Published: August 10, 2021| 11:39 AM

A new book in the series “(O)hlasy žen v české kultuře” [The Influence (and Voices) of Women in Czech Culture], which looks at women who have made a lasting impact on Czech culture, presents the important and also controversial director Věra Chytilová. “This book is not intended as a hagiography of Věra Chytilová, and hopefully it does not come off as such. Similarly, I hope that it will at least somewhat help to ensure her enduring legacy,” says Zbyněk Vlasák, author of Autorka neklidu. Věra Chytilová očima české filmové kritiky (Author of Unease: Věra Chytilová in the Eyes of Czech Film Critique).

The publication has two parts. The first consists of a collection of critical texts about Chytilová’s work from period newspapers and magazines, selected by the book’s author. The articles are organized chronologically starting in 1962 and ending in 2014 with Chytilová’s obituaries. The book’s second, shorter, part is an attempt at describing Chytilová’s legacy today, in the year 2021. “Today’s view of Chytilová is captured in a discussion between myself and two of my peers, the film critics Kamil Fila and Jindřiška Bláhová, in which we try to offer a kind of contemporary counterweight to the book’s historical section,” states Vlasák. 

The book’s official launch ceremony will take place at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the presence of festival president Jiří Bartoška, author Zbyněk Vlasák, Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek, and many others. “I am glad that we decided to publish a book about Věra Chytilová. I believe that readers will discover a new, not so familiar look at her and her work. It is no coincidence that we are launching the book at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival”, says Minister of Culture Lubomír Zaorálek, who initiated the book’s publication.

The new book, published by the Moravian Regional Library, goes on sale in September and will be available at the Karlovy Vary festival starting 21 August 2021.