Film Restored – Workshop Report and Screening ‘Extase/Ekstase’

European Coproductions | European Restorations

Workshop Report: “Restoration Process ‘Extase’/‘Ekstase’” mit Jeanne Pommeau (Národní filmový archiv, Prague), Jonáš Kucharský (Národní filmový archiv, Prague), Florian Wrobel (Filmarchiv Austria)

Presentation: Matěj Strnad (Národní filmový archiv, Prague)

In English

‘Ecstasy’ (Gustav Machatý, 1932) was a very ambitious and inherently international project, even during its development and production phases. Numerous European archives contributed to the restoration of ‘Ecstasy’ (by Národní filmový archiv, Prague, in 2019), as well that of ‘Ekstase’ (by Filmarchiv Austria in 2020). This panel will present a detailed comparison between the two projects, examining the differences between the Czech and German versions.

17:30 ‘Extase’ (‘Ecstasy’)

CZ, AT 1933, Director: Gustav Machatý

Original with English subtitles
Original format: 35 mm, 1.19:1, bw
DCP 4K, 87 min, Národní filmový archiv

This sensuous rendering of the love between Adam and Eva caused a scandal at the time, as it featured nude scenes of actress Hedy Kiesler (later renowned in Hollywood as Hedy Lamarr) and close-ups of her in the throes of passion.

The aim of the restoration was to reconstruct a version of the film as close as possible to the original Czech-language version, shown in Venice in 1934. Since no elements of that original release survived, the Czech Národní filmový archiv had to resort to other language versions and Czech elements from subsequent releases.

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