Oasis

Czech director Zbynek Brynych specialized in films dealing with life under fascist rule and how people relate to each other and their environment. A former musician, Brynych began his film career in the mid-’40s as a production manager. In 1949, he joined the Barrandov Film Studio and worked as an assistant director. Between 1951 and 1953, Brynych worked with the Czechoslovak Army Film Unit. He became a second unit director in 1955, and three years later released his directorial debut, Zizkovska Romance/A Local Romance. As with most of his subsequent films, Brynych co-wrote the screenplay. Brynych occasionally worked on productions outside of Czechoslovakia. —Sandra Brennan, Rovi