13/09/2017 - The dramedy featuring characters from three different generations will represent the Czech Republic in the Best Foreign-language Film category at the 90th edition of the Oscars

Slovakian actress Zuzana Krónerová, who plays the lead in the Czech dramedy Ice Mother [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], recently received two accolades for her performance in the film – at the Bridge of Arts in Rostov-on-Don and at On the Edge in Sakhalin, both in Russia. Written and directed by Bohdan Sláma as his fifth project, the movie was picked for the European Film Awards, and now the Czech Film and Television Academy (CFTA) has voted the feature as the country’s submission for the Best Foreign-language Film category at the 90^th edition of the Academy Awards. Ice Mother revolves around Hana (Zuzana Krónerová), a sexagenarian widower stuck in a rut and in between two ungrateful and self-centred adult sons. Her life changes when she meets Broňa (Pavel Nový), an outspoken and eccentric ice swimmer who encourages Hana to join the swimming team and change the established order in her life in order to start enjoying it once again.

The CFTA chose the lucky title from among 13 feature-length fiction, documentary and animated candidates, with Jan and Zdeněk Svěrák’s comedy-drama Barefoot [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Tereza Nvotová’s rape drama Filthy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tereza Nvotová
film profile], the second entry in Jan Hřebejk’s Garden Store trilogy, Deserter, and an animated film for children, The Oddsockeaters [+see also:
trailer
film profile], being among the suitable nominees.

Having been released domestically in February, the Czech-Slovak-French co-production is still travelling the festival circuit and has been screened at venues such as the Sydney International Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Ice Mother has already bowed across the pond, as it had its international premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, where the film netted Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film.

Ice Mother was produced by Czech outfit Negativ, and co-produced by Artileria (Slovakia), Why Not Productions (France), Czech Television, Barrandov Studios and Radio and Television Slovakia. It was supported by Eurimages, the Czech Film Fund, the CNC and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund. The Match Factory is handling the sales and festivals.