2024-07-07 13:05:13
Director Jiří Mádl premiered his new film Waves at the Karlovy Vary festival on Monday. Even long after the closing credits, the creators received a standing ovation. The period drama from the late 1960s was inspired by the true story of the correspondents of the international editorial staff of Czechoslovak Radio, who were determined to bring independent news.
“The director Mádl is moving in waves to the absolute top of European directors,” declared the artistic director of the festival, Karel Och. The film will be released in theaters on August 15 by Bontonfilm.
Jiří Mádl entrusted the main role to Vojtěch Vodochodský. “Jirka Mádl has the advantage of being an actor and a director in one, and I must say that his work is incredibly detailed, sensitive and fast, he knows how to guide the actors effectively,” Vodochodský describes. He was already interested in the script. “He gave me the feeling that I was related to the plot of the film even before it was filmed,” adds the actor.
Stanislav Majer, Igor Bareš, Martin Hofmann, Tomáš Maštalír, Vojtěch Kotek, Ondřej Stupka, Táňa Pauhofová or Marika Šoposká also act in the film.
The key scene of the story is the Czechoslovak Radio and its foreign newsroom led by Milan Weiner, played by Stanislav Majer. Despite the censorship, journalists were determined to bring listeners an unbiased view of events abroad, thereby raising the level of contemporary reporting and journalism.
The film tells the story of two brothers who, in the stormy 60s, have to decide what is important to them in life. “Our two brothers are completely different, moreover, they are separated by ten years. Tomáš wants to remain completely gray, away from all social events, while Pavlo’s impatience with the times is beginning to threaten their fragile household,” stated Mádl some time ago.
According to him, the relationship between the brothers is the pillar of the entire film. “They will know the strength of a mutual bond at a moment when, despite the dramatic circumstances, it is essential to take care of each other and protect a meaningful life. Even at the cost of the fact that they will have to sacrifice a lot,” Jiří Mádl added.
The author and director also worked with the personal memories of the original members of the Editorial Board of International Life of the Czechoslovak Radio. Most of the original recordings of the time were destroyed, but the creators found archival materials. It is authentic footage of people who filmed the events at the radio station in August 1968, which have not been published so far.
“However, in the storyline, we also look at the period of a few months before this event. It was essential for understanding and shaping interpersonal relationships in the editorial office, strong enough that they ultimately helped lead to a heroic rebellion, which can still be an inspiration to us today,” adds Mádl.
The thirty-seven-year-old Budejovice native became famous as an actor in the titles Snowboarders, Gympl and Children of the Night. He appeared in television comedies, series and fairy tales. He made his debut as a director and screenwriter in 2014 with the film Pojedeme k morí, which was nominated in several categories for the Czech Lion award, as well as his second feature film On the Roof from 2019.
Mádl became the youngest actor to receive the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary festival for the best male performance in the film Children of the Night. He received it in 2008 at the age of twenty-one. Waves is now his third original project. The crew filmed the last night crowd scene last November at Prague Castle.
Video: Trailer from the movie Waves
The movie Waves will start showing in theaters on August 15. | Video: Etiquette film