Milan Kundera, the Czech novelist who combined sexual and real-life politics in his writings and rose to global fame with The Unbearable Lightness of Being, died Tuesday in Paris. He was 94.
His death, following a prolonged illness, was announced by French publisher Gallimard on Wednesday.
Kundera’s literary career and personal life were closely tied to the Prague Spring, the brief flowering of political liberalization and cultural expression in Czechoslovakia that promised “socialism with a human face” in 1968 but was brutally crushed by Soviet-led troops. His breakout novel, The Joke, was published to acclaim during that period but quickly banned after the crackdown.
He went into exile in France in 1975, where he remained until his death. Over the years, he regularly sparred with authorities of his homeland, was expelled multiple times from the Communist party for his “reformist views” and had his Czechoslovak citizenship revoked in 1979. He was only re-granted...
His death, following a prolonged illness, was announced by French publisher Gallimard on Wednesday.
Kundera’s literary career and personal life were closely tied to the Prague Spring, the brief flowering of political liberalization and cultural expression in Czechoslovakia that promised “socialism with a human face” in 1968 but was brutally crushed by Soviet-led troops. His breakout novel, The Joke, was published to acclaim during that period but quickly banned after the crackdown.
He went into exile in France in 1975, where he remained until his death. Over the years, he regularly sparred with authorities of his homeland, was expelled multiple times from the Communist party for his “reformist views” and had his Czechoslovak citizenship revoked in 1979. He was only re-granted...
- 7/12/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Milan Kundera, whose 1984 novel “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” was turned into an Oscar-nominated film, has died at the age of 94.
Kundera died Tuesday in Paris after a long illness, Jindra Pavelková, a representative of the Moravian Library, the Czech library housing his personal collection, told Variety Wednesday.
“Milan Kundera was a writer who reached whole generations of readers across all continents and achieved global fame,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. “He leaves behind not only notable fiction, but also significant essay work.”
The 1988 film adaptation of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” was directed by Philip Kaufman and starred Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche. Jean-Claude Carrière and Kaufman were Oscar nominated for adapted screenplay, and Sven Nykvist was Oscar nominated for cinematography.
Other films based on his writing include 1965’s “Nobody Will Laugh,” directed by Hynek Bocan, which won the Grand Prize at Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival, 1969’s “The Joke,...
Kundera died Tuesday in Paris after a long illness, Jindra Pavelková, a representative of the Moravian Library, the Czech library housing his personal collection, told Variety Wednesday.
“Milan Kundera was a writer who reached whole generations of readers across all continents and achieved global fame,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. “He leaves behind not only notable fiction, but also significant essay work.”
The 1988 film adaptation of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” was directed by Philip Kaufman and starred Daniel Day-Lewis and Juliette Binoche. Jean-Claude Carrière and Kaufman were Oscar nominated for adapted screenplay, and Sven Nykvist was Oscar nominated for cinematography.
Other films based on his writing include 1965’s “Nobody Will Laugh,” directed by Hynek Bocan, which won the Grand Prize at Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival, 1969’s “The Joke,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
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