Hynek Bočan documentary profiles Czechoslovak New Wave director

A new documentary by Petr Smělík, titled ‘Bočan’, profiles Hynek Bočan, one of the last living directors associated with the Czechoslovak New Wave. The film, produced by Česká televize, explores Bočan’s extensive career, which includes 17 feature films, 30 television films, and 12 series.

The documentary utilizes personal diaries, private archives, and interviews to provide an intimate look at Bočan’s life and creative process. To capture spontaneous reactions, Smělík often surprised Bočan by taking him to filming locations from his past or arranging unexpected meetings with former collaborators, such as cinematographer Jaromír Šofr.

Bočan’s body of work includes notable titles such as ‘S čerty nejsou žerty’, ‘Bumerang’, and the television series ‘Zdivočelá země’, often created in collaboration with writer Jiří Stránský. The film also touches upon his experiences navigating life and creativity under communist rule.