- Occupation
Director - Country
Czech Republic
Hodan Tomáš
The Rachov Region in the Transcarpathian Ukraine
Transcarpathia - the Rakhov Region shows uncommon people who live in a special region. The director and the photographer repeatedly visited the easternmost district of the interwar Czechoslovakia. Eventually they returned with a camera and documented the serene life of the locals. With gentle irony, the filmmakers watch the hard lives of a couple of individuals who do not complain about their deal, though they did not choose it. The locals know very well that life is a gift, joyful and blessed, no matter how hard it is. If they do not have money for milk, they know they have to get a cow; if their house burns down, they know they have to build a new one; on a holiday they know it is time to rest.
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.
Angola Dreams and reality
A civil war which had been running at various degrees of intensity in Angola since 1975 came to an end seven years ago; the conflict had begun when the country ceased to be a Portuguese colony. Tomáš Hodan's documentary shows what happened when the 'white man' returned to Angola, this time to help it get back on its feet. Two Czechs, Vladimír Lima from the organisation People in Need and Martin Lošťák from the Czech Agricultural University, help Angolan students to get a qualification, and in that way contribute to the country's development. However, providing education rather than material support in Angola is far from easy. The film shows in detail the nuances of day-to-day life in which different mentalities and cultural backgrounds continually clash.
The Wonderful Years without the Curtain
A series of documentary films in which students interview successful figures from various fields whose careers could only take off after the fall of the Iron Curtain. 1. Director Ondřej Sokol and Jewellery Artist Věra Nováková R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Ondřej Sokol, Věra Nováková 2. Yachtswoman Lenka Šmídová and Ornithologist Tomáš Grim R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Lenka Šmídová, doc. RNDr. Tomáš Grim, Ph.D. 3. Writer Jaroslav Rudiš and Banker Martin Kolouch R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Jaroslav Rudiš, Martin Kolouch 4. Ballet-dancer Adéla Pollertová and Artist Kateřina Šedá R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Adéla Pollertová, Kateřina Šedá 5. Hudebník Jan P. Muchow a novinář Janek Kroupa (Musician Jan P. Muchov and Journalist Janek Kroupa) R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: Jan P. Muchow, Janek Kroupa 6. Biologist Karel Janko and Snowboarder Martin Černík R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: Karel Janko, Martin Černík 7. Historian Michal Lukeš and Director Jakub Kohák R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: PhDr. Michal Lukeš, Jakub Kohák 8. Designer Jan Čapek and Director Karel Janák R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: Jan Čapek, MgA. Karel Janák 9. Journalist Mikuláš Kroupa and Architect Pavel Bednařík R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: PhDr. Mikuláš Kroupa, Ing. arch. Pavel Bednařík 10. Entrepreneur Radim Jančura and Director/Animator Aurel Klimt R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: Radim Jančura, MgA. Aurel Klimt 11. Photographer Michal Novotný and Scientist Martin Zatloukal R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: Michal Novotný, doc. Ing. Martin Zatloukal, Ph.D. 12. Architect Filip Soukup and Conductor David Švec R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: Filip Soukup, David Švec 13. Journalist Renata Kalenská and Writer David Zábranský R: Tereza Nvotová V: 2009 K: David Cysař DK: Tereza Nvotová U: Renata Kalenská, David Zábranský
Czech Help
On the Czech mission in Afghanistan.
Transcarpathia - the Rakhov Region shows uncommon people who live in a special region. The director and the photographer repeatedly visited the easternmost district of the interwar Czechoslovakia. Eventually they returned with a camera and documented the serene life of the locals. With gentle irony, the filmmakers watch the hard lives of a couple of individuals who do not complain about their deal, though they did not choose it. The locals know very well that life is a gift, joyful and blessed, no matter how hard it is. If they do not have money for milk, they know they have to get a cow; if their house burns down, they know they have to build a new one; on a holiday they know it is time to rest.
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.
Angola Dreams and reality
A civil war which had been running at various degrees of intensity in Angola since 1975 came to an end seven years ago; the conflict had begun when the country ceased to be a Portuguese colony. Tomáš Hodan's documentary shows what happened when the 'white man' returned to Angola, this time to help it get back on its feet. Two Czechs, Vladimír Lima from the organisation People in Need and Martin Lošťák from the Czech Agricultural University, help Angolan students to get a qualification, and in that way contribute to the country's development. However, providing education rather than material support in Angola is far from easy. The film shows in detail the nuances of day-to-day life in which different mentalities and cultural backgrounds continually clash.
The Wonderful Years without the Curtain
A series of documentary films in which students interview successful figures from various fields whose careers could only take off after the fall of the Iron Curtain. 1. Director Ondřej Sokol and Jewellery Artist Věra Nováková R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Ondřej Sokol, Věra Nováková 2. Yachtswoman Lenka Šmídová and Ornithologist Tomáš Grim R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Lenka Šmídová, doc. RNDr. Tomáš Grim, Ph.D. 3. Writer Jaroslav Rudiš and Banker Martin Kolouch R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Jaroslav Rudiš, Martin Kolouch 4. Ballet-dancer Adéla Pollertová and Artist Kateřina Šedá R: Radka Váchalová V: 2009 K: Daniel Vagenknecht U: Adéla Pollertová, Kateřina Šedá 5. Hudebník Jan P. Muchow a novinář Janek Kroupa (Musician Jan P. Muchov and Journalist Janek Kroupa) R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: Jan P. Muchow, Janek Kroupa 6. Biologist Karel Janko and Snowboarder Martin Černík R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: Karel Janko, Martin Černík 7. Historian Michal Lukeš and Director Jakub Kohák R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: PhDr. Michal Lukeš, Jakub Kohák 8. Designer Jan Čapek and Director Karel Janák R: Adéla Sirotková V: 2009 K: Richard Špůr U: Jan Čapek, MgA. Karel Janák 9. Journalist Mikuláš Kroupa and Architect Pavel Bednařík R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: PhDr. Mikuláš Kroupa, Ing. arch. Pavel Bednařík 10. Entrepreneur Radim Jančura and Director/Animator Aurel Klimt R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: Radim Jančura, MgA. Aurel Klimt 11. Photographer Michal Novotný and Scientist Martin Zatloukal R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: Michal Novotný, doc. Ing. Martin Zatloukal, Ph.D. 12. Architect Filip Soukup and Conductor David Švec R: Tomáš Hodan V: 2009 K: Ferdinand Mazurek DK: Michal Novotný U: Filip Soukup, David Švec 13. Journalist Renata Kalenská and Writer David Zábranský R: Tereza Nvotová V: 2009 K: David Cysař DK: Tereza Nvotová U: Renata Kalenská, David Zábranský
Czech Help
On the Czech mission in Afghanistan.
Born December 15, 1980 in Prague. Studied journalism, film studies the Zlin Film School, theory and history of dramatic arts at Palacky University in Olomouc. He has made several short fiction and documentary films, two of them were co-produced and broadcast by Czech television. He has worked as an editor in magazine, an assistant director and as a theater lightning technician. Selected filmography: 2001 - Zloděj (The Thief); 2002 - Medici (Medics), Special prize at Brno 16 Festival; 2003 - The Transcarpathian Region – the Rachov Area, Best documentary film at Zlin Dog Film Festival; 2006 - Půl čtvrté (Half Past Three, full-length documentary); 2009 - Delfín (Dolphin, short animation).