Unfortunately, this year’s Czech Lions award ceremony was also significantly affected by another unfavorable circumstance. While last year it was a coronavirus crisis, this year, when many of us were already waiting for a turn for the better, the war in Ukraine thwarted plans to celebrate Czech film according to the usual scenario. The organizers therefore had to hastily adjust the live broadcast from the Prague Rudolfinum to make it clear that they did not agree with the Russian occupation of the Free Country.
It is a pity that the completely unnecessary and, as a result, embarrassing introductory “foreword” was not released, in which this year’s Czech Lions moderator, actor and director Jiří Havelka was “trained” by one of his predecessors, Václav Kopta. He advised him on how to handle his role and prepared him for anything that might happen during the live broadcast. Maybe no one laughed too much at his joke. In that case, he advised him to start laughing alone. Or he warned him to reckon with “That the scents will talk to you there.”
“Over-opted” and “overstated”
Once again, it turned out that if someone becomes a popular celebrity in our country, its ubiquity, as in the case of Václav Kopta or his colleague Aleš Háma, begins to be detrimental. It is currently being “over-rumored” and “over-opted” on Czech television screens. Not only is Václav Kopta performing on Nova TV’s reality show “Your Face Has a Known Voice”, but this actor, still struggling with weight, is promoting another controversial show “Baking the Whole Country” on Czech Television, which is one of the most obese nations in Europe. offers to consume sweets.
Taste and gradient
Prompt Jiří Havelka “complained” at the very beginning of the evening that Václav Kopta tried to prepare him for everything, but even with the best of intentions he did not count on the possibility that he would be forced to moderate in a situation that arose in Ukraine. And it must be said that he managed the unexpected task with an admirable degree of taste and emotion. He was able to balance touching moments (such as the urgent speech of Ukrainian Ambassador Yevhen Perebyjnis) so that the ceremony would not turn into a show of unnecessary pathos. Above all, however, he objectively listed the individual categories and winners, without trying to “steal” time at their expense. As a result, the long transmission had the necessary tension and gradient, and the initial burdensome atmosphere gradually changed more joyfully.
Sad balance
The group with the symbolic name “Blue Shadows” led by an excellent composer, the author of film music, already nominated for the Czech Lion, Petr Ostrouchov, also contributed to the dignified spectacle in Ukrainian colors. When his beautiful composition (known from Vladimír Mišík’s song “I’ll meet you one day”) accompanied the memory of all the artists who left us last year (and their list was really sad), he took care of one of the strongest moments of the whole evening. He succeeded in what he wished for when he learned that the Blue Shadows would perform at this year’s Czech Lions. In an interview with the “News” server, he revealed that he did not want the band to become just a musical smog, but to have added value. And it had. Thanks to this happy constellation and despite all the unfortunate circumstances, this year’s Czech Lions award was one of the most successful.
Results:
EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTION TO CZECH CINEMATOGRAPHY – Ivo Spalj
BEST EVENING FEATURE FILM – Zátopek – producers Kryštof Mucha, David Ondříček
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM – Intensive Life Unit – directed by Adéla Komrzý – producer Pavla Janoušková Kubečková
BEST DIRECTOR – Zatopek – David Ondricek
BEST ACTRESS IN THE MAIN ROLE – Errors – Pavla Gajdošíková
BEST ACTOR IN THE MAIN ROLE – Zátopek – Václav Neužil
BEST ACTRESS IN A SIDE ROLE – Occupation – Antonie Formanová
BEST ACTOR IN A SECONDARY ROLE – The man with the hare’s ears – Oldrich Kaiser
BEST SCENARIO – Occupation – Marek Sindelka, Vojtech Masek
BEST CAMERA – Zátopek – Štěpán Kučera
BEST CUT – Zátopek – Jarosław Kamiński
BEST SOUND – Zátopek – Pavel Rejholec, Jakub Čech
BEST MUSIC – Occupation – La Petite Sonja, Hank J. Manchini
BEST SCENOGRAPHY – Zatopek – Jan Vlasak
BEST COSTUMES – Bozena – Katarina Strbova Bielikova
BEST MASK – Zátopek – Jana Dopitová
BEST TELEVISION FILM OR MINISERIES – Božena – main producer Michal Reitler – main creator Lenka Wimmerová
BEST TV SERIES – Defender – main producer Michal Reitler – main creators Tereza Kopáčová, Tomáš Feřtek, Matěj Podzimek
BEST ANIMATED MOVIE – Mice Belong to Heaven – directed by Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubeníček – producers Vladimír Lhoták, Alexandre Charlet – artists Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubeníček, Jan Kurka
BEST SHORT FILM – Dear Dad – Directed by Diana Cam Van Nguyen – Producer Karolina Davidova
MAGNESIA AWARD FOR THE BEST STUDENT FILM – non-statutory award – Dear Dad – Directed by Diana Cam Van Nguyen
BEST MOVIE POSTER – non-statutory award – Zátopek – Aleš Najbrt, Jakub Spurný, Julie Vrabelová – Award-winning poster
FILM FAN AWARD – non-statutory award – Zátopek – David Ondříček (award-winning director)
Sources: author’s text, Czech Television, Novinky.cz, Ceskylev.cz
