Silver Screen

The author of the scenario, screenplay and director of the film Tobruk (Tobruk) in one, Marhoul (b. January 30, 1960 in Prague) ranks among the many Czech film personalities with a wide range of activities, not remaining limited to a single field. After completing studies at the renowned Prague Film Academy (FAMU), he spent several years working with the Pra.ská pětka (Prague Five) theatre group, the artists. group Tvrdohlaví (The Hardheaded), and above all the Barrandov film studios: starting in 1984 as a production assistant and eventually working his way to deputy producer. In particular, he assisted in the production of films involving the actor-director Tomá. Vorel, Pražská pětka (Prague Five) and Kouř (Smoke). At the start of the 1990s, he became part of the Barrandov studio management, serving for seven years as its CEO. In 1997, he founded the company Silver Screen, devoted above all to the production of full-length Czech films. The year 1998 witnessed the first film distribution by the company, the film Postel (The Bed) by director Oskar Reif, in which Marhoul acted as producer with Jan Bílek. In 2003, his company created its first full-length feature, Mazaný Filip (Smart Phillip) and then in 2008 his second full-length feature, Tobruk (Tobruk). In addition, he designed and arranged the tenth-anniversary exhibition of the Tvrdohlaví group in the Wallenstein Riding School of the National Gallery (1999) as well as the permanent representative gallery for the group in Palace Lucerna (2000 . 2003). Marhoul.s company has also been involved in a number of special public events, such as support for Czech membership in NATO in 1998, or the Commemoration of the Victims of Communism in 2005. Marhoul.s name is also recalled by many in conjunction with the organisation of the NATO Summit in 2002 in Prague, specifically the arrangement of its cultural events, as well as the celebrations of the 55th and 60th anniversaries of the end of World War II (in Plzeň in 2000 and Prague in 2005). In addition to these achievements, Václav Marhoul continues to appear as an actor with the Basement Theatre (Divadlo SKLEP) along with occasional appearances in films and TV serials (e.g. Skřítek, Redakce, Gympl, Horákovi, Expozitura). He is a member of the presidium and governing board of the Czech Academy of Film and Television. In 2003, his debut film Mazaný Filip (Smart Phillip) marked his breakthrough as a director. He certified himself as a director when in 2009 Czech Academy of Film and Televison Arts nominated his film Tobruk (Tobruk) in nine categories, among them for the best script, the best direction and the best movie.