ICE MOTHER A FILM BY BOHDAN SLÁMA 67-year old Hana is the good soul of her family. Every One day, while Hana is looking for Ivánek who sneaked week her sons come over with their wives and children for out, she finds a man, Broňa, floating at the riverside, unable to their family dinner. It is a family tradition not to be changed. move. She jumps in and helps him to get out of the icy water. Selfless, Hana takes care of the little Ivánek, who is not really Hana gets to know his elderly friends and suddenly she is cherishing his grandma’s help. She also supports her other included in a new social circle. Even little Ivánek is interested son with money everytime he asks for it – and he asks a lot. A in the funny quirky group of ice swimmers. warmhearted yet modest person, Hana continues to live alone in the old family house without changing a thing ever since Light-hearted Broňa, who lives in an old camper bus near her husband died a few years ago. She might need a helping the river, inspires Hana’s lust for life. They become lovers, hand but both her sons are too busy and too selfish to see it. but when she introduces him to her sons, the whole family is shocked. In a series of events and dark secrets, Hana has to stand up and start changing her life. Born in 1967 in Opava, Czech Republic, Bohdan Sláma studied film directing at Prague Film School FAMU. His debut feature Wild Bees won a Tiger Award at its premiere in Rotterdam. His second feature Something Like Happiness 2017 Ice Mother (Bába z ledu) premiered in 2005 at San Sebastian, winning the Main and 2012 Four Suns (Čtyři Slunce) the Best Actress Award. The film has been sold to more 2008 Country Teacher (Venkovský Učitel) than twenty territories worldwide. Country Teacher was 2005 Something Like Happiness (Štěstí) premiered at Venice in 2008. Variety named Sláma one of 2001 Wild Bees (Divoké Včely) “10 Directors to Watch“ in 2009. Sundance Film Festival screened his latest feature Four Suns in competition in 2012. “The central character of all my films is a contemporary takes even the smallest step towards adulthood, for me it will family. I consider a family solidarity a basic prerequisite for a represent a huge story. fulfillment of human existence. If this basic solidarity is in any way disrupted, it always represents a powerful dramatic motif The winter swimmers club is a community of people who for me and I try to work it into a story. This film is told from like each other. They share the urge to surpass themselves, the point of view of Hana, a mother of two adult sons. Her sons every time they go into the cold water it hurts and they are used Ivan and Petr have never actually grown up to be adults, they to cheering each other up even though during competitions act like two childish selfish creatures who are used to treat they are rivals. There is a lawyer as well as a bricklayer, a their mother like an object of a daily consumption. doctor as well as an ordinary shop assistant, the cold water wipes away all the differences, in the water everyone is equally Increasing childishness, selfishness and narcissism in vulnerable and equally powerful at the same time. today‘s society are key themes for me. Unwillingness to grow up, unwillingness to accept the responsibility for one‘s Water is a basic life-giving element. Immersing in cold surroundings, devastation of natural human relationships and water is the basis of a purging ritual in all cultures. An image emotional attachments result in a loss of an authenticity of life, of a fragile human body swimming in the cold element brings in its crippling and dehumanization. If any of my characters out a hope.“ He was born 1948 in Pilsen (CZ). After finishing his studies, Nový started his career in theatre. His first biggest role in films came at the end of the seventies with Ballad for a Bandit by Vladimír She was born in 1952 in Martin, Sís and Build the House, Plant a Tree by Slovakia. She is a recognized and Juraj Jakubisko. His popularity came acclaimed theatre, TV and film actress. just after he played Pepa in the famous Zuzana started her career in the Czech comedy With You the World Is begining of 70‘s and starred in dozens Fun by Marie Poledňáková. He played films such as When the Stars Were Red by dozens of characters, out of which the Dušan Trančík premiered in Berlinale most significant ones are coming from 1991, Pupendo by Jan Hřebejk winner of cooperation with Jan Švankmajer, in films two Czech Lions and as well in Bohdan like Conspirators of Pleasure nominated Sláma‘s first film Wild Bees, which she for the Czech Lion and Little Otik which won the Czech Lion for Best Actress. won the Czech Critics Award. Hana ~ Zuzana Kronerová Writer & Director ~ Bohdan Sláma Broňa ~ Pavel Nový Director of Photography ~ Diviš Marek Ivánek ~ Daniel Vízek Editor ~ Jan Daňhel Ivan ~ Václav Neužil Sound ~ Michal Holubec & Marek Poledna Kateřina ~ Tatiana Vilhelmová Production Designer ~ Jan Vlasák Petr ~ Marek Daniel Producers ~ Pavel Strnad & Petr Oukropec Věra ~ Petra Špalková Zuzana ~ Alena Mihulová Production Companies ~ Negativ (CZ), Artileria (SK), Květa ~ Marie Ludvíková Why Not Productions (FR) Ludva ~ Luboš Veselý Co-Production Companies ~ Česká televize (CZ), Barrandov studio (CZ), Rozhlas a televízia Slovenska (SK) Supported by ~ State Cinematography Fund (CZ), Eurimages (EU), MEDIA (EU) TECHNICAL DETAILS: Format ~ RED, Cinemascope · Sound ~ 5.1 · Duration ~ 105 min · Original Language ~ Czech The Match Factory GmbH Domstrasse 60 50668 Cologne / Germany phone +49 221 539 709-0 fax +49 221 539 709-10 [email protected] www.the-match-factory.com Steven Raphael required viewing phone 212 206-0118 [email protected] [email protected].