Islamabad (Monitoring Desk): The 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is hosting the world premiere of Broken Voices (Sbormistr), a gripping psychological drama by Czech filmmaker Ondrej Provazník. The film, competing for the prestigious Crystal Globe on July 6, delves into the troubling collision of youthful innocence and manipulative authority. As described on the festival’s site, it portrays “an exclusive world, where prestige intertwines with premature coming of age.”
Set in the early 1990s, the Czech-Slovak co-production follows 13-year-old Karolína, a gifted singer who earns a coveted place in a world-famous girls’ choir. However, the story soon darkens, revealing how her extraordinary talent draws the unsettling interest of the esteemed choirmaster. The film stars Juraj Loj alongside a largely non-professional cast led by Katerina Falbrová, with supporting roles by Maya Kintera, Zuzana Šulajová, Marek Cisovský, Ivana Wojtylová and Barrandov Studio.
Even before its premiere, Broken Voices has stirred considerable anticipation in the Czech Republic. Many draw chilling parallels to the infamous Bambini di Praga scandal. The celebrated choir, once a national treasure, was led by Bohumil Kulínský Jr., who in 2004 was charged with sexual abuse involving 49 minors over two decades. His conviction eventually led to a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence and the choir’s closure in 2011. Kulínský died in 2018.
Provazník’s haunting film, set for Czech release via CinemArt on July 10 and represented internationally by Salaud Morisset, promises to be a powerful exploration of talent exploited by trust betrayed.
