Young emerging filmmaker Vojtěch Strakatý, a new voice in Czech independent cinema, is steering his feature-length debut, Eternal Peace, through its final stages of post-production. Fusing civic realism with intricate stylistics, the director transforms mundane moments into noteworthy ones via a tight storytelling approach, while also upending traditional genre norms.

Eternal Peace first piqued interest when Strakatý’s script won an accolade from the Czech Film Foundation's Stars of Tomorrow in 2018. Producer Marek Novák, of Xova Film (Ordinary Failures [+lire aussi :
critique
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fiche film]), after being particularly impressed by the script’s acute portrayal of a family on the brink of foreclosure, further endorsed Strakatý’s cinematic vision. Novák therefore participated in the Berlinale Talents initiative with Eternal Peace. The project was selected for the Czech Film Springboard domestic industry initiative in 2019 (see the industry report), where it was presented to international film professionals.

Initially conceptualised as a dystopian drama, Eternal Peace turns into a chamber family drama, resonating with Strakatý’s personal memories of his debt-laden father. However, the filmmaker has made it clear that the movie is a reality-inspired fiction, rather than an autobiographical work.

Set against the backdrop of Prague's satellite towns, the film weaves the story of Jindřiška, a 23-year-old embroiled in the whirlwind of her father's overwhelming debt. With assets, including her family home, in jeopardy, she embarks on a tumultuous journey of familial duty, personal resilience and the devastating weight of fiscal despair. The official synopsis reads: “Carefree Jindřiška discovers that her father has run up huge debts when debt collectors start confiscating the family property, including the house. During the course of one day, Jindřiška's world crumbles into pieces of furniture, which she and her best friend Karolína try to salvage and hide. Jindřiška must decide whether to trust and help her father, or save herself before it's too late.”

Strakatý's debut feature, spanning the timeline of a single day, promises to be an emotive exploration of life's intricacies. Its style, grounded in minimalist aesthetics and bolstered by improvisational techniques, accentuates its drive for authenticity. The cast includes Eliška Hanušová Bašusová, Anna Peřinová Tomanová, Jan Zadražil and Monika Zoubkov. Cinematographer Stanislav Adam (Blix Not Bombs [+lire aussi :
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interview : Michal Hogenauer
fiche film]) was in charge of the story editing.

With a tight shooting schedule taking in just 14 days on location, and a budget of approximately €360,000 – of which the Czech Film Fund contributed €208,000 – the film participated in the First Cut Lab initiative at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Post-production is anticipated to conclude by autumn 2023, positioning the feature for its festival-circuit debut towards the end of 2023 and into early 2024.

Eternal Peace is being produced by Xova Film. The Czech Film Fund has supported the project. Negotiations are ongoing to secure a sales agent and distributor.