Rudolf Mihle (1937–2008) was one of the most important amateur filmmakers in socialist Czechoslovakia and long-standing member of the Czech Club of Amateur Filmmakers. He made around ninety films, mostly documentaries and news reports. He was trained to be a sign painter. However, soon after he had finished his training, he became an amateur filmmaker. His first movies depicted the milieu of sign painters; he later started to choose topics that were controversial and critical of society and the socialist economy. Some of his films had political messages and were banned, for example the film “Without Name” about Stalin’s cult of personality (1964), the film “Mini-History 1918–1968” about the establishment of the first Czechoslovak state in 1918 (1968) or “First Hours of Occupation” about the Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia (1968). That is why Mihle is remembered as a “rebel” or as someone who was not afraid to show his disagreement with state authorities. However, Rudolf Mihle was not a prohibited artist and could still work as an amateur filmmaker. Apart from these films, his movies with ecological themes or his works focused on the history of Czech amateur film are appreciated as well. Rudolf Mihle took part in around 170 competitions and won around hundred prizes.
Rudolf Mihle was interested in preserving the history and memory of Czechoslovak and Czech amateur film. Thus, he decided to donate his written materials and films (reels, videotapes) to the National Film Archives (NFA) in 2000, eight years before his death.