It might appear that Slovak cinematography - modest in both vintage and volume - has made no impression on the history of film art or the film industry. And yet, in fact, we can boast a number of claims to attention, even on an international scale.

The first film projections in what is now Slovakia took place - two quite independent events on the same day - in Bratislava on 25th December, 1896. The early days of Slovak cinema must be seen as part of the development of film in the Kingdom of Hungary as a whole. After initial essays in the production of documentaries, work began on the first feature film in 1921. It was in May of that year that the Tatra Film Corporation shot the first Slovak silent feature film, taking as its subject the national hero Jánošík. This opus of the brothers Jaroslav and Daniel Siakeľ - Slovak Americans - put our culture firmly on the map alongside other European countries with their own film industry.

As part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of the birth of the cinema, which it has become customary to date from the first public projection on 28th December, 1895 in Paris, this emission recalls another, later, film about Jánošík. The work in question is the 1936 "Jánošík", a major Czechoslovak production which was shot in Slovak and enjoys great popularity in Slovakia. It was directed by Martin Frič, with Paľo Bielik in the title role.