The Czech Lion for the best feature film of the past year was awarded to Vlny, a drama by director and screenwriter Jiří Mádl. The film revisits the year 1968, when Czechoslovakia was occupied by Warsaw Pact troops. Vlny secured a total of six awards at yesterday’s ceremony in Prague’s Rudolfinum.
The Czech Lion (Český lev) for Best Feature Film went to the drama Vlny. In her acceptance speech, producer Monika Kristlová highlighted the role of radio and television in connection with 1968. Jiří Mádl received the awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, while actors Tatiana Pauhofová and Stanislav Majer were also honoured.
The film Vlny (Waves) is set to premiere in French cinemas next week and will also be released in Spain, Greece, and other countries. It is already screening at festivals in the United States, and the filmmakers have received an offer for US distribution.
Klára Tasovská and Lukáš Kokeš won the award for Best Documentary Film for Ještě nejsem, kým chci být (I Am Not Yet Who I Want to Be). Their film explores the life of photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková and is composed entirely of her photographs, commentary, and music.
The award for Best Leading Actress went to Pavla Beretová for her portrayal of Petra in Rok vdovy (The Year of the Widow), directed by Veronika Lišková.
Oldřich Kaiser won the Czech Lion for Best Leading Actor for his role as a silent and stubborn gardener in Zahradníkův rok (The Year of the Gardener), directed by Jiří Havelka. This marks Kaiser’s fourth Czech Lion, but his first for a leading role. In previous years, he received the award for supporting roles in Masaryk, Po strništi bos, and The Man with the Rabbit Ears (2022).
This year’s second-biggest contender, Amerikánka by Viktor Taus, converted three of its 13 nominations into awards—for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Costumes. In January, the film, inspired by the true story of a girl placed in a children’s home during the period of normalisation, had already won the Czech Lion for Best Film Poster.
The winners of the 32nd Czech Lion (Český lev) 2024:
Best Feature Film:
Vlny – producer Monika Kristl
Best documentary film:
Ještě nejsem, kým chci být – Director: Klára Tasovská; Produced by Lukáš Kokeš and Klára Tasovská
Best Director:
Jiří Mádl – Vlny
Best actress in a leading role:
Pavla Beretová – Rok vdovy
Best actress in a leading role in a series:
Zuzana Zlatohlávková – Dobré ráno, Brno! II
Best actor in a leading role:
Oldřich Kaiser – Zahradníkův rok
Best actor in a leading role in a series:
Petr Lněnička – Metoda Markovič: Hojer
Best Supporting Actress:
Tatiana Pauhofová – Vlny
Best supporting actress in a series:
Simona Lewandowska – Dobré ráno, Brno! II
Best Supporting Actor:
Stanislav Majer – Vlny
Best Supporting Actor in a Series:
Petr Uhlík – Metoda Markovič: Hojer
Best Screenplay:
Jiří Mádl – Vlny
Best Cinematography:
Martin Douba – Amerikánka
Best Editing:
Aleksandr Kascheev – Ještě nejsem, kým chci být
Best Sound:
Viktor Ekrt – Vlny
Best Music:
Michal Novinski – Život k sežrání
Best Stage Design:
Jan Kadlec – Amerikánka
Best Costumes:
Jan Kadlec – Amerikánka
Best make-up:
Martin Valeš, Jana Bílková and Martin Větrovec – Smetana
Best miniseries or series:
Method Markovič: Hojer – Jaroslav Hruška, Tomáš Hruška, Lukáš Mráček and Pavel Soukup Jr.
Best animated film:
Život k sežrání – Directed and designed by Kristina Dufková; produced by Matěj Chlupáček
Best short film:
Bzukot Země – directed by Greta Stocklassa; produced by Jakub Vacík and Marek Dusil
Outstanding contribution to Czech film:
Mario Klemens – conductor (in memoriam)
Karel Smyczek – director, screenwriter and actor
Magnesia Award for the best student film:
Plevel – Director: Pola Kazakova
Awarded on 13 January 2025:
Best Film Poster:
Amerikánka – Jan Kadlec and Jan Poukar
Film Fans’ Award:
Vlny – Jiří Mádl (director)
32. Český lev (Czech Lion Award)
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