The End of the World (Konec světa) by Ivan Zachariáš (The Sleepers, Wasteland) tells a story of the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Soviet Union in 1968 through the eyes of a small child. The sensitive and non-pathetic drama project is produced by LUMINAR Film.

In 2016, Ondřej Hudeček scored big at Sundance FF with his short Peacock (Special Jury Prize for directing). Currently, the director prepares Fork Ridge, a detective drama about guilt and punishment and the responsibilities of parenthood. The film, produced by nutprodukce, is Hudeček’s feature debut.

Two films which were granted support for development focus on the LGBTQ+ topics. Analog Vision prepares the debut of FAMU student Piaoyue Xie called The Ugly Mandarin (Ošklivá Mandarínka). Young director thematizes how immigration involves LGBTQ+ community, and does it on the relationship between a Chinese girl and a Slovak girl who meet in Prague. Another debut feature project of FAMU student is produced by Helium Film. Šimon Holý’s Thinking David is an autobiographical drama which connects the LGBTQ+ community and the Jewish community.

In this call, the Council supported several films with child heroes and projects aimed at children or teen audience. Don’t Drink Our Blood (Nepijte nám krev) is another co-operation between Tomáš Pavlíček and Lucie Bokšteflová (Bear With Us). Both action and comic film for children is produced by masterfilm and was selected for Cinekid Script LAB 2019-2020.

While Dustland (Prašina), directed by Štěpán FOK Vodrážka and produced by Bionaut, is an adaptation of a successful kids book and tells a story of three young children who discover a mystery of an alternative Prague, Rooster Knights (Kohoutí rytíři), directed by Zdeněk Jiráský (Flower Buds) and produced by 8Heads Productions, is an allegorical story of a kingdom improperly ruled by three dignitaries.

Child protagonists also appear in a drama Bicycles (Kola), produced by DARQ Studio CZ. The Scriptwriter Jan Němec and director Jakub Machala follow two boys who escape from children’s home in Russia and try to get in the Czech Republic to reach one of the boy’s father. Family issues is the subject for the celebrated and iconic duo Petr Jarchovský and Jan Hřebejk (The Teacher, Kawasaki’s Rose, Divided We Fall, Cosy Dens). Little Daughter (Dceruška), a family comedy, focuses on aging man who is charged with the rape of a young girl.

Among the historical films granted in this call are Waves, Tiso and My Heart Beats to the Rhythm of the Swing. Jiří Mádl’s (On the Roof, To See the Sea) third feature, Waves (Vlny), focuses on the year 1968 in Czechoslovakia by telling a fictional story of a young radio technician, who takes care of his younger brother because of their mother’s emigration. Mariana Čengel Solčanská prepares Tiso, a biopic about Jozef Tiso, a Roman Catholic priest who governed the Slovak Republic, which was a client state of Nazi Germany during World War II.

The full list of supported projects:

The End of the World (Konec světa) | EUR 27 451
directed by Ivan Zacahariáš | produced by LUMINAR Film

Fork Ridge | EUR 23 529
directed by Ondřej Hudeček | produced by nutprodukce
DEBUT

Tiso | EUR 23 529
directed by Mariana Čengel Solčanská | produced by IN FILM Prague

Little Daughter (Dceruška) | EUR 23 529
directed by Jan Hřebejk | produced by Acress Film

Waves (Vlny) | EUR 23 529
directed by Jiří Mádl | produced by DAWSON films

Dustland (Prašina) | EUR 27 451
directed by Štěpán FOK Vodrážka | produced by Bionaut

Don’t Drink Our Blood (Nepijte nám krev!) | EUR 23 529
directed by Tomáš Pavlíček | produced by Masterfilm

Grilling (Grilování) | EUR 19 608
directed by Jaroslav Fuit | produced by CINEART TV Prague

A Sensitive Person (Citlivý člověk) | EUR 23 529
directed by Tomáš Klein | produced by Masterfilm
DEBUT

The Ugly Mandarin (Ošklivá Mandarínka) | EUR 19 608
directed by Piaoyu Xie | produced by Analog Vision
DEBUT

Column on Motorway D1 (Kolona na D1) | EUR 15 686
directed by Beata Parkanová | produced by Up&Up production

Rooster Knights (Kohoutí rytíři) | EUR 21 569
directed by Zdeněk Jiráský | 8Heads Productions

Bicycles (Kola) | EUR 23 529
directed by Jakub Machala | produced by DARQ Studio CZ
DEBUT

Thinking David (Mít rád Davida) | EUR 27 451
directed by Šimon Holý | produced by Helium Film
DEBUT

My Heart Beats to the Rhythm of the Swing (V rytmu swingu buší srdce mé) | EUR 19 608
directed by Ondřej Havelka | produced by Daniel Severa Produciton

The Mama's Boy Prince (Princ mamánek) | EUR 9 804
directed by Jan Budař | produced by Budhar film
DEBUT