Czechoslovak film industry on the way from private business to public good (1918-1945)

ABSTRACT

Based on archival materials examined for the first time, this study reveals the process of monopolisation of the film industry in interwar Czechoslovakia. The study analyses (1) the narrative surrounding the state involvement in the film business and (2) the structure and effects of the government subsidies to the film production. The study shows (1) that the narrative emphasized the national-educational and national-consciousness role of film and (2) that the practice which the system of state support established made it possible to finance the production of Czechoslovak films. At the same time, the increasing level of state intervention during the Protectorate led to the rapid completion of the monopolisation of the industry.

KEYWORDS:

• Film Industry
• Czechoslovakia 1918–1945
• Public Good
• Monopolisation
• state support

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 The term Czechoslovak refers to the period of interwar Czechoslovakia till March of 1939 and then after the liberation in May 1945. The term Czech refers to the period of Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during the Second World War.

2 The interpellation of Dr Bacher and colleagues on film import quotas (print No 1846), The 6th Meeting of Chamber of Deputies, the National Assembly of the Czechoslovak Republic, June 1, 1932. Available from WWW http://www.psp.cz/eknih/1929ns/ps/tisky/t1846_01.htm [20.6.2019].

3 National Archive Prague, Archive of Ministry of Industry, Business and Trades, Film Advisory Board, box 2345, sign. 114616/36; box 2346, 2347; 2754, 2755, sign. 115769/36.

4 We examined archive collections of film producers and corresponding government institutions that existed in Czechoslovakia and Protectorate until 1945 located in the following ­archives: the National Film Archive, Prague, the Archive of Barrandov Studio, Prague, and the National Archive, Prague.

5 Report of the Culture Committee on the proposal of members of National Assembly (print No 1782) to make cinema wholly subordinate to the Ministry of Education (print No 2109). The 105th Meeting of the Czechoslovak Revolutionary National Assembly, January 13, 1920. Available from WWW http://www.psp.cz/eknih/1918ns/ps/stenprot/105schuz/s105003.htm [10.6.2019].

Additional information

Funding

This article is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and The Czech Film Fund.