Documentary films

Studio Budíkov manages all the rights to the documentary films of Martin Kratochvíl and films made in co-production. On these pages you will find a list of all the films, including short description and technical parameters. Information on the extent of all rights is available from us on request.

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SHISHA PANGMA EXPEDITION

Year of production: 2003
Directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Script: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 51min.
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech, English subtitles

A documentary of the autumn 2003 expedition on Shisha Pangma, the last conquered eight-thousand-meter peak in Tibet. The film shows not only the technical difficulties of the ascent, but also the broad context and history of high mountain climbing. It documents the long approach to the mountain, the drama of the climb, the life of people around the mountain and the technical ski run from the altitude of 7500m.

CZECH HIMALAY ADVENTURE I.

(Annapurna, Manaslu 55'00, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II 55'51, Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat 55'59, Cho Oyu, Shisha Pangma 55'54, Makalu, Kanchenjunga 55'47, K2, Broad Peak 55'54, Lhoce , Everest 55'18) (film nese copyright ČT)

Year of production: 2003
Written and directed by: Jasanský - Gawlik
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 7 x 52-58 min.
Format: Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech

An extensive epic documentary about Czech climbers on eight-thousand-meter peaks.

POLYNESIA

(Tahiti, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Hiva Oa, Nuku Hiva- Fatu Hiva, Marquesas)

Year of production: 2004
Written and directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 7x13min.
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech

A unique seven-part documentary about contemporary French Polynesia. The authors visited besides the famous and tourist-industry-exploited islands like Bora Bora and Raiatea, destinations less known e.g. Fatu Hiva. It was on this island, where Thor Heyerdahl formulated his theory of populating Polynesia from Peru. The emphasis of the documentary is to see Polynesian society from within, not to follow the standard perception of the islands as a tourist paradise. The Pacific beauty together with joyful music will please everybody.

THE SECRET OF SOUTHERN SEES

(Tahiti, The Observatory, A Different Island, A Man With English Beard, Papenoo Valley, Vanilla Island, Makatea, Czech Valley, Hanaiapa, The Phone Book, Returns)

Year of production: 2003
Directed by: Jiří Tesař
Written by: Jiří Tesař
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 11x18min.
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP, Digital Beta
Produced by: Studio Budíkov, Czech TV
Language version: Czech

The long and profound saga of Czech and Slovak emigration to Polynesia at the beginning of twentieth century. The stories of the families to the present time, the reasons and means of emigration. Milan Rastislav Štefánik’s attempt to build New Slovakia. Numerous interviews with second-and-third generation of the emigrants, their achievements in the new homeland. All with the background of the beautiful South Pacific.

OCEANIA

(The Dance on the Marquesas 9‘08, South Pacific 6‘07, Corpus Christi on Tahiti 4‘50, The Climb to Mt Aorai 7‘34, Party in Polynesia 5‘53, The Gods of Polynesia 5‘26, The Faces of Oceania 4‘30, The Beauties of the Pacific 4‘50, Heaven’s Paradise 4‘02, Papeete 5‘00, Tahitian Blues 5‘00)

Year of production: 2004
Written and directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 63 min.
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: without narration

A romantically and emotionally tuned sequence of beautiful scenery from the South Pacific without commentary, only with musical accompaniment.

DHAULAGIRI

(French Col, The Great Circuit, Mukut Himal)

Year of production: 2004
Written and directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 3 x 25min.
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech, English

A three part documentary from two treks around Nepal’s uppermost western eight-thousand-meter peak. The first part describes the classic approach into the Dhaulagiri massif along Myagdi Khola and over French Col and Dhampus Pass, down to the Kali Gandaki river gorge. It also deals with the dramatic rescue of one of the team members hit by acute mountain sickness. In the next two parts we circumnavigate the whole chain westwards to Dolpo only to return back to Kali Gandaki over Mukut Himal, north from the main summit. The last two parts show the life of Tibetans in the high altitudes of the Western Nepal Himalayas.

KASHMIR

Year of production: 2005
Written and directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 27 min
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech, English subtitles

A more popular documentary film from the Ladakh and Kashmir expedition. It led from Darcha through the Zanskar Valley to Padum and Leh. The region witnessed the reforms imposed by the Indian Buddhists which left behind a lot of gompas of all sorts of Buddhist schools. Especially the capitol Leh and its cultural heritage is well described. The team also trekked the Markha Valley, south from Leh. The last part takes place in Islamic Srínagar and explains its unhappy political present.

KASHMIR AND LADAKH

(Zanskar, Markha and Leh, The Gompas, Srínagar-A Town Of Carpets)

Year of production: 2004
Written and directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 4x 18 min
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech, English

Four parts documentary from the Indian Himalayas. The first part describes the expedition to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh where Buddhism was travelling during the first and second infusion into Tibet. The trek itself is an outstanding sport achievement. The second part takes place mostly in Leh, the major town of Ladakh and in the nice and culturally rich Markha Valley. Surrounding ancient monasteries of various schools of the Mahayana Buddhism are the theme of the third part. The last part brings a deep insight into the manufacturing of silk carpets in Srinagar, the capitol of Kashmir. The city is, unfortunately, also a great exporter of terrorism. The film is also trying to understand and explain this paradox of contemporary Kashmir.

THE PILGRIMAGE SITES OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM

A documentary about the famous and sacred sites of Tibetan religious pilgrimages. In Tantric Buddhism the divine characteristics are given not only to monasteries, but also to mountains, lakes and caves, where the legendary sages lived their ascetic lives on meditations. Professor Tomas Halik wrote the script of this movie and accompanies the story on screen himself. We travel to Lhasa, Shigatse, to the sacred Mt Kailas, to the lake Manasarowar and number of other sacred sites in Western Tibet and Kashmir. After taking part in kora, the circumnavigation around Mt Kailas, we learn from professor Halik about the general importance of the holy pilgrimages not only in Buddhism, but also in the other major religions of the world.

EVEREST TREK, eight ladies below the roof of the world

Year of production: 2007
Written and directed by: Martin Kratochvíl
Music by: Martin Kratochvíl
Running time: 44 min
Format: DVCAM, Betacam SP (16:9)
Produced by: Studio Budíkov
Language version: Czech

A personal experience from the classical trek to Everest from Jiri to Kala Patar. Eight women and one man (the author of the film) are going through good and bad days in the beautiful Khumbu Region of Nepal. The route marks in the same time the traditional approach to Everest from the south. The movie describes the every-day life of the Sherpas in Namche Bazaar as well as the group’s problems with altitude sickness and Maoist rebels on the way. The documentary tries to answer the question why just women fall in love with the conquest of high mountains, the domain recently ascribed exclusively to men.