In the main role, the award-winning Milan Ondrík will appear as a former champion Hoff, who is trying to make a comeback in the world of combat sports, but in reality he is primarily fighting for a return to his family and a chance to correct his mistakes. In addition to leading Czech and Slovak actors, real MMA stars will also appear in the film by Vojtěch Frič and Tomáš Dianiška. In all Czech cinemas, the exciting story from the environment of one of today’s most attractive sports will be shown from August 13. However, you can take a look at how it was created right now:
The film A fighter from an environment where every mistake hurts will draw viewers into the real world of MMA, one of the most striking phenomena of today – from hard preparation to pulsating tension before the match and adrenaline in the cage to the authentic atmosphere of sold-out arenas. Most of all, however, it is a story full of emotions that cannot be locked in a wardrobe, losses that hurt more than can be said out loud, and determination that forces a person not to give up.
Pavel Hoffmeister alias Hoff used to be a European champion and an Olympic medalist in boxing. After years away from the sports world, he receives an unexpected offer to return to the fight. However, the thrown glove he lifts is not a boxing glove. He will meet his opponent in MMA. New rules, hard preparation and an opponent who will test his form and character await him. But his toughest match will not be in the cage. He will have to stand up mainly to himself and fight for the lost trust of his loved ones.
Milan Ondrík in life form
Hoffa played the main role Milan Ondrik, which is very well known to the festival audience. Thanks to his extraordinary acting performance, he is a frequent guest on red carpets at home and abroad. Finally, he took home the award for the best male performance from Karlovy Vary, for the film Be the light (2019). „I didn’t have to play anything in the gym, you can’t pretend there, emotions are created by themselves. There was the stench of the gym, testosterone and hard work. There were days when I couldn’t get up in the morning and felt muscles I didn’t even know I had. But I didn’t tell anyone about it so they wouldn’t be too careful with me, because it doesn’t fit in this film.” revealed one of the currently most prominent Czech-Slovak actors.
They starred alongside him in the film Ján Jackuliak, Ema Businská, Adam Vacula, Eliška Balzerová, Hana Vagnerová, Martin Finger, Pavel Rímsky, Jaroslav Plesl, Kryštof Hádek, Ondřej Malý, David Matásek, Marián Mitaš, Jiří Vyorálek and others.
„I played with Milan Ondrík for the first time and I wanted to play with him for a very long time. He is an exceptional actor and it was very nice to shoot with him and I also had a great time working with both directors. It was obvious that they care about the project, that they do it from the heart, and that’s always the best movies. A film is a collective work, but when the love for the material is still there, usually something magical is created.” says Hana Vagnerová. The audience can look forward to the popular actress in the role of Markéta, who is in love with Hoff.
Stars of the MMA scene in front of the camera
For the directors Vojtěch Frič and Tomáš Dianiška, it was crucial that the environment of combat sports not only act as an attractive backdrop in the story. Bojovník thus connects the world of acting with the environment of professional MMA on a scale that is extraordinary for a Czech film.
The actors underwent physical training under the supervision of trainers, and real combat sports personalities will appear alongside them. They are them Jiří Procházka, David Kozma, Karlos Vémola, Daniel Škvor, Miloš Petrášek, Fabiana Bytyqi Richter, Vladimír Lengál, Matouš Kohout, Miroslav Brož, Kelvin Soquessa, Tomáš “Tobous” Tobola, André Reinders whether Ondřej Novotný a Paul Neruda. In addition, several key scenes were filmed during real tournaments, one of them even during the biggest one, at the stadium in Eden, in front of an audience of 25,000: “The atmosphere created by the audience was great and it simply works, because such a mass of people cannot be replaced unless they are around. That energy is unique and I think you can feel it in the film as well.” adds director Vojtěch Frič.
Curiosities from filming
- The fighter enters cinemas 40 years after the premiere of the legendary Fists in the Dark, Eliška Balzerová played in both films.
- Pavel Rímsky, who lent his voice to Rocky in the Czech version, brought a special kind of authority to Bojovník. When he spoke on the set, everyone fell silent.
- Milan Ondrík and Ján Jackuliak completed a year of intensive physical training.
- The film features the largest number of professional wrestlers in the history of Czech feature films.
- One of the warriors was played by the singer Calin, multiple winner of the Angel and Czech Nightingale awards, for whom this was his first acting opportunity.
- The appearance of Hof and Kardos in the cage was part of the biggest tournament in the history of the Czech-Slovak fighting scene and was watched by 25,000 spectators at the Eden stadium in Prague.
- Ján Jackuliak filmed the final fight with a shattering fracture of the forearm, and the other actors, who were prescribed fighting and boxing scenes by the script, also suffered injuries.
