Petr Zelenka (born 21 August 1967 in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech playwright and director of theatre and film. His films have been recognized at international festivals in Moscow and Rotterdam. In 2008, his film Karamazovi was the Czech Republic's official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film.
Career An early notable work is a black comedy, Tales of Common Insanity (2004) (), which he directed at Dejvické divadlo. He received the Alfréd Radok Award for Best Play. The play was later staged in other Czech theatres as well as in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and Germany. It was also published in English and translated to Russian. For his film Mnâga – Happy End he won the 1996 Findling Award at the Filmfestival Cottbus.
In 2005, Zelenka adapted the comedy as a film, released as Wrong Side Up, which won two movie festival awards in 2006 and was nominated for six other awards. His second most notable play is Teremin, inspired by the life of Russian inventor Léon Theremin.
His 2008 film, Karamazovi, was the Czech Republic's official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film.
His 2010 election advertisement "Přemluv bábu a dědu" caused controversy as critics believed it was offensive against elder people"Mádl s Issovou v klipu nabádají: Přemluv bábu a dědu, ať nevolí levici!", CT24 and "an imperfect copy of Sarah Silverman's stand-up video.""Bez humoru ani bábu nepřemluvíš. Spot Přemluv bábu je nedokonalou kopií videa stand-up komičky Sarah Silvermanové" , Marketing a Média
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1993 Visací zámek 1982 - 2007 screenplay and direction Television film 1996 Mňága – Happy End screenplay and direction won several awards at the film festivals in Cottbus (Findling Award), Plzeň and České Budějovice1997 Buttoners Screenplay and direction Winner of a Tiger award at the Rotterdam IFF2000 Erotic Tales: Powers Screenplay and direction 2000 Loners Co-author of screenplay 2002 Year of the Devil Screenplay and direction FIPRESCI Prize at the Cottbus IFF, six Czech Lion Awards including Best film and Best director, Prize Trieste at Trieste film festival2005 Wrong Side Up Screenplay and direction Received the Critics Award at the 27th Moscow International Film Festival and the Don Quixote Award at Cottbus2008 Karamazovi Screenplay and direction 2015 Lost in Munich Screenplay and direction 2020 Droneman Screenplay and direction
References
External links Short bio plus info about Tales of Common Insanity at divadlo.cz (in English)