22-04-2014

FNE at Finale Plzen: Clownwise

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    Clownwise by Viktor Tauš Clownwise by Viktor Tauš

    PLZEN: The film Klauni (Clownwise), based on a script by Petr Jarchovský and directed by Viktor Tauš was nominated for the Czech Lion awards in eight categories and Jiri Labus received Czech Critic´s Award for best actor in a supporting role.

    Clownwisewhich Tauš describes as “a drama with comic characters” was filmed on locations in the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Finland. The DOP was Milan Chadima.

    At the center of Jarchovský ‘s story is a trio of clowns who were an oasis of freedom in communist Czechoslovakia. The three split up over a never forgiven fight. Thirty years later one of them returns after a long period of emigration and the trio is brought together one more time, re-staging the famous clown act that launched their career while trying to forgive one another. 

    The cast includes French actor Didier Flamand and comic star Julie Ferrier, Finnish actress Katie Outinen (known from Aki Kaurismaki´s films), Eva Jeníčková and the popular and acclaimed Czech actors Jiří Lábus and Oldřich Kaiser.

    Clownwise, with a budget of 60 m CZK (2.3 mil EUR) was produced by Fog’n’Desire Films, and coproduced by Czech TV, Sokol Kollár, K Film Plus, Samastinor, and Tarantula, Kinosto and supported by Eurimages, MEDIA, The Czech State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography, Film Industry Support Programme, the Slovak Audiovisual FundFilm Fund LuxembourgFinnish Film Foundation, and West Finland Film Commission

    The Czech distributor is Falcon and the film was released to Czech cinemas 28 November 2013. The attendance reached a modest 10,632 admissions. International sales of the film are handled by Spain’s Latido Films.