Keep the Rest). These three previous films have shown the poetry of Otakáro’s style of direction and narration, which enables to transfer important information through images and entertainment. We want to combine acted scenes and documentary witness accounts with symbolic images of the world of today.
Francis of Assisi - A Fool for Christ
The Franciscan spirituality and primarily the person of Francis of Assisi represents one of the most inspirational sources in the European cultural context. Despite the barrier of eight centuries, it has been appealing not only to Christians/Catholics but also to Muslims and those whom we are used to call nondenominational. Francis' language can be universal and it is not toothless at the same time. There are lots of Franciscan topics: the relation of man to nature, our place in the universe, the sense of suffering, humility, poverty as a gift (ability), interpersonal (inter-religious) dialogue, the knighthood of the spirit, sacrifice, love. The documentary has two story lines – the life of Franciscans at the present time, which mingles with the life of St. Francis himself. The film is a continuation of the documentaries by Otakáro M. Schmidt about Jesuits (We Are Not Angels, We Just Do Their Job), John of Nepomuk (The Most Famous Czech – John of Nepomuk, a Five Star Saint) and Salesians (Give Me Your Soul and Keep the Rest). These three previous films have shown the poetry of Otakáro’s style of direction and narration, which enables to transfer important information through images and entertainment. We want to combine acted scenes and documentary witness accounts with symbolic images of the world of today.
God Preserve the Heritage of Our Fathers and Mothers!
This documentary film combines reenactments featuring characters from the time of St. Cyril and Methodius in real environments with documentary-style commentary. It links the message of the Middle Ages to the present in a way that is both modern and immediate. The documentary presents the lives of St. Cyril and Methodius, the dissemination and legacy of the Cyrillo-Methodian tradition and its value for the present. Basic film structure: the life and times of St. Cyril and Methodius (acted scenes in the modern world), expert and lay testimony. The film uses a video narrative style, entertainingly combining acted scenes in the documentary space. Rather than lecturing on the nature of good and evil, it offers human stories and examples of these outstanding figures who had an impact on the world.
Landscape – Mirror of the Soul
The first documentary film in 3D. A film about wandering through the countryside that brings us to the doorstep of our soul. Do we really believe that it is possible to stay healthy in the midst of broken families and a broken world? In the course of the film, Marek Orko Vácha explores the landscape, wandering like a Czech David Atenborough. He sets out at the end of winter/start of spring from the confluence of a river and a sea near a modern hotel. Pilgrim Orko cuts himself a walking staff and heads upstream towards the rising sun. He walks the barely waking land, lantern in hand, like a mighty prince. By the end of the film he reaches the start of all things, in the mountains, in the virgin forest of Boubín, at the river's fountainhead, clear and cleansing of waters, where a small village chapel and a simple wooden cross stand amid overgrown and abandoned trees. The sun sets on the first snowdrops peaking from the mossy banks in promise of the coming spring. The use of 3D photography here is essential to the portrayal of nature and the turning seasons. We want the viewers to experience a photorealistic vision of nature, drawing them inside our filmic landscape.
This documentary film combines reenactments featuring characters from the time of St. Cyril and Methodius in real environments with documentary-style commentary. It links the message of the Middle Ages to the present in a way that is both modern and immediate. The documentary presents the lives of St. Cyril and Methodius, the dissemination and legacy of the Cyrillo-Methodian tradition and its value for the present. Basic film structure: the life and times of St. Cyril and Methodius (acted scenes in the modern world), expert and lay testimony. The film uses a video narrative style, entertainingly combining acted scenes in the documentary space. Rather than lecturing on the nature of good and evil, it offers human stories and examples of these outstanding figures who had an impact on the world.
Landscape – Mirror of the Soul
The first documentary film in 3D. A film about wandering through the countryside that brings us to the doorstep of our soul. Do we really believe that it is possible to stay healthy in the midst of broken families and a broken world? In the course of the film, Marek Orko Vácha explores the landscape, wandering like a Czech David Atenborough. He sets out at the end of winter/start of spring from the confluence of a river and a sea near a modern hotel. Pilgrim Orko cuts himself a walking staff and heads upstream towards the rising sun. He walks the barely waking land, lantern in hand, like a mighty prince. By the end of the film he reaches the start of all things, in the mountains, in the virgin forest of Boubín, at the river's fountainhead, clear and cleansing of waters, where a small village chapel and a simple wooden cross stand amid overgrown and abandoned trees. The sun sets on the first snowdrops peaking from the mossy banks in promise of the coming spring. The use of 3D photography here is essential to the portrayal of nature and the turning seasons. We want the viewers to experience a photorealistic vision of nature, drawing them inside our filmic landscape.
Studied FAMU (production); with Martin Hůlovec and Jakub Drocár founded Punk Film, a production company that specializes in searching for new creative talents who can offer new approaches and perspectives: features, documentaries, music videos, commercials. He was involved in several projects with foreign filmmakers from Europe and Asia, esp. focusing on Bollywood. Punk Film's music video for Visací Zámek was nominated for the 2005 Andel music award. Projects: Malá nesdělení (2002), Anomálie v 3/8 taktu (2003), Ruiny (thesis film, 2004), Roswell Enterprises (Norwegian independent film awarded at the 2006 Berlinale), Bombai to Paris (feature, India 2006), Vnitřní prostor (full-length documentary about prof. Ivan Vyskočil, 2006).
Punk Film, s.r.o.
V Jirchářích 8
110 00 Praha 1
V Jirchářích 8
110 00 Praha 1