Waves (Czech: Vlny) is a 2024 Czech thriller film directed by Jiří Mádl and set during Prague Spring and subsequent Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.[3][4] The film had its world premiere at 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival[5][6] where it won audience award.[7]

Waves
Czech poster
Directed byJiří Mádl
Written byJiří Mádl
Produced byMonika Kristlová
StarringVojtěch Vodochodský
Vojtěch Kotek
Táňa Pauhofová
Stanislav Majer
Martin Hofmann
CinematographyMartin Žiaran
Edited byFilip Malásek
Music bySimon Goff
Production
company
Dawson Films[1]
Distributed byBontonfilm
Release dates
  • 1 July 2024 (2024-07-01) (Karlovy Vary)
  • 15 August 2024 (2024-08-15) (Czech Republic)
Running time
131 minutes (theatrical)
CountryCzech Republic
LanguageCzech
Budget79,800,000 CZK[2]
Box office34,710,476 CZK[2]

Plot

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Story 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' 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 his conflicted between concern for his brother's safety and his own consciousness. 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 maintain broadcast as long as possible.

Cast

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Production

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Delegation to the film Waves at the red carpet at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The film was directed by Jiří Mádl, who also wrote screenplay.[8] Film's budget was approximatelly 80 Million CZK.[9] Mádl used historical film material for Waves and combined it with scenes shot for the film.[10] He was inspired for this approach by Peter Jackson's post-edited documentary film They Shall Not Grow Old.[11] 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.[10] 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.[12]

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.[13]

The first trailer for Vlny was presented at the end of June 2024.[14] The film premiered on July 1, 2024 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[15] The cinema release in the Czech Republic is planned for August 15, 2024.[10] The film premiered on 1 August 2024 in Slovakia.[16] The film premiered in Prague on 6 August 2024[17] and entered theatrical distribution on 15 August in the Czech Republic.[18]

Reception

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The film was released to positive reviews from critics according to Kinobox aggregator.[19]

The film premiered at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it received standing ovation from audiences that lasted for 10 minutes[18][20] and won audience polling with average rating 1.05.[21] The film also received standing ovation upon its premiere in Bratislava.[22]

Accolades

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Awards and nominations received by Waves
Year Event Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
2024 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Právo Award Audience Award Waves Won [23]

References

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  1. ^ "Mádlovy Vlny zamíří v srpnu do kin, trailer slibuje napínavý okupační thriller". Totalfilm.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Vlny - Tržby a návštěvnost". KINOMANIAK (in Czech). Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ Kalinová, Ivana (29 May 2024). "Letošní MFF nabídne mix filmů, v porotě bude australský herec Geoffrey Rush". Karlovarský deník (in Czech). Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Na Mezinárodním filmovém festivalu Karlovy Vary měl světovou premiéru film Jiřího Mádla Vlny". Deník N (in Czech). 1 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  7. ^ 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)
  8. ^ Kudláč, Martin (3 July 2024). "Review: Waves". Cineuropa. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  9. ^ Borovan, Aleš. "Režisér Jiří Mádl začal točit nový celovečerní film Vlny". Borovan.cz. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Dojetí v Thermalu: Vlny okouzlily diváky, na premiéře se tleskalo dlouhé minuty". Totalfilm.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "PÁR VĚCÍ SE PODAŘILO: ROZHOVOR S POLITIKEM A NOVINÁŘEM LUBOŠEM DOBROVSKÝM". Holocaust.cz. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  13. ^ Fila, Kamil (2 July 2024). "Temný Mádl povstal: Srpen 1968 je ve Vlnách hollywoodským akčňákem". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  14. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Trailer for Karlovy Vary entry Waves". Cineuropa. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Vlny". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  16. ^ "FOTO: Takto to vyzeralo na slávnostnej premiére filmu Vlny. Pozrite na tie outfity". rtvs.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "Vlny (2024): Komentáře a recenze". Kinobox.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Reakce karlovarských diváků na film Vlny dohnala Vodochodského k slzám". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  21. ^ Rynda, Vojtěch. "Karlovarské filmové vlnobití: Potlesk vestoje, zahraniční hvězdy a plné kinosály". Reflex.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  22. ^ "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.
  23. ^ "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.
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