The Czech Carp

Josef Šuran, Alois Jiráček / Czechoslovakia / 1954 / The film already had its Czech Premiere / 16 min.

synopsis

The winter pond sleeps, life beneath the surface has ceased. The rays of the frosty sun penetrate the ice crust, and fishermen release oxygen into the depths of the water through holes in the ice. Commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, this photograph reveals the beauty and richness of Czech ponds, and depicts the life of carp, from spawning and hatching, to harvesting.

biography

Josef Šuran (1923–19??) was a director and screenwriter. He worked in film from the 1950s to the 1970s. He shot a series of documentaries on 20th-century Czech history, called Potomci a předkové (Descendants and Ancestors). Filmmaker and biologist Radúz Činčera collaborated on his documentary, Vlny řeč moře (Waves, the Language, the Sea, 1958).

Alois Jiráček (1917–1999) was a cameraman, editor, and television worker. His documentary directing credits include Naše pralesy (Our Forests, 1956), Malá reportáž o smíchu (A Short Report on Laughter, 1971), and Vyznavač ticha (The Devotee of Silence, 2004).