Something Like Happiness

  • a film by Bohdan Sláma
  • feature film
  • 102 min
  • 2004

Three young people in the Czech industrial city of Most grapple with love, separation, and the dream of happiness: When his best friend and secret love, Monika, takes in the children of her overwhelmed neighbor, the directionless Toník begins to grow into responsibility and love for the first time—but when Monika’s decision to move to America throws everything into turmoil, he must ask himself whether he can fight for his happiness or let go.

Info

  • Genre

    • social drama

  • Contries of Production

    • Germany / Czech Republic

  • Language

    • Czech (OV)

  • World premiere

    • 29th July 2005 – Uherské Hradiste

  • German cinema release

    • 20th April 2006

  • a production by

    • Pallas Film, Negativ Film Productions

  • in co-production with

    • Česká televize, ZDF, Arte

  • with the support of

    • MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Media, FFA, Eurimages, State Fund for the Support and Development of the Czech Cinematography

  • World Sales

    • The Wild Bunch

  • Distribution

    • Neue Visionen Filmverleih
Synopsis

Monika, Tonik and Dasha grew up together in the same housing project on the outskirts of a small industrial city. Now the childhood friends are adults, each struggling with feelings of desire and loneliness, longing and failure. Though none would admit it, each craves something the other has: love, family, children… it’s these unspoken longings that bind them in difficult, complex, passionate friendship.

Cast

  • Monika

    • Tatiana Vilhelmová

  • Toník

    • Pavel Liška

  • Dáša

    • Aňa Geislerová

  • Jára

    • Marek Daniel

  • Mr. Souček

    • Bolek Polívka

  • Mrs. Souček

    • Simona Stašová

  • Toník's father

    • Martin Huba

  • Toník's mother

    • Anna Kočišová

  • Aunt

    • Zuzana Krónerová
Crew

  • Written by

    • Bohdan Sláma

  • Directed by

    • Bohdan Sláma

  • Producers

    • Karl Baumgartner, Thanassis Karathanos, Pavel Strnad

  • Director of photography

    • Diviš Marek

  • Editor

    • Jan Daňhel

  • Set design

    • Jan Novotný

  • Music

    • Leonid Soybelman

  • Production Manager

    • Jiři Konečný

  • Script editor

    • Burkhard Althoff

  • Sound

    • Jan Čeněk

  • Costume

    • Zuzana Krejzková

  • Set construction

    • Petr Pištěk
Festivals
  • Toronto IFF
  • New York FF
  • IFF Reykjavik
  • London FF
  • Sao Paulo IFF
  • Palm Springs
  • Trieste FF
  • Premiers Plans Angers
  • IFF Rotterdam IFF
  • IFF Gøteburg
  • IFF Istanbul
  • IFF Sofia
  • Hong Kong Filmart
Awards
  • Golden Shell for Best Feature Film, Silver Shell for Best Leading Actress (Anna Geislerová) / Donostia San Sebastián IFF
  • Golden Athena (best feature film) IFF Athen
  • Louve d’Or (best feature film) Festival du Nouveau Cinema de Montréal
  • Fipresci award (audience award) FF Cottbus
  • Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Leading Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Leading Actor / Czech Lion Awards

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