Chica Checa – Preview Screening with the Filmmakers

Widowed village postwoman Zdena (Pavla Tomicová) is climbing the walls at home, coping with loneliness by eating pickles and watching TV. Her greatest joy is her son Lukáš (Jan Cina). But he lives happily in France, where he has found a great job. To make matters worse, Zdena's mother Věra (Věra Janků) is spending her final days in hospital, and her last wish is to see Helena Vondráčková live. Zdena begs her son to come and say goodbye to grandma before it's too late.

Lukáš's visit sets off a chain of events that reveals not only his secret life and the alter ego that comes with it – Chica Checa – but also Zdena's longing for a life different from the one those around her expect. Trying to fulfil grandma's last wish brings Lukáš and Zdena together. Will they both succeed in what comes next? And will Zdena come to realise that the most important battle we always fight is with ourselves?

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, hosted by Martin Talaga in drag.

Talking about the film and answering audience questions: Šimon Holý – director, screenwriter, music His feature debut Mirrors in the Dark (2021) premiered at the Karlovy Vary IFF and travelled the world. The film received two Czech Film Critics' Awards nominations, including Discovery of the Year. His second film Whisper of Love… (2022) was selected for the Proxima competition at Karlovy Vary IFF and nominated for both the Czech Film Critics' Award and the Czech Lion. His third film Hello, Welcome (2024) opened the 50th Summer Film School in Uherské Hradiště. Šimon is not only a screenwriter, director and producer, but also a DJ and composer.

Alžběta Janáčková – producer She has professional experience in producing commercials and documentaries about extreme sports, and has also worked as a creative producer on Czech Television projects. She focuses on experimental films, documentaries, and more recently on fiction features. She loves her dog, photography, yoga, music, art and all kinds of extreme sports.

Jan Cina – stage and film actor, singer, voice actor He played a child role in the 2002 film Brats, and one of the lead roles in Places nine years later. He appears in TV shows and series, films, on stage and in dubbing. He also works as a presenter. In 2021 he won season 11 of StarDance… When the Stars Dance. Audiences may know him from films such as The Devil's Quill or National Street, from series like The Lady and the King, The Bridge!, The Actor and many others. He is a member of the music group Ťupíci. Chica Checa launched his drag career.

Pavla Tomicová – stage and film actress She is one of the most distinctive and popular Czech stage, film and TV actresses of today. Both audiences and critics praise her exceptional comedic talent, spontaneous vitality and capacity for deep dramatic expression. Over her rich career she has collected numerous prestigious theatre awards and film nominations. After graduating from DAMU she linked her career mainly to the Klicpera Theatre in Hradec Králové, where she won the Alfréd Radok Award for the role of Mařka in Maryša, and received nominations for Štěpa (Petroleum Lamps), Arkadina (The Seagull) and hit-role shot-putter Milena (The Ball). She won broad audience popularity as the tough mother in the comedies Snowboarders and Rafters, psychologist Vlasta in Boredom in Brno, hairdresser Simona in the series The Street, or customer Grobníková in the sitcom Comeback. Her character acting was confirmed by Czech Lion nominations for Mrs Procházková in Owners and Kristýna in Whisper of Love…. In 2018, in season 9 of StarDance… When the Stars Dance, she and Marek Dědík fought their way to a fantastic 2nd place.

Hosted by Martin Talaga – a Slovak dancer, choreographer and performer long based in Prague. As the drag queen in the project PiNKBUS slovenský a žiadný iný, she styles herself as a blonde femme fatale who, in many respects, resembles the current Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic. In a role that requires a good dose of courage, she moves and behaves spontaneously, remaining confident and authentic throughout. Depending on the situation, she sometimes turns up the eccentricity, sometimes gets ironic or biting. She always knows how to connect with the audience, seducing and provoking them at once.

Admission – free

Accessibility – suitable for teens, wheelchair accessible

Vibe check – large-scale event (more than 200 people, high potential for physical contact), seating available, indoor venue

Organised by – Silk Films Silk Films is an independent production company based in Prague, focused on auteur projects and stories with the potential to reach international audiences. It is run by two producers with diverse professional backgrounds, who together develop feature films, TV series and documentaries. Silk Films focuses on contemporary themes and collaboration with the emerging generation of authors, with an emphasis on a creative approach and ambitious dramaturgy.