On January 20, 2024, the Trilobit Awards for outstanding audiovisual works awarded by the Czech Film and Television Union (FITES) were announced.

The Trilobit Awards aim to highlight television and film works with a significant aesthetic, ethical, artistic or social value, regardless of commercial success and audience ratings. The award has a long tradition and dates back to the 1960s.

The Modry Case, or, more precisely, the screenwriter Roman Vavra, won one of the five 2024 Trilobit Barrandien Awards. He was awarded for the theme, screenplay and direction. Roman Vavra tells the life story of a hockey goalkeeper Bohumil Modry who did not want to leave his Swiss wife or cancel his previously confirmed contract with the NHL depicting the era looking for its values in the East, using refined film language and strong inner persuasiveness. The hero spent five years in prison for his actions. He served some of his time as a forced labourer in the uranium mines, which resulted in his untimely death.

Roman Vavra received the award from the hands of the Sportfilm director Renata Balasova and the Sportfilm programme director Jakub Bazant who jointly appreciated the work of the film director. "Thanks to excellent cinematic language, this award-winning film brilliantly illuminates the very heartbreaking subject of how politics can destroy the nation's darling."

The gripping story told by the hockey player's daughter, Blanka Modra, was not only a success at the last Sportfilm Festival, but also triumphed abroad. Most recently in Milan, Italy, at the International Sports Film Festival, the 40th Milano International FICTS Fest, the film was awarded the Guirlande d'Honneur in the Documentary section.

This 37th year of the Trilobit Awards was again packed with successful films. The eight-member jury chaired by Prof. Vladimir Just judged 83 films seven of which were awarded, for example The Killing of a Journalist, She Came at Night or #annaismissing, a film depicting horrifying effects of cyberbullying and life on social media. The Vladislav Vancura Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ota Kopriva - a cinematographer and dramaturge who contributed to the development and refinement of Czech cinematography and its international fame.

We congratulate all the winners and look forward to the new films of 2024.

The awards ceremony was streamed by Czech Television and you can watch it HERE.