Waves (2024 film)
2024 Czech film
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Waves (Czech: Vlny) is a 2024 historical thriller drama film written and 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]
Vojtěch Kotek
Táňa Pauhofová
Stanislav Majer
Martin Hofmann
| 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 |
| Languages | Czech Slovak Russian |
| Budget | 79,800,000 CZK[2] |
| Box office | 156,049,848 CZK[2] |
Waves entered theatres on 15 August 2024 and became the highest-grossing Czech film of 2024 and the 2nd highest-grossing Czech film of all time.[10][11]
Plot
The 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-Heroldová, Jiří Dienstbier, Luboš Dobrovský, and 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 occupiers 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
- Vojtěch Vodochodský as Tomáš Havlík
- Ondřej Stupka as Pavel Havlík
- Táňa Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková-Heroldová
- Stanislav Majer as Milan Weiner
- Vojtěch Kotek as Jiří Dienstbier
- Marika Šoposká as Secretary Jarunka
- Petr Lněnička as Jan Petránek
- Martin Hofmann as Luboš Dobrovský
- Petr Halíček as technician Jaroslav Pavelka
- Matyáš Řezníček as Karel Jezdinský
- Jacob Erftemeijer as Ludvík Čermák
- Jan Nedbal as Zdeněk Šimr
- Tomáš Maštalír as Karel Hoffmann
- Igor Bareš as Hrabský, Director of Radio
- Michaela Majerníková as Jezdinská
- Jevgenij Libezňuk as General
- Jan Novotný as Antonín Novotný
- Tomáš Weber as Holenda
- Marie Anna Kupcová as Simona
- Daniel Tůma as Karásek
- Hana Kusnjerová as Marie Weinerová
- Theo Jacques as Waldemar Matuška
Production
The film was directed by Jiří Mádl, who also wrote screenplay.[12] Film's budget was approximately 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 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 was 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
The 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]
The film won 2024 Satellite Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[27]
Accolades
| Year | Event | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Právo Award | Audience Award | Waves | Won | [28] |
| Finále Plzeň Film Festival | Student Jury Award | Best feature film | Waves | Won | [29] | |
| 2025 | 29th Satellite Awards | Satellite Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Waves | Won | [30] |
| 15th Czech Film Critics' Awards | Czech Film Critics' Award | Best Film | Waves | Nominated | [31] | |
| Best Director | Jiří Mádl | Nominated | ||||
| Best screenplay | Jiří Mádl | Nominated | ||||
| 32nd Czech Lion Awards | Czech Lion Award | Best Film | Waves | Won | [32] | |
| Best Director | Jiří Mádl | Won | ||||
| Best Actor in Leading Role | Vojtěch Vodochodský | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Stanislav Majer | Won | ||||
| Martin Hoffmann | Nominated | |||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Tatiana Pauhofová | Won | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Jiří Mádl | Won | ||||
| Best Editing | Filip Malásek | Nominated | ||||
| Best Cinematography | Martin Žiaran | Nominated | ||||
| Best Stage Design | Petr Kunc | Nominated | ||||
| Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Adéla Anděla Bursová | Nominated | ||||
| Best Costume Design | Katarína Štrbová Bieliková | Nominated | ||||
| Best Sound | Viktor Ekrt | Won | ||||
| Best Music | Simon Goff | Nominated | ||||
| Film Fans Award | Waves | Won | ||||
| 14th Sun in a Net Awards | Sun in a Net Award | Best Film | Waves | Won | [33] | |
| Best Director | Jiří Mádl | Won | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Jiří Mádl | Won | ||||
| Best Actor in Leading Role | Vojtěch Vodochodský | Won | ||||
| Best Actress in Leading Role | Táňa Pauhofová | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Tomáš Maštalír | Nominated | ||||
| Best Cinematography | Martin Žiaran | Won | ||||
| Best Editing | Filip Malásek | Won | ||||
| Best Sound | Viktor Ekrt | Won | ||||
| Best Music | Simon Goff | Nominated | ||||
| Stage Design | Petr Kunc | Nominated | ||||
| Best Visual Effects | Ivo Marák, Miro Gál | Won | ||||
| Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Adéla Anděla Bursová, Jiřina Pahlerová | Nominated |