Cinematik will open with the participation of a film delegation with the new Slovak film The Sacrifice. The ceremony will also be open to all accredited male and female viewers.

The 17th edition of Cinematik will open on Tuesday 13 September with a new Slovak film The Sacrifice, directed by Michal Blaško, whose work has already been screened at festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale and Karlovy Vary. His feature debut was just released these days at the 79th Venice Film Festival. The opening and closing ceremony of Cinematik is also open to all accredited visitors of the festival.

In a divided society, everyone is a victim. Everyone is guilty

Irina is a single mother from Ukraine who lives with her son Igor in a small town in the Czech Republic. When Igor is brutally attacked, the whole town stands in solidarity on Irina’s side and unanimously condemns the Roma perpetrators who are allegedly responsible for the attack. After Igor wakes up in the hospital, the incident becomes a story that takes on a variety of optics under the influence of media personalities, politicians and the public. The victim is the story of a mother who demands justice but faces discrimination, nationalism and prejudice. In order to protect her family and seek the truth, she must ultimately make a fateful decision.

Michal Blaško

Michal Blaško studied film and television directing at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and FAMO Písek. His short films have been screened at prestigious festivals around the world and have won several awards. His undergraduate short film Atlantis, 2003 (2017) premiered at the Cinéfondation in Cannes. It was awarded the Czech Lion for Best Student Film, in addition to other prizes won at various other festivals. In addition to his successful student films, Michal also has a lot of experience in directing TV series such as Slovanians, Behind Glass, Professor T – nominated for the Czech Lion or the miniseries Suspicion, which premiered at the Berlinale. The film Victim is his feature debut.

“The Victim” is a story about a trusting mother Irina and son Igor living in a foreign country where they are basically on their own. My aim was to expose, through Irina’s emotional portrait, the essence of Central European society, for which the protagonist’s situation is an opportunity to show her hatred and legitimise it.” Says the film’s director Michal Blaško.

International cast

The main role of Irina’s mother will be played by Ukrainian actress Vita Smachelyuk, known mainly from TV series, who is currently based in Hamburg, Germany. The role of her son Igor will be played by Gleb Kuchuk, a young Ukrainian acting talent studying in Prague. For both actors, being cast in a feature film is a debut. Alena Mihulová, winner of the Czech Lion for the lead actress in Domácí péče (2015), or Viktor Zavadil, who was nominated for the Czech Lion for the lead role in Jan Palach (2018), will also play a supporting role in the film. The popular young Czech actress Elizaveta Maximova will also appear in a cameo role.