The Night Butterfy film screening
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“A night butterfly in love means it’s futile, that it’s lost,” sang the protagonist in a song that became an evergreen, not only due to Johann Strauss’s Imperial Waltz (arranged by Roman Blahnik), but also because of the story it accompanied. The 1941 film “Night Butterfly,” directed by František Čáp and based on Vojtěch Mixa’s short story “Staša,” tells of a decent girl drawn into a brothel by an unhappy love. Sensitive scriptwriting and strong direction brought depth to this melodramatic tale, highlighting its psychological and historical context. The film’s rich period setting, designed by Jan Zázvorka, evoked the Austro-Hungarian Empire, emphasized by Strauss’s music. Excellent performances, particularly by Hana Vítová as Marta (most likely her best performance on camera) and Adina Mandlová as Kiki, along with notable male actors like Gustav Nezval and Svatopluk Beneš, showcased the vitality of Czech cinema even during the Protectorate.
Opening remarks before the film screening will be presented by Marie Barešová. She studied Art History and Theory and History of Film and Audiovisual Culture at Masaryk University, since 2013 she has been working at the National Film Archive as a curator of oral history. Marie is working on a collection of interviews, which she is also actively expanding with new recordings. She is in charge of information collection and research agenda. For those interested in studying oral history or film studies, she offers the possibility of an internship.
Entrance fee – 175 CZK, 155 CZK discount for students and seniors
Event accessibility – accessible with a dog, barrier-free, the movie is in Czech
Vibe check – seating options, indoors