Parkanová won the coco 2021 D-Facto Motion Works in Progress Award for her film The Word, which went on to screen in the Main Competition of the Karlovy Vary IFF, where it received directing and acting awards.

The story, inspired by true events, is set in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1782, in Upper Hungary, or current-day Slovakia. A young Czech Viennese journalist tries to stop the trials and executions of innocent Roma men, which had been triggered by his own fabricated newspaper reports, accusing them of cannibalism. Though a historical drama, the film takes on the contemporary topic of fake news and responsibility.

Parkanová adapted the screenplay from a 2011 novel by Czech author Alex Koenigsmark. The producing team are undertaking further research on the actual events that inspired the book.

The film has a budget of 2,665,000 EUR. The Czech Film Fund provided 26,000 EUR in development support. The film will be an international coproduction with expectations of support from both the Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the Czech Film Fund, and TV and VOD partners in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The project is seeking coproducers from Hungary and Austria, as well as Germany and Poland, and sales agents. Filming is planned for 2024-2025.

Producer Ondřej Zach had a wide-ranging career before launching his new production company Ozet Film, from film journalism to programming for Karlovy Vary, to extensive experience in TV, including the position of COO at HBO Europe.

Production Information:

Producer:
Ozet Film (Czech Republic)

Credits:
Director: Beata Parkanová
Scriptwriter: Beata Parkanová