Ivan Passer (10 July 1933 – 9 January 2020) was a Czech film director and screenwriter. He was best known for his involvement in the Czechoslovak New Wave and for directing American films such as Born to Win (1971), Cutter's Way (1981) and Stalin (1992). He received the Czech Lion Award for Artistic Achievement in 2007.
Early life and education Passer was born in Prague, the son of Marianna (Mandelick) and Alois Passer. His sister was actress Eva Límanová.
Passer attended King George boarding school in Poděbrady with future filmmakers Miloš Forman, Jerzy Skolimowski and Paul Fierlinger and playwright Václav Havel. He then studied at FAMU in Prague, but did not finish the program.
Career He began his career as an assistant director on Ladislav Helge's Velká samota. Later he collaborated with his friend Miloš Forman on all of Forman's Czech films, including Loves of a Blonde (1965) and The Firemen's Ball (1967), both of which Passer co-wrote and which were nominated for Academy Awards. He introduced Forman to cinematographer Miroslav Ondříček whom he knew from Velká samota. He then directed his first feature, Intimate Lighting, which was released in 1965 and is considered by some to be Passer's masterpiece.
In 1969, after the Warsaw Pact invasion, Passer and Forman left Czechoslovakia together. Both proceeded to the United States,Interview in Czech with Forman becoming an Academy Award-winning filmmaker. Passer went on to make several prominent American films such as Born to Win (1971), a junkie drama starring George Segal and Karen Black,MoMa retrospective on Ivan Passer and Cutter's Way (1981), a dramatic thriller starring Jeff Bridges and John Heard.
Though best known for his idiosyncratic, often gritty dramas, he also directed comedies such as Silver Bears (1978) starring Michael Caine and Creator (1985) starring Peter O'Toole. Later in his career, he directed numerous films for television, most notably the award-winning biopic Stalin (1992) starring Robert Duvall for HBO. He was also a film professor at the University of Southern California.
Personal life Passer was married twice. He married Anne Frances Head in 1992. He had a son, Ivan Jr., from his first marriage.
Death Passer died on January 9, 2020, from pulmonary complications in Reno, Nevada. He was 86 years old.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleFunctioned asNotesDirectorWriter1966A Boring AfternoonShort film; co-writer with Bohumil Hrabal1965Intimate Lighting1971Born to Win1974Law and DisorderCo-writer with Tzvi Fishman and William Richert1976Crime and PassionCo-writer with Alan R. Trustman and David M. Wolf1977Silver Bears1981Cutter's Way1985Creator1988Haunted Summer2005Nomad: The WarriorCo-directed with Sergei Bodrov
Writer only +YearTitleDirectorNotes1963AuditionMiloš FormanCo-writer with Forman, Jaroslav Papoušek and Václav Šašek1965Loves of a Blonde1967The Firemen's Ball
Television +YearTitleNotes1983Faerie Tale TheatreEpisode: "The Nightingale"1990Fourth StoryTV movie1992Stalin1994While Justice Sleeps1995Kidnapped1999The Wishing Tree2000Picnic
Awards and nominations +InstitutionYearCategoryWorkResultCableACE Awards1994Movie or MiniseriesStalinDirecting a Movie or MiniseriesCzech Lion Awards2007Artistic Achievement AwardDaytime Emmy Awards2001Outstanding Directing For A Children's SeriesThe Wishing TreeKarlovy Vary International Film Festival2008Outstanding Contribution to World CinemaLocarno Film Festival1966Best Short FilmA Boring AfternoonNational Society of Film Critics1970Special AwardIntimate Lighting1973Richard & Hinda Rosenthal Foundation AwardTelluride Film Festival1978Silver MedallionVenice Film Festival1988Golden LionHaunted Summer
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