The Benefit of Professor Alexander and Barbara de Anatolia
Category
filmGenre
tragicomedyTypology
featuretheatrical distributionstudent filmshortOriginal title
Benefice Profesora Alexandera a Barbary de AnatoliaCzech title
Benefice Profesora Alexandera a Barbary de AnatoliaEnglish title
The Benefit of Professor Alexander and Barbara de AnatoliaSummary
The poetical tragicomedy.
Synopsis
A taxi unloads two small figures in a winter landscape. The two very short and not too young people are circus artists – knife thrower Professor Alexander and his figurante who nicknames herself Barbara de Anatolia. They are heading to Gyergyó to perform there as arranged. They are, however, indeed poorly equipped for the long hike. The midget woman wears high heels and a thin, fake panther coat. Her red hat and lace gloves do not keep her warm either. She complains she cannot breathe. The two trudge through the forest in a chilly early evening. It takes Professor Alexander one throw to spear an apple on the woman’s head to the tree. Barbara tries to bite at the fruit flirtatiously but her denture gets stuck in it and it is, moreover, broken. She fortunately has a spare one. But that is the last moment of cheer. The woman’s condition worsens and she finally curls up into ball topped up by the hat on her drooping head. Alexander runs into a farm after a while and finds shelter for the night in a rabbit hutch, where he is found by the family – a farmer, his wife and two little daughters. They give him food. The next morning, the children discover Barbara, chilled to the marrow. Her body is so light that even the little girls can carry her to the farm. It is, however, too late for rescue. And the Professor, after performing his art to the landlords, falls asleep again and snores loudly.
Note
The film is often mistakenly listed as The Benefit of Professor Alexander and Barbara de Anatolia. The correct title was confirmed by director Gawlik. The short story, entitled Trip to Gyorgyó (Gyorgyó éghajlata), from the collection Eufrat near the Babylon was published in 1988 in the magazine Světová literatura, volume XXXIII.
Photos
Cast
Jiří Krytinář
vrhač nožů Profesor Alexander
Aťka Janoušková
Barbara de Anatolia
Jana Dolanská
statkářka
Václav Vydra
statkář
Petra Mendlová
dcera
Monika Papíková
dcera
Crew and creators
Director
Based on
Ádám Bodor (Cesta do Gyergyó /Gyergyó éghajlata/ – povídka ze sbírky Eufrat u Babylonu /Az Eufrátesz Babilonnál/)
Screenplay
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production
Production Manager
Pedagogical management
Jaromil Jireš (režie), Karel Smyczek, Jaromír Šofr (kamera), Eva Bobková (střih)
Cooperation
Martina Bauerová, Janez Burger, Marcel Bystroň, Martin Douba, Patrik Fischer, Květoslava Gawliková, Michaela Hirschová, Kateřina Hubálková, Stanislav Kázecký, František Kölbel, Pavel Marek, Sanjin Mirić, Alena Nosková, Jan Pecha, Jaromír Polišenský, Pavel Rejholec, Radek Rondevald, Jana Szücsová, Roman Vávra, Pavlína Volrábová
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Bedřich Smetana (opera Prodaná nevěsta), Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas (opera Mignon)
Songs
Milostné zvířátko uděláme z vás /Prodaná nevěsta/
Song Composer Bedřich Smetana
Writer of Lyrics Karel Sabina
Singer Aťka Janoušková
Znáš ten kraj čárných vnad /Mignon/
Song Composer Charles Louis Ambroise Thomas
Writer of Lyrics Josef Vymětal
Singer Aťka Janoušková
Production info
Original Title
Benefice Profesora Alexandera a Barbary de Anatolia
Czech Title
Benefice Profesora Alexandera a Barbary de Anatolia
English Title
The Benefit of Professor Alexander and Barbara de Anatolia
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distributionstudent film
Genre
tragicomedy
Student film
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1992
Production Year
1992
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
short film
Duration in minutes
20 min
Original length in metres
555 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 19. Mladá kamera Uničov
1993
Uničov / Czech Republic
Vítěz
Festival: 3. festival FAMU Praha
1993
Praha / Czech Republic
Zdeněk Gawlik
Vítěz
Festival: 3. festival FAMU Praha
1993
Praha / Czech Republic
Zdeněk Gawlik
