Finále Reveals Competition Films

We now know the titles of all the films that will compete this year for the Golden Kingfisher awards. The competition lineup includes 9 feature-length fiction or animated films, 9 documentaries, 12 television and online projects, and 13 student short films. Take a look at the complete list.

In the Feature-Length Fiction and Animated Film Competition, the world premiere of the mysterious family drama Backwoods (Divočina, dir. Evženie Brabcová), starring Klára Issová, will take place at the festival. Also screening is Šimon Holý’s new film Chica Checa, starring Pavla Tomicová and Jan Cina, which made waves at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF). Another title is Lover, Not a Fighter (Milovník, ne bojovník, dir. Martina Buchelová), which won the Proxima competition in Karlovy Vary. Olmo Omerzu is returning with his latest film, Ungrateful Beings (Nevděčné bytosti). Exactly ten years ago, he took home the Golden Kingfisher in Plzeň for his film Family Film. The crime comedy Little Thief (Poberta, dir. Ondřej Hudeček) brings Matyáš Řezníček, Václav Neužil, Stanislav Majer and Denisa Barešová to the screen in a playful vein. Following its premiere in Karlovy Vary, Aňa Geislerová’s new film Only Beautiful Things to Look At (Pramen, dir. Ivan Ostrochovský) is also heading to Plzeň, where she will present it in person. The children’s animated film Born in the Jungle (Tajemství džungle, dir. Edmund Jansons) had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and, after a stop at KVIFF, will also head to Finále. Dancing with a Bear (Tanec s medvědem) by Jitka Rudolfová explores the difficult question of whether to bring a child with a disability into the world. The film features a strong cast led by Pavla Gajdošíková and Kryštof Hádek. Finále will also host the preview screening of Gregorius, the Chosen One (Vyvolený), a poetic and absurd historical comedy directed by Tomasz Mielnik.

In the Documentary Competition, the contenders include the observational portrait Bára – Diary of a Rockstar (Bára Basiková) (dir. Helena Třeštíková), which premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it received the Audience Award; What About Petey? (Co s Péťou?, dir. Martin Trabalík), a look into the life of a widower caring for his autistic son; and Ester Geislerová’s film A Pint of Ink (Dvě deci tuše), in which she pieces together a mosaic of memories of her father. Following its award for Best Documentary at the Berlin International Film Festival, If Pigeons Turned to Gold (Kdyby se holubi proměnili ve zlato) by director Pepa Lubojacki will compete for another prize. The selection also includes Chronicle (Letopis) by Martin Kollar, which premiered at Visions du Réel, and the situational satire Is It Worth It?! (Má to cenu?!, dir. Jan Strejcovský), which seeks an answer to the question: What is contemporary art worth? The Oscar-nominated Mr. Nobody Against Putin (dirs. David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin) is also part of the lineup, as is the environmental documentary Resilience (Při zemi), with which Tomáš Elšík competed at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival and at the One World and Ji. hlava festivals. The nine-film selection is rounded out by Virtual Girlfriends (Virtuální přítelkyně) by director Barbora Chalupová, the first film to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the global phenomenon of OnlyFans.

Competition Lineup

Feature-Length Fiction and Animated Film Competition

Backwoods (Divočina) — Evženie Brabcová

Chica Checa — Šimon Holý

Lover, Not a Fighter (Milovník, ne bojovník) — Martina Buchelová

Ungrateful Beings (Nevděčné bytosti) — Olmo Omerzu

Little Thief (Poberta) — Ondřej Hudeček

Only Beautiful Things to Look At (Pramen) — Ivan Ostrochovský

Born in the Jungle (Tajemství džungle) — Edmund Jansons

Dancing with a Bear (Tanec s medvědem) — Jitka Rudolfová

Gregorius, the Chosen One (Vyvolený) — Tomasz Mielnik

Documentary Competition

Bára – Diary of a Rockstar (Bára Basiková) — Helena Třeštíková

What About Petey? (Co s Péťou?) — Martin Trabalík

A Pint of Ink (Dvě deci tuše) — Ester Geislerová

If Pigeons Turned to Gold (Kdyby se holubi proměnili ve zlato) — Pepa Lubojacki

Chronicle (Letopis) — Martin Kollar

Is It Worth It?! (Má to cenu?!) — Jan Strejcovský

Mr. Nobody Against Putin — David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin

Resilience (Při zemi) — Tomáš Elšík

Virtual Girlfriends (Virtuální přítelkyně) — Barbora Chalupová

TV and Online Projects Competition

Filter, Episode 2: Betrayal (Filter, 2. díl: Zrada) — David Semler

Generation Nika, Episode 1: Nika (Generace Nika, 1. díl: Nika) — Vojtěch Hönig

Gerta Schnirch, Episode 1 — Tomáš Mašín

Love Doesn’t Hurt (Láska nebolí) — Tomáš Klein

Mom (Máma) — Jiří Strach

The Markovič Method: Straka (Metoda Markovič: Straka) — Tomáš Pavlíček, Jan Vejnar

New Blood (Mladá krev) — Alice Nellis, Jasmina Blaževič, Jaroslav Fuit, Jakub Machala

Monyová — Zuzana Kirchnerová

Oktopus II, Episode 10: Albertov — Jan Pachl

The Offspring, Episode 1: Ants (Ratolesti, 1. díl: Mravenci) — Michal Blaško

Making Your Own Luck (Štěstíčku naproti) — Marek Najbrt

All That I’ll Never Become, Episode 1: Fired (Všechno, co nebudu, 1. díl: Vyhazov) — Filip Křivánek

Student Short Film Competition

Amnion — Sarah Lomenová

Autopilot — Patricie Švadlenková

What If We Run Out of Stones? (Co když kamínky dojdou?) — Nora Štrbová

Second Spring (Druhé jaro) — Olexi Chubun

Fever Dream (Horečné snění) — Klára Jurečková

If We Weren’t Sisters (Kdybychom nebyly sestry) — Karolína Beranová

Contact (Kontakt) — Anna Belová

Our Walls (Naše zdi) — Živa Divjak

ORLA — Marie Lukáčová

The Tower (Věž) — Marie-Magdalena Kochová

Call Samba (Volej Samba) — Jana Švadlenková

Volklore — Viktorie Štěpánová

Dizziness (Závrať) — Emma Marková