Waves (Czech: Vlny) is a 2024 Czech-Slovak historical thriller drama film directed by Jiří Mádl and set during the Prague Spring and subsequent Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.[3][4] The film had its world premiere at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival[5][6] where it won the audience award.[7] It was selected as the Czech entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[8][9]
| Waves | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jiří Mádl |
| Written by | Jiří Mádl |
| Produced by | Monika Kristlová |
| Starring | Vojtěch Vodochodský Vojtěch Kotek Táňa Pauhofová Stanislav Majer Martin Hofmann |
| Cinematography | Martin Žiaran |
| Edited by | Filip Malásek |
| Music by | Simon Goff |
Production company | Dawson Films[1] |
| Distributed by | Bontonfilm |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 131 minutes (theatrical) |
| Countries | Czech Republic Slovakia |
| Language | Czech |
| Budget | 79,800,000 CZK[2] |
| Box office | 123,902,128 CZK[2] |
Waves entered theatres on 15 August 2024 and became the highest-grossing Czech film of 2024 and the 5th highest-grossing Czech film of all time.[10][11]
Plot
editStory revolves around the Editorial Office of International Life of the Czechoslovak Radio. It works under the leadership of Milan Weiner, a journalistic icon. Other journalists include Věra Šťovíčková, Jiří Dienstbier, Luboš Dobrovský or Jan Petránek. Young Tomáš gets among them a bit by mistake as the work in the editorial office was the dream of his younger brother Pavel and Tomáš's main concern is to protect his brother. Little does he know that the local editors are watched by State Security (StB). Tomáš is forced to sign cooperation with StB if he wants to protect his brother who along with his classmates participates in illegal activity. Tomáš gets closer to journalists in the office especially with Věra which leaves him conflicted between concern for his brother's safety and his own conscience. When Warsaw Pact invades Czechoslovakia he refuses to collaborate with occupants and helps journalists to broadcast uncensored information about the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops and call for Passive resistance to the occupiers. He risks his own life to sustain broadcast as long as possible.
Cast
edit- Vojtěch Vodochodský as Tomáš Havlík
- Táňa Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková
- Stanislav Majer as Milan Weiner
- Vojtěch Kotek as Jiří Dienstbier
- Martin Hofmann as Luboš Dobrovský
- Petr Lněnička as Jan Petránek
- Jacob Erftemeijer as Ludvík Čermák
- Tomáš Maštalír as Karel Hoffmann
- Igor Bareš as Hrabský, Director of Radio
- Marika Šoposká as Secretary Jarunka
- Jan Novotný as Antonín Novotný
- Matyáš Řezníček as Karel Jezdinský
- Ondřej Stupka as Pavel Havlík
- Jan Nedbal as Zdeněk Šimr
- Petr Halíček
- Tomáš Weber as Holenda
- Hana Kusnjerová as Weinerová
- Daniel Tůma as Karásek
- Vitalii Vorkhlik
- Theo Jacques as Waldemar Matuška
- Radoslav Kohuťár
Production
edit
The film was directed by Jiří Mádl, who also wrote screenplay.[12] Film's budget was approximatelly 80 Million CZK.[13] Mádl used historical film material for Waves and combined it with scenes shot for the film.[14] He was inspired for this approach by Peter Jackson's post-edited documentary film They Shall Not Grow Old.[15] The director has been fascinated by radio since his childhood. Waves is a tribute to the work of editors at Czechoslovak Radio. Mádl based the film on the memories of contemporary witnesses, including the journalist Jan Petránek and especially Věra Štovíčková, from whom he learned things that cannot be found in textbooks.[14] At the end of the 1960s, both worked in the “International Life” editorial team, for which Karel Jezdínský, Dobrovský and Dienstbier also worked at the time.[16]
The film music was composed by Briton Simon Goff. The Grammy Award winner has worked with Icelandic Hildur Guðnadóttir in the past and has previously worked on films such as Joker and We Have Never Been Modern and television series such as Chernobyl.[17]
The first trailer for Vlny was presented at the end of June 2024.[18] The film premiered on July 1, 2024 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[19] The cinema release in the Czech Republic is planned for August 15, 2024.[14] The film premiered on 1 August 2024 in Slovakia.[20] The film premiered in Prague on 6 August 2024[21] and entered theatrical distribution on 15 August in the Czech Republic.[22]
Reception
editThe film was released to positive reviews from critics according to Kinobox aggregator.[23]
The film premiered at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it received standing ovation from audiences that lasted for 10 minutes[22][24] and won audience polling with average rating 1.05.[25] The film also received standing ovation upon its premiere in Bratislava.[26]
Accolades
edit| Year | Event | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Právo Award | Audience Award | Waves | Won | [27] |
| Finále Plzeň Film Festival | Student Jury Award | Best feature film | Waves | Won | [28] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Mádlovy Vlny zamíří v srpnu do kin, trailer slibuje napínavý okupační thriller". Totalfilm.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Vlny - Tržby a návštěvnost". KINOMANIAK (in Czech). Retrieved 5 November 2024.
