This collection of nine documentaries made by film director Martin Slivka presents an overview of his work in the period of the years 1963 – 1973, bringing some of the most significant films made by this great Slovak filmmaker and ethnologist during his professional career. The wide range of subjects includes all the main areas, which Martin Slivka focused on systematically and consistently during his admiringly fruitful creative life, mainly art, folklore, and traditional culture. The presented films doubtlessly represent some of the artistically most valuable renderings of these themes not only in the context of Martin Slivka’s films, but also in the history of Slovak cinema as such.

A parody of frankensteinian stories. It is a story about a little boy, and orphan who arrives at the castle of Count Frankenstein – a world inhabited by mysterious and sometimes a bit ridiculous scary creatures. Although each one of them is different, they all share one thing: they feel lonely and they are desperate for a little love and affection.

A fairy-tale about good, wise Lady Winter who uses magic to make snow, and brave Jakub who was not afraid even of death. It is a story about the eternal strife for happiness, understanding and love, about overcoming hardships and defeating evil. It is also a condemnation of envy, greed and the desire to become rich quickly and by unrighteous means.

A fairy-tale about the beautiful and proud princess Anna, who rejects all her suitors until her father loses his patience and decides to marry her to the first vagabond who shows up and asks for her hand in marriage and the kingdom to rule. Her marriage with a poor man, a simple life, hard work and love teach the stubborn princess how to love and forgive.

A tale about the adventurous journey of a brave prince and his devoted servant Ján, who wants to rescue beautiful Mahuliena from the land of greedy Lordogold. The prince´s father entrusts Ján a magic crown, which warns them against all danger. But he cannot reveal the magic power of the crown - when he does, he turns into stone.

A legendary story of the Slovak folk hero Juro Jánošík (1688-1713) on the background of life in Slovakia at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Celebration in the Botanical Garden (1969)
A lively and mature debute of a talented director who passed away before his time is a colourful fairy tale, a mosaic about the need of miracles in our lives. Havetta´s original film is inspired by naive painting, French impressionism, and silent slapstic. It also combines motives from traditions of the people of Western Slovakia.

Wild Lilies (1972)
The second and last full-length feature film by Elo Havetta ranks among the most remarkable works of Slovak cinematography. It is an artistic paraphrase of the literary work of Vincent Šikula. The main characters are war veterans returning from WWI who want to find a home and settle down. However, equally strong is their desire for freedom and the life of a tramp.

This film is an experiment. One dialogue, three filmmakers, three stories. Jerzy Skolimowski (Polish), Peter Solan (Slovak), and Zbyněk Brynych (Czech) created their variations of the same conversation. Focusing on couples in their twenties, forties, and sixties, these three inventive sketches illustrate the emotional interaction between a man and a woman.

August 68
This DVD is a special edition of three documentaries about the memorable, and tragic events of 1968. The Time We Live discusses the social revival in Czechoslovakia around the time of the Prague Spring. Black Days was a special issue of A Week in Film newsreel giving witness to the military intervention of the Warsaw Treaty troops in August 1968. Tke Wake Portrays the eventsthat happend in consequence to this, for many a still traumatizing historical experience.

November 89
The three documentaries included on this DVD invite the viewers to recall many of the historical events of 1989 that had made a major impact on our future. The films provide a vivid picture of the political, social and economic processes happening during some of the key periods in the development of Czechoslovakia on its way to long yearned for freedome and democracy. It was a journey marked by a brand new plurality of opinions and a wide range of newly establushed political parties.