Elektafilm a.s., formerly Elektafilm s.r.o. was a Czechoslovak film production and film distribution company that existed from 1923 to 1951. It produced and distributed silent and since 1930 sound films in Czech, German and French languages.
In the 1930s, Elektafilm was the biggest film production company in Czechoslovakia. The most successful Elektafilm-produced film was Gustav Machatý's Ecstasy. Most of its films were shot at rented A-B Ateliers in Vinohrady, Prague in 1920s, and Barrandov Studios since 1930. Another Czechoslovak production company, Elekta-Journal (1929-1937), had no connection to Elektafilm despite the similar name. Elektafilm frequently worked with directors Martin Frič, Svatopluk Innemann, Karel Lamač and Miroslav J. Krňanský.
History Elektafilm was founded by Josef Auerbach, Julius Schmitt and Jan Reiter as a limited liability company in 1923. In 1926, Elektafilm acquired a production company Vircofilm. In 1928, the company transformed to joint-stock company. In 1930, Elektafilm bought two other Czechoslovak film production companies Slaviafilm (then owned by Sascha-Film) and Moldaviafilm. In 1932, Auerbach acquired 100% of shares of Elektafilm. He sold Moldaviafilm in 1934. In 1939, Auerbach moved to New York through Brazil because of the worsening political situation for the Jews in Europe. During the war years, the company was taken over by the Germans and produced films for UFA GmbH. In 1945, the company was nationalized and finally dissolved in 1951. Josef Auerbach's effort to get the company back were not successful. In USA, he went into real estate and popcorn business, then he worked with The Mirisch Company. In 1964 he accepted the Academy Award for Lauro Venturi's short documentary film Chagall.
International operations In the 1930s Elektafilm was co-producing their multi-language movies with French Gaumont, German Sonorfilm and Ondra-Lamač-Film or Austrian DonauFilm.
Films produced Elektafilm Year Title 1923 The Kidnapping of Fux the Banker 1925 From the Czech Mills 1927 Schweik in Civilian Life 1929 Hanka a Jindra 1930 Imperial and Royal Field MarshalK. und K. Feldmarschall 1931 The Affair of Colonel RedlDer Fall des Generalstabs-Oberst Redl 1931 Him and His SisterEr und seine Schwester 1931 Last Bohemian 1931 Kariéra Pavla Čamrdy 1931 Business Under DistressWehe, wenn er losgelassen 1932 Extase (Czech) Extase (French) 1932 Lelíček ve službách Sherlocka HolmeseLe roi bis 1932 Zapadlí vlastenci 1933 Professeur Cupidon 1933 Public Not Admitted 1933 Řeka 1933 Skřivánčí píseň 1934 The Heroic Captain Korkorán 1934 Polská krevPolish Blood 1934 At St. Anthony's 1935 Childless 1935 Jedenácté přikázání 1935 Král ulice 1935 Student's Mother 1935 Valse éternelle 1935 Nanynka Kulichová's Wedding 1935 Le Mari rêve 1936 On the Green Meadow 1936 Heart at Dusk 1936 Her Highness Dances the Waltz 1937 The False Pussycat 1937 1937 Widow from the Sky 1937 Woman at the Crossroads 1938 White Crow 1938 A Foolish Girl 1938 The Third Ringing 1939 Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše 1939 The Magic House 1939 Věra Lukášová 1940 Second Tour 1940 Jana Kosinová's Past 1940 Pohádka máje 1940 To byl český muzikant 1941 The Blue Veil
Slaviafilm Year Title 1929 Erotikon 1932 Sestra Angelika 1932 Budoucí hospodyňka 1933 Srdce za písničku 1936 Rozkošný příběh 1936 Uličnice 1938 Holka nebo kluk? 1938 Svatební cesta 1939 Dědečkem proti své vůli 1939 Zlatý člověk 1940 Baron Prášil 1940 Dva týdny štěstí 1940 Pacientka dr. Hegla 1940 Poznej svého muže 1941 Advokát chudých 1941 Provdám svou ženu 1941 Turbina 1941 From the Czech Mills
References
Bibliography Auerbach, Norbert: Z Barrandova do Hollywoodu, 2006, Prague: Mladá fronta Jiras, Pavel: Barrandov I: Vzestup k výšinám, 2011, Ottovo nakladatelství Jiras, Pavel: Barrandov II: Zlatý věk (1933-1939), 2012, Ottovo nakladatelství Bednařík, Petr: Arizace české kinematografie, 2003, Karolinum