Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj (2023)
An intimate Czech documentary in which filmmaker Adéla Špaljová turns the camera on her father, the legendary sound designer Ivo Špalj.
Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj - Movie Information
- Original Title: Inža
- Release Year: 2023
- Directed by: Adéla Špaljová
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Documentary, TV Movie
- Runtime: 1h 10m
- Original Language: Czech
- Spoken Languages: Czech
- Production Companies: Česká televize
- Production Countries: Czech Republic
- Alternative Titles: Inža – zvukový mistr Ivo Špalj (CZ)
Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj - Plot
A look at the legendary Czech sound designer and his profession. Editor and documentary filmmaker Adéla Špaljová has her father Ivo Špalj talk about his life, career, and working methods. Over the course of his long life, sound designer Ivo Špalj (*1940) has collaborated on hundreds of films and become a mentor for at least one generation of men and women behind the mixing board. This gentle documentary also shows "Engi" (as he is known to his colleagues) again working with Jan Švankmajer, whose films he has lent their typical, dense, and sophisticated sound mix.
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Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Adéla Špaljová
Main Cast
- Ivo Špalj
- Jan Švankmajer
- Jaromír Kallista
- Libuše Špaljová
- Barbora Koláčková
- Jiří Klenka
- Zdeněk Dušek
- Radim Hladík Sr.
- Olga Čechová
- Pavel Rejholec
Writers
- Jan Čeněk
- Adéla Špaljová
Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj - FAQs
Where can you watch Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj?
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What is Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj about?
The film is an intimate documentary portrait of Ivo Špalj, a legendary Czech sound designer born in 1940 who contributed to hundreds of films. His daughter and filmmaker Adéla Špaljová guides the conversation, exploring his life, career, and craft, including his long creative partnership with surrealist animator Jan Švankmajer.
Who directed Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj?
The documentary was directed by Adéla Špaljová, who is both an editor and documentary filmmaker. Notably, she is also the daughter of the film's subject, Ivo Špalj, which gives the portrait an especially personal and intimate dimension rarely found in filmmaker profile documentaries.
Who are the main participants in this documentary?
The documentary features Ivo Špalj as its central subject, alongside acclaimed surrealist filmmaker Jan Švankmajer, producer Jaromír Kallista, and colleagues including Libuše Špaljová, Barbora Koláčková, Jiří Klenka, Zdeněk Dušek, Radim Hladík Sr., Olga Čechová, and Pavel Rejholec, all appearing as themselves.
Is Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj based on a true story?
Yes, the film is entirely grounded in reality. It is a documentary portrait of a real person — Ivo Špalj, born in 1940 — a genuinely legendary figure in Czech cinema who spent decades shaping the sonic identity of hundreds of films, most notably those of surrealist master Jan Švankmajer.
What language is Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj in?
The documentary is in Czech, reflecting its origins as a Czech production made for Česká televize. Viewers who do not speak Czech will typically need subtitles to follow the conversations, interviews, and reflections that form the backbone of this intimate portrait.
How long is Engi – Sound Designer Ivo Špalj?
The documentary runs for 70 minutes, making it a compact and focused portrait. Its relatively brief runtime suits the intimate, conversational nature of the film, allowing it to deliver a concentrated and emotionally resonant look at Ivo Špalj's life and decades-long career in Czech cinema.
What is the connection between Ivo Špalj and Jan Švankmajer?
Ivo Špalj served as the sound designer on numerous films by Jan Švankmajer, the celebrated Czech surrealist animator and filmmaker. Their long creative collaboration is central to the documentary, with the film showing Špalj once again working alongside Švankmajer, crafting the dense and distinctive soundscapes that define Švankmajer's cinematic universe.
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