06-03-2022

CZECH LION AWARDS 2021: ZATOPEK WINS BEST FEATURE FILM

    Zatopek dominated the evening with 8 wins - Zatopek wins 8 prizes at the Czech Lion Awards 2021 - Best Feature Film, Best Director, Actor in a Leading Role, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Stage Design. Czech filmmakers strongly supported Ukraine against the Russian attack and called for freedom.

    Zatopek, directed by David Ondříček and produced by the director himself & Kryštof Mucha of LUCKY MAN FILMS, dominated the Czech Lion Awards 2021 with 8 wins. The biopic of Czech 3-times Olympic champion Emil Zátopek won Best Feature Film, Best Director, Actor in a Leading Role (Václav Neužil), Best Cinematography (Štěpán Kučera), Best Sound (Jakub Čech & Pavel Rejholec), Best Film Editing (Jarosław Kamiński), Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Jana Dopitová) and Best Stage Design (Jan Vlasák).

    In the battle for the most valuable prize, Zatopek edged out Occupation, a black comedy about a sleepy actor's party in socialist Czechoslovakia, by Michal Nohejl, which was awarded three prizes - Best Screenplay (Marek Šindelka & Vojtěch Mašek), Best Music (La Petit Sonja & Hank J. Manchini) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Antonie Formanová).

    Best Documentary award went to Intensive Life Unit, directed by Adéla Komrzý and produced by Pavla Janoušková Kubečková of nutprodukce, which deals with the themes of paliative care and death. The prize for Best Animated Film was handed over to creators of Even Mice Belong in Heaven - directors Denisa Grimmová & Jan Bubeníček, producers Vladimír Lhoták of Fresh Films and Alexandre Charlet of French Les Films du Cygne.

    Best Short Film made Diana Cam Van Nguyen (in production of Karolína Davidová of 13ka), whose anidoc Love, Dad also won the Magnesia Award for the Best Student Film. The director gave up EUR 4 000, which is awarded as part of the prize in co-operation with Mattoni 1873, Czech Film and Television Academy and the Czech Film Fund, in favour of the organisation Člověk v tísni which helps war victims in Ukraine.

    The most prominent element of the gala evening in Prague's Rudolfinum was, indeed, the support for Ukraine and the condemnation of Russian war aggression. This was present in the emotional and appealing speeches by many of the award-winning filmmakers and guests of the evening, as well as in the presence of the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Jevhen Perebyjnis.

    The full list of winners:

    BEST FEATURE FILM
    Zatopek - producers Kryštof Mucha & David Ondříček

    BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
    Intensive Life Unit - director Adéla Komrzý, producer Pavla Janoušková Kubečková

    BEST DIRECTOR
    Zatopek - David Ondříček

    BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
    Emma in Love - Pavla Gajdošíková

    BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
    Zatopek - Václav Neužil

    BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
    Occupation - Antonie Formanová

    BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
    The Man with Hare Ears - Oldřich Kaiser

    BEST SCREENPLAY
    Occupation - Vojtěch Mašek, Marek Šindelka

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
    Zatopek - Štěpán Kučera

    BEST FILM EDITING
    Zatopek - Jarosław Kamiński

    BEST SOUND
    Zatopek - Jakub Čech, Pavel Rejholec

    BEST MUSIC
    Occupation - La Petit Sonja, Hank J. Manchini

    BEST STAGE DESIGN
    Zatopek - Jan Vlasák

    BEST COSTUMES
    Božena - Katarina Štrbová Bieliková

    BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
    Zatopek - Jana Dopitová

    BEST TELEVISION FILM OR MINISERIES
    Božena - producer Michal Reitler, creator Lenka Wimmerová

    BEST TELEVISION SERIES
    The Defender - producer Michal Reitler, creators Tereza Kopáčová, Tomáš Mašín, Tomáš Feřtek & Matěj Podzimek

    BEST ANIMATED FILM
    Even Mice Belong in Heaven - directors Denisa Grimmová and Jan Bubeníček, producers Vladimír Lhoták and Alexandre Charlet

    BEST SHORT FILM
    Love, Dad - Diana Cam Van Nguyen

    HONORARY AWARD FOR UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CZECH FILM
    Ivo Špalj

    MAGNESIA AWARD FOR THE BEST STUDENT FILM – non-statutory award
    Love, Dad - Diana Cam Van Nguyen

    BEST FILM POSTER - non-statutory award
    Zatopek - Julie Vrabelová, Jakub Spurný, Zdeněk Trinkewitz a Aleš Najbrt

    AWARD OF FILM FANS - non-statutory award
    Zatopek - David Ondříček