František Vláčil Brings Beauty to Cinema

The National Gallery of Art presented the films The Devil's Trap (Ďáblova past) and Marketa Lazarová by director František Vláčil, with opening remarks from Czech Cultural Counselor Barbara Karpetová on October 7. A total of approximately 600 people were able to enjoy the two screenings. In particular, the Gallery presented a newly restored copy of Marketa Lazarová, which proved to be a special treat for film goers. Wide shots revealed landscapes of snow so beautifully rendered and close-ups on actors took viewers inside the emotions of the characters. The picture is simply a masterpiece of art, meticulously storyboarded and ultimately transferred into a vision on film. Director František Vláčil's films are well-known for their extraordinary high art quality. Czech critics and industry experts voted his epic Marketa Lazarová (1967) the best Czech film of all time.