- ^ Barvíř, Jan (4 June 2024). "Pokud to odvysílají, změní svět. Mádlův thriller o sovětské invazi představil strhující trailer". NaFilmu.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Mádlův film Vlny vzbudí na Slovensku zřejmě velmi silné reakce. Víc než u nás, myslí si producentka Kristl". Czech Radio (in Czech). 17 April 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ Kalinová, Ivana (29 May 2024). "Letošní MFF nabídne mix filmů, v porotě bude australský herec Geoffrey Rush". Karlovarský deník (in Czech). Vltava Labe Media. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Na Mezinárodním filmovém festivalu Karlovy Vary měl světovou premiéru film Jiřího Mádla Vlny". Deník N (in Czech). 1 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
- ^ Spáčilová, Tomáš Šťástka, Mirka (6 July 2024). "Vary vyhrál Náhlý záblesk hlubších věcí. Trojan a Owen převzali čestné ceny". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 6 July 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Spáčilová, Mirka (10 September 2024). "Do bitvy o Oscara jdou Mádlovy Vlny, podzimní hit kin". iDNES.cz. Mafra. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ Hloušková, Lenka (10 September 2024). "Česko vysílá Vlny do boje o Oscara". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "Nejúspěšnější české filmy". KINOMANIAK (in Czech). Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ Kudláč, Martin (3 July 2024). "Review: Waves". Cineuropa. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Borovan, Aleš. "Režisér Jiří Mádl začal točit nový celovečerní film Vlny". Borovan.cz. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dojetí v Thermalu: Vlny okouzlily diváky, na premiéře se tleskalo dlouhé minuty". Totalfilm.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (6 July 2024). "How Peter Jackson Inspired the Style of 'Waves' and Why Its Czech Director Compares It to a Christmas Tree". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "PÁR VĚCÍ SE PODAŘILO: ROZHOVOR S POLITIKEM A NOVINÁŘEM LUBOŠEM DOBROVSKÝM". Holocaust.cz. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Fila, Kamil (2 July 2024). "Temný Mádl povstal: Srpen 1968 je ve Vlnách hollywoodským akčňákem". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Trailer for Karlovy Vary entry Waves". Cineuropa. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Vlny". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "FOTO: Takto to vyzeralo na slávnostnej premiére filmu Vlny. Pozrite na tie outfity". rtvs.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Maleček, Tomáš (7 August 2024). "Film Vlny má za sebou pražskou premiéru. ‚Dokonalý snímek, který je třeba nechat doznít,' hodnotili diváci". Czech Radio (in Czech). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Do kin jdou Vlny. Základ pro příběh mohl dát Mádlovi i trest na vysoké škole". Czech Radio (in Czech). 14 August 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Vlny (2024): Komentáře a recenze". Kinobox.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Reakce karlovarských diváků na film Vlny dohnala Vodochodského k slzám". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Rynda, Vojtěch. "Karlovarské filmové vlnobití: Potlesk vestoje, zahraniční hvězdy a plné kinosály". Reflex.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Veľkolepá PREMIÉRA filmu Vlny: Nádherná Pauhofová, Maštalír so ženou a aha, S ČÍM prišla táto herečka!". Topky.sk (in Slovak). 31 July 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Náhlý záblesk hlubších věcí. Hlavní cenu z Varů si veze filmová esej, diváckou anketu ovládly Vlny". Czech Radio (in Czech). 6 July 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Osvaldová, Marie. "Finále Plzeň rozdalo Zlaté Ledňáčky, u poroty vyhrálo drama Od Marca do maja, u studentů Vlny". www.plzen.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 9 October 2024.