Vojtěch Jasný

Vojtěch Jasný (30 November 1925 – 15 November 2019) was a distinguished Czech filmmaker celebrated for his contributions to cinema during the 1960s. Hailing from Kelč in Moravia, Jasný gained international recognition for his 1963 film, *Až přijde kocour* (The Cassandra Cat), which earned the prestigious Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This enchanting allegory revolves around a mystical cat that unveils the true nature of the inhabitants of a small Czech town.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Jasný was an influential figure in Czechoslovak cinema, but he, like many other artists, fled the country following the Soviet occupation after the Prague Spring in 1968. His career then took him to various European nations, including Austria, West Germany, and Yugoslavia. By the early 1980s, Jasný settled in Brooklyn, New York, where he continued to share his passion for film as an educator. He taught directing at Columbia University, alongside his contemporary Miloš Forman, and later at The School of Visual Arts and The New York Film Academy.

Another notable work by Jasný is *Všichni dobří rodáci* (All My Good Countrymen, 1968), which poignantly depicts the lives of rural Czechs grappling with the challenges of communist governance. This film was ultimately banned in Czechoslovakia following the 1968 invasion, marking a significant moment in his career and reflecting the turbulent political landscape of the era.