Young Czech filmmakers receive Student Oscar in London
Czech filmmakers Viktor Horák and Pavel Sýkora won the Student Oscar for their short drama Krajan (Compatriot).
Young Czech filmmakers Viktor Horák and Pavel Sýkora received a Student Oscar tonight in London for their short drama “Krajan” (Compatriot). The graduates of the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček (FAMO) in Písek won the top prize in the live-action film category. In addition to the award, they see the opportunity to meet with international colleagues as a chance to gain further experience and open doors to the world, and possibly even the main Oscar competition.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my dear Czechs, it’s home! Thank you very much, and I hope this is not the last time we see each other,” Sýkora declared at the end of his acceptance speech in the ODEON Luxe cinema in London. Both he and Horák thanked the academy, their collaborators, and their families.
The American Academy awarded a total of 12 films in four categories, revealing today which films won the gold, silver, and bronze prizes. The gold-winning live-action film tells the story of an encounter between a Czech widower and a German SS officer, both of Sudeten origin, during New Year's Eve 1944 in a cabin cut off from civilization. "Krajan" succeeded among more than 2,600 submitted films from hundreds of art schools around the world.
“We hope this will help us. There are many new opportunities here,” the filmmakers told CTK shortly before the ceremony began. Winning this prestigious award has given them, among other things, the opportunity to receive mentoring from experienced professionals over the next eight months.
They have already submitted their film to the main Oscar competition and are now waiting to see if the American Academy will select it as a finalist for the awards to be presented next year.
“The award is like a medal, a pedestal for the real Oscar statue,” they joked, hinting that a spot is reserved for the prestigious film award in the coming year.
The Student Academy Awards have been presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1972. Winners gain the right to compete for Oscars in categories such as Best Animated Short Film, Best Live-Action Short Film, or Best Documentary Short Subject. Past winners of the Student Academy Awards have gone on to collect 67 nominations and 15 wins in the main Oscar competition.
