The idea of a Film Chamber : The Bohemian-Moravian Film Union and continuity of centralizing tendencies in the film industry in the 1930s and 1940s
Abstract
The theme is the development of the film-industry self-regulation during the years preceding / during the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. The association structures encompassed all areas – production, distribution, release; and battled the legislative deficits.
Starting in the late 1930s, their goal was the foundation of a Film Chamber as the central body of Czech cinematography. In IV 1940, the Film Union for Bohemia and Moravia (Filmové ústředí pro Čechy a Moravu) was founded.
In II 1941, the employees and the offices of the film unions were incorporated into the Bohemian-Moravian Film Union (Böhmisch-Mährische Filmzentralle). It had a number of executive and auditing powers, and till 1945 served as a tool for the occupation authorities to transform the Protectorate cinematography.
The structure was derived from the Reichsfilmkammer. Simultaneously, the Czech dreams about the reformation the film business came true.
It prepared the soil for the nationalization of the Czechoslovak cinema.