Imagine you are a European film student and love the work of the legendary cinematographer who has won an Oscar – three times! If you decide to write your dissertation on this man, Robert Richardson, could you contact the American Society of Cinematographers to ask if they can put you in touch with him to get a better understanding of him and his work – twice?!
Czech cinematographer Jana Hojdova had the passion and dedication to do this. In the process, she developed a special relationship with Richardson — and became a director.
Robert Richardson: The White DevilHer feature documentary dedicated to the life and career of the cinematographer, had its world premiere in the Special Screenings Program of the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) and created a sensation at the festival.
In fact, Hojdova pulled double duty at the festival held in the Czech spa town. After all, she also worked as cinematographer on Simone Hawley’s Crystal Globe competition Chica chica.
Richardson, a close collaborator of Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Oliver Stone, also came to town to receive the festival’s honors.
Hojdová took the time to talk to him THR About her busy film KVIFF 2026, how she culminated in the long and often arduous journey to produce the film, her visit to the Oscars with Richardson and what’s next for her.
You have sent a letter to the American Society of Cinematographers stating that you are looking to contact Robert Richardson regarding your dissertation and have not heard back for some time. What happened next?
Three months later, I sent the same email again. An hour later Bob wrote me. “Jana, Robert Richardson is here. I’d love to hear what you might ask…Bob.” So everything changed, and I felt like I was on Mars or somewhere in space. It was amazing.
Why do you think he was open to this in-depth exchange with you?
For the first month or two, I sent him questions and he started responding and we would talk. Then he wrote to me and asked me: Can you tell me something about yourself, because I don’t know who you are? And I sent him a video on my phone: “Hi Bob! Hello from Prague.” He wrote to me: “Oh, you are a woman. I thought you were a man.”
That’s why I asked him how he started sending me responses that were so frank, maybe even intimate? He said: “Because your first question was: How were you born? Can you tell me something about your childhood? Where do you come from? What about your family?” He told me it was great to ask him about personal stuff and not just about the film material and lenses he uses.
Have you always cared about where people come from and what drives them?
I was studying in the camera department at FAMU (Film and Television School of the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Prague). My father is a cinematographer, and we had to make a short documentary about a Czech cinematographer, and I chose him and made a five-minute documentary about him. I’d love to know about those people behind the camera.
Before I saw the doctor, I didn’t expect to see you there. Why did you make yourself as vulnerable as Robert Richardson did during the making of the film?
For me, being in the documentary was very difficult. I don’t like my voice. I don’t like to look at myself in the newsroom. It was terrible. At first I said no, I don’t want to be in the documentary. “I understand that, but people will reach out to you a lot,” Bob said. And he was right, because for most people, his life and fame in the industry is out of reach, but I have a more normal life.
So, this was very difficult for me, but I said yes, because for me this trip was like a detective story.
You wrote your thesis and then also decided to create this document. How did this decision come about?
At some point, I flew to the US for vacation and asked him if he was in Los Angeles because I hadn’t met him in person yet. He wrote to me that he was in New Zealand to shoot a new movie, Misguided. So I flew to New Zealand, and when I saw him I said, “We should make a documentary about you.”
What was his reaction?
He said: No, my life is not interesting. But I started capturing everything on my iPhone, and after half a year or so, he saw I was serious. Then he said, “Okay, let’s make a documentary.” But he also said, “It’s your movie. I can help you with some communications, but you have to make it work.” So this long journey began in 2017.
How did you get famous directors, such as Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, to talk to you for the documentary? Did the process go the same way for everyone?
With Oliver Stone, it was very fast. I had a close call, and he said, “Okay, let me know when you’re in L.A., and we can do this.” People love Bob and his amazing work, so they want to share their experiences. With Oliver, it was very open and fast.
With Martin Scorsese, it was a little more difficult because I didn’t have a close connection, so I had to go step by step, and it was a long journey. And then the coronavirus lockdown started, so we decided with his company that I would send them questions, and they would film the interview and send it to me. They asked me how I wanted it framed, etc. He answered everything. It was a great interview.
With Quentin, it was similar. It took a long time. I met him at the Camerimage Film Festival, where I asked him if I could interview him about Bob, and he said yes, but then I had to go step by step, and it took years. Then they wrote to me one Thursday to ask if I could come to Tel Aviv on Monday because Quentin was ready to give an interview. I took a 16mm camera, because Quentin loves film stuff, and I took the cinematographer and the producer and the sound woman, and we went there. It was amazing. I was thinking he would give me 30 minutes, but he gave us three hours. He was very open, friendly and very honest.
You and Bob also went to the Oscars, right?
Yes, when he got nominated for once upon a time In Hollywood. I said, Bob, it would be nice if I could take some pictures on my phone, so off we went. He was quite nervous, because he didn’t like these lights. He said, “I’m not going to win,” and he didn’t win. Roger Deakins’s did 1917 That year, 2020. But it was amazing, and it was interesting to see this guy, who is one of the best guys in the world at what he does, with all this vulnerability. He is very sensitive.
I loved that the Doctor showed the passion and determination that he and you both had, the ambitious energy. Did you receive a lot of feedback from viewers?
I’m very happy that it can give people inspiration. A lot of people write to me to say thank you for this film, “You gave me the energy to do this or that and try something.” This is what I wanted. I wanted the film to be an inspiration to others.
It was shown for the first time Robert Richardson: The White Devil In Karlovy Vary they are also the cinematographer Chica chica. I suppose the process of working on this film was completely different…
Yes, director Simon Hawley also wrote the script and had his vision and images in his head. We started talking about it, he sent me some inspiration, we discussed it and we shot the movie. But I didn’t have to deal with any production, budget, editing, etc. So I can focus on shooting. It was a completely different process for me.
How was it having two films in different roles at KVIFF?
It was unbelievable. For both films, it was a long process. White devil It took about 10 years, and Chica chica Something like seven years. When they told me that on Saturday, Chica chica Will premiere and White devil On Sunday, I felt, oh my God, this was a dream. What more could you want?
Will we see you continuing to work as a cinematographer and director?
I would love to do that. But we’ll have to see. We are already preparing an elephant Another feature film with Simon, which he will direct.
