Lion with a White Mane

Lion with the White Mane is a biography of Leoš Janáček, composed of large canvases interwoven with his key works on "Její pastorkyňa" and "Káťa Kabanová." The ensemble unsurprisingly represents the best of its creators and actors. Under Jireš's unmistakable leadership, Munzar and Hlaváčová were, while others such as the trio Žilková-Vašáryová-Adamovská also did a good job. The few ideas that appeared here, and consequently all of the dialogue, are a timeless corpus, truer than the truth itself. My only criticism of this immersive moment is its non-linearity. More outlined chapters from Janáček's life would have provided a more accommodating path to the entire show of several grandiose finales. But I finally know what Czech cinema has been missing the most in recent years - biographies. Do Czechs no longer have anyone to talk about? (11/05/2011)

I'm yet to get acquainted with Leoš Janáček's life in detail, so I can't say if there is something different in this film, if something important is missing or if there is something excessive in it. But I can say is that Lion with a White Mane is a top film with a palpable atmosphere. It owes as much to Janáček's music as to the poetic images by Jaromil Jireš and the flawless performance by Luděk Munzar. The film is not about what Janáček composed and when. It's about how he felt while composing it, about a great longing, about (un)fulfilled love, about a zest for life and about strength. And we enjoy it all to the fullest and it feels so authentic. Excellent. The best of the biographical films about Czech composers so far (Vláčil's Concert at the End of Summer and Krška's From My Life are also good, but I had my reservations). (16/03/2014)