Ondřej Provazník’s film Choirmasterwhich explores abuse in a famous girl group, received positive reviews at festival premieres, but stalled after a few months. As the website writes, the film was banned from being broadcast on local television.
The District Court for Prague 4 issued a preliminary injunction banning its broadcast on any television station until a final decision is made. The reason for this step is the striking similarities between the plot of the film and the real life of a woman who was one of the victims of abuse in the well-known children’s choir Bambini di Praga led by Bohumil Kulínský.
“We respect the court’s decision. At the same time, we emphasize that the preliminary measure does not constitute a decision on guilt or innocence, it is only a temporary measure until the matter is legally assessed,” stated producer Jiří Konečný.
As he added, they regret the ban, as the picture itself had a completely different purpose. “The film has always stood on the side of the victims, its purpose is to draw attention to the mechanisms of abuse of power and manipulation and to contribute to prevention,” reads in a joint opinion with the director Provazník.
The film, in which the main role was played by the Slovak actor Juraj Loj, has already been a significant success with the audience. It was seen by more than 120,000 viewers in cinemas last summer and is currently available on the Netflix streaming platform as well as other paid services.
However, according to the lawyer of the injured woman, the planned broadcast on the screens of Czech Television could reach an audience of millions, which could have serious consequences for her. Czech Television, which is also a co-producer of the film, is currently considering the detailed procedure.
