Your father was a pharmacist in Slaný. How did he like your artistic tendencies and did he support you or he would rather see you in his business??

In hindsight I can say that both of my parents supported me in everything I did but they took it as a kind of entertainment.I think, later on, they were quite feared where will I end up since they didn´t reckon with my studies at FAMU.I am sure that my father couldn´t imagine me working in pharmacy.When he tested my knowledge from chemistry, I am sure he knew I wasn´t for that.

About what profession did you dream as a child? If it wasn´t a film was it your acting in children films that changed your plans big way?

What plans does small boy have...? Since first class I recited( in 1956 I was third in National competition)although I was very shy child.But on stage, I was suddenly somebody else.I played with amateurs from Slaný theatre, dubbed Kašpárek in puppet play and wrote and wrote and wrote.Sadly, my first novel, strongly inspired by Indians, didn´ t survive to these days.An it had full 5 pages!!!My appearance in films surely had influence but it all came when I was enchanted by films in my teens.That transfered me from theatre to literature to film. You know those Golden 60´s.....

Why the film that was made without help of big studios couldn´t be a super successfull?

We never read how did you get to acting in your first film “Zlatá pudřenka”.Have you been to some casting competition or it was by accident or via your parents connections?

I think it was just accidental appearance on casting competition.My mum went to dressmaker in Prague, her son went to show himself to “ those filmmakers”.So I went with them.I was chosen, this boy wasn´t, so my mum had to find another dressmaker...I was told there were 2000 children.

Since young age you could see the work of brilliant directors František Vláčil or Milan Vošmik.Do you think, looking back, that that were them who formed in you the will to direct and that you subconsciously absorbed those directors abilities?

I believe that everything that one come accross during his life influence him in some form.Meeting some people like those two was for me, a small boy, real blessing.Even if I don´t do something deliberatelly, I believe, that maybe, mainly with communication with kids, I take it from what influenced me when those directors wanted something from me.

After graduation you assisted such brilliant directors as Karel Zeman or Věra Plívová-Šimková.What essential did you get from them for your future job?We guess you could not have got the better teachers than them?

I wouldn´t want to avoid the answer to this question but I can´t explain in few words what kind of artists they were.They were both very different.You know, probably I mostly learn how the whole organization of film crew works. As assistant you perceive complex of all professions and it helped me in the future to judge better who needs what.And also how to find solution when it doesn´t work.

Whole of your director´s career you jump from time to time to other side of the camera.... to acting. Do you need to change chairs from time to time, or you need some kind of perspective, distance for your future work? Did the fact that you are/were also an actor had positive or negative influence at your director´s thinking and attitude?

I wouldn´t call my occasional appearance infront of camera acting. Since I am superstitious I just make brief appearance in my own films and if that is complicated, I am only having vocal appearance.Something like voice from tannoy.Last week I howled as a dog in serie for children which I make for ČT.

Most of your films were for and about teenagers.Was it intention or you simply realised that you understand the most this age group and your biggest success came with this kind of films. So you kept on filming these kind of films?

I made that decision when Milan Vošmik died at tragically young age.I wanted to continue in his work.But he made REAL films for children, I somehow wrenched it and ended up filming topics for bit older kids.Maybe also because that “statement about the world” would be wider and more interesting for me.It gave me bigger possibilities.And I was lucky that it was in colaboration with Ota Hofman and Mrs. Pittnerová.

Art is the imagination and fantasy and what ever hi-tech we will have it won´t replace it

Your movie “ Sněženky a machři” became almost a cult film.Do you think it came at right time and it had good screenplay, cast and directing or there is other explanation.?Many films had similiar atributes but they didn´t become cults.How did you accept fact that sequel of this film was made 25 years after that? Were you offered a chance to film it or you didn´t care?

As far as “ cult status” goes.I must admit I hate that word.I think it is used so much that it is wasted.I am also alergic when somebody asks me” How did you make those witticisms?”I figured out that today the number of witticisms decides if the film is success or flop.I even found out that witticisms were named in the press before the film appeared in the cinema.The undertone of “ Sněženky a machři” was that individual is right not the team..It also ends with saying...” we will cope with what was done to us by others but worse is what we have done to ourselves”.Today people take it as a students comedy but that message was somewhere else.That was the reason why I didn´t want to film sequel.More over all casts there only recapitulize their lives as if they were seventy and not forty.Director Viktor Tauš who took this heavy task on his shoulders told me later.”When I analized the whole film, I realized that at every cast you dealt with topic of betrayal.And I don´t have that topic”.I think that is the most accurate answer.

Film “ Proč” was very raw and brave for it´s time.Was it only good topic for filming with lots of future star actors or you wanted to point at the problem of violence in the sport which is a still actual if not more then 27 years ago?

You see, initially we didn´t want to cover sport.We once sat with Radek John and discussed what we could film, what is the alarming topic for us.And we agreed that is is a violence.Of all kind!And then we remembered that event of demolished train and we started to make various attempts how to approach that topic.We even started to write individual stories..And then the reality was somewhat suprisingly close to what we dreamt about in the café.So we thought we won´t solve genre, we will try any film means.I know it sounds bit academically but it is probably the most accurate as far as form goes, which plays the significant role here.And one more reminiscence.The crowd which rolls via Prague street was supposed to shout “ Sparta, Sparta”.And then I though that is..... how to describe it..... thin.So during the way to venue I came to shouting “ Co je, co je”,which is more common.It has protest, dissatisfaction, maybe even a mutiny.It was pre-mobiles era so I had no time to discuss it with Radek.I didn´t get him to phone so risked to film it without his blessing..It was filmed in Pařížská ulice and there were many standing by people.Those boys were so authentic, it was amazing.So I filmed the most essential part.Then I asked production to film the rest in Barrandov and luckily they were unerstandable.

How do you view independent film and who is independent film maker in your eyes? Where do you think is the line where independent film ends and where commercial one begins?

I have simple answer for that. I don´t know. Is independent any student who takes the camera?And why the film that was made without help of big studios couldn´t be a super successfull?

What feature should posses film maker- beginner? What must he have and what can he learn?

Beginning filmmaker should have desire and confidence, that what he films, what he wants to tell, will interest someone.It could even touch people who will see that.And if that doesn´t happen for whatever reason, he won´t be ever more that “ beginner”.

Do you prefer filming at digital camera or you liked the classial film.Do you think that digital camera can help at work but it can betray also cos director knows that he can delete and re-take whatever he wants?

I don´t care really.But it doesn´t work that way, that director can film and alter and re-film whatever he wants. Why should he delete it when he can keep it?.Of course that is difference when we had a classical material and we had to think twice before we shot something.And we had to be carefull when we edit it.Today we can bring much more material for editing.For me that technological advantage is in the fact that I can try more in the editor office that at actual venue. But I think that art is the imagination and fantasy and what ever hi- tech we will have it won´t replace it.