Little Crusader ( cs, Křižáček) is a 2017 Czech historical drama film directed by
Václav Kadrnka.
It won a
Crystal Globe at the
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival ( cs, Mezinárodní filmový festival Karlovy Vary) is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has become ...
.
The film, shot in Italy, tells the story of the knight Bořek, who is travelling to find his lost son.
It is based on the poem ''Svojanovský křižáček'' by
Jaroslav Vrchlický
Jaroslav Vrchlický (; 17 February 1853 – 9 September 1912) was a Czech lyrical poet. He was nominated for the Nobel prize in literature eight times.
Life
He was born Emilius Jakob Frida in Louny.
He lived ten years with his uncle, a p ...
.
The filming style is reminiscent of movies directed by
František Vláčil
František Vláčil (19 February 1924, Český Těšín – 27 January 1999, Prague) was a Czech film director, painter, and graphic artist.
Between 1945 and 1950, he studied aesthetics and art history at Masaryk University in Brno. Later he w ...
.
Cast and characters
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Karel Roden
Karel Roden (born 18 May 1962) is a Czech actor, popularly known for his roles in ''Hellboy'' and ''The Bourne Supremacy'', and his voice work in '' Grand Theft Auto IV''.
Life and career
Roden followed his father and grandfather into acting. ...
as Bořek
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Aleš Bílík as Szimko
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Jana Semerádová as Mother
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Matouš John as Jeník
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Jiří Soukup as a Hermit
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Michal Legíň as Uhlíř
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Šimon Vyskočil as Uhlíř's son
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Jana Oľhová
Jana Oľhová (born 31 December 1959) is a Slovak actress. At the 2008 Sun in a Net Awards she won the category of Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film ''Music''. Oľhová won another accolade at the Sun in a Net Awards, again ...
as the innkeeper's wife
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Ivan Krúpa as the innkeeper
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Eliška Křenková as Angel
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Jan Bednář as Štěpán
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Tomáš Bambušek as an actor
Synopsis
Bořek's little son Jeník hears a tale from a priest about the
Children's Crusade, which influences him to run away from home. His father, who is a knight, goes on a desperate journey to find him.
Production
The film is a loose adaptation of the poem "Svojanovský křižáček". Kadrnka came across the poem while working on a different project and decided to create an adaptation of it.
Preparations started in 2011 and shooting began in December 2015. The film was shot mostly in Italy, concluding in early 2016.
Reception
The film received mixed reactions from critics and audiences, many of whom debated whether it really deserved the Crystal Globe.
Accolades
References
External links
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{{Crystal Globe
2010s historical drama films
2017 films
Crystal Globe winners
Czech historical drama films
2010s Czech-language films
Films shot in Italy
Czech Lion Awards winners (films)