Petr Koliha

In 1982 Koliha graduated film school (FAMU) in film and television directing. His first directing job was at the small avant-garde Prague theatre "A-Studio" (Anton Chekhov's "Cherry Orchard", Maxim Gorky's "Karamora"). At that time he also started cooperating with Czechoslovak Television where he made several television plays - critical reviews and viewers particularly appreciated his "Test Results (1987)" and the two part production "The Court-case with the Murderers of Ms. Martynova" which was valued as the best play of 1988 in Czechoslovak Television. In 1989 Petr Koliha made his feature-film debut at the Film Studios Barrandov with Nezný barbar (1990), based on the book by Bohumil Hrabal and starring Bolek Polívka, Jirí Menzel and Arnost Goldflam. In 1994 he directed two projects. First a Czech Television TV-play based on a story by Josef Topol, "The Cat on the Rails", and second at Cinoherni studio-theatre William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". In 1996 he directed a TV-play based on the play "Play Strindberg" by Friedrich Dürrenmatt and a TV-play of David Jan Novotny. In 1997 he directed his second feature film based on the book of young writer Michal Viewegh, Výchova dívek v Cechách (1997). Since 1990 till 2002 he was teaching at the Prague Film School (FAMU) in the department of directing. Petr Koliha was the head Producer of the creative group at Czech Television from 1990 to 1995 where he created as producer more than fifty TV-plays, TV-films, feature films and TV-serials. From 1998 to 2000 he worked as Programme Director for TV Prima. From 2001 to 2002 he worked as Programme Director of public Czech Television. Petr Koliha as Artistic Director managed Zlin Film Festival from 2003 to 2012. At this time he works as Executive Director of CT :D Channel at Czech Television. Petr Koliha is voting member of European Film Academy.