Waves named best film of 2024; Czech Lion award presented by KVIFF president Jiří Bartoška

Waves converted six nominations at this year’s Czech Lions; Girl America three

As expected, the 32nd annual Czech Lions rode the Waves, with the film taking home six awards during a gala evening moderated by Karel KOVY Kovář. Viktor Ekrt won for Best Sound, while the Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards went to Stanislav Majer as station chief Milan Weiner and Tatiana Pauhofová as Věra Šťovíčková, who dedicated her acceptance speech to the Slovak journalists fighting for democracy today. As the evening progressed, Jiří Mádl went on to receive awards for Best Screenplay and Best Director, and producer Monika Kristl received the statuette for Best Film. The award was presented by KVIFF president Jiří Bartoška, who was also one of the evening’s nominees: for a supporting role in the television series Sense of Tumor. 

The Best Actor award went to Oldřich Kaiser for his almost silent role in the social drama The Gardener’s Year. Kaiser thanked director Jiří Havelka and his partner Dáša Vokatá, who portrayed his character’s wife, a fellow gardener and passionate cook.

Klára Tasovská’s I’m Not Everything I Want to Be was named the year’s Best Documentary, with the award for Best Editing going to Alexander Kashcheev, who worked on the film for two years using just photographs and audio. Along with the other nominated documentaries, this film about the life of photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková is available for streaming on KVIFF.TV.

The award for Best Animated Film went to Kristina Dufková’s Living Large, which also won in the category of Best Music (the statuette went to Slovak composer Michal Novinski). This story of a gifted teenager who loves to cook but is also trying to lose weight for the girl of his dreams can be seen on KVIFF.TV as well.

Two talented young women filmmakers took home awards as well: Greta Stocklassa won Best Short Film for her documentary Buzz of the Earth (shown at last year’s Pragueshorts and at KVIFF 58) and Pola Kazak was honored with the Magnesia Award for Best Student Film for Weeds, which was screened in February as part of the Pragueshorts national competition. Weeds and other short films from last month’s Pragueshorts film festival are available for screening on KVIFF.TV.

Another of the evening’s favorites – Viktor Tauš’s feature-length Girl America – took home awards for cinematography, costumes, and stage design.

For a full overview of the award winners, see HERE.