Tereza Nvotová on her Venice premiere ‘Father’: “My first instinct was this is too tragic”

Slovakia-born filmmaker Tereza Nvotová’s Father, world premieres today (August 28) in Venice’s Horizons competition. Inspired by a true story, it’s about a devoted father whose life is shattered by a single tragic mistake, pushing his marriage and his will to live to the brink.

Father stars Milan Ondrík, winner of the best actor award at Karlovy Vary 2019, Dominika Morávková and Aňa Geislerová.

The co-production is produced by Veronika Paštéková and Anton Skreko for Slovakia’s Danae Production, Karel Chvojka and Miloš Lochman for the Czech Republic’s moloko film, and Marta Gmosińska and Mariusz Włodarski for Poland’s Lava Films. Rome-based Intramovies handles international sales.

Written by Dušan Budzak and Nvotová, Father is shot by Polish cinematographer Adam Suzin and edited by Nikodem Chabior with an original score composed by Jonatán Pastircák (Pjoni), a long-time collaborator of the director.

The film secured the Screen International prize at the MIA market’s work in progress section last year and is the third film from Nvotová. Father participated as a work-in-progress in several industry platforms: When East Meets West, Baltic Event, Sofia Meetings and the Marché du Film’s VIP Showcase Goes to Cannes and is being sold by Italy’s Intramovies.

How did the film come together?

My co-screenwriter Dušan Budzak knew someone who forgot about his child in a car during a heatwave. There was a heatwave in Slovakia a few years ago and there were a lot of terrible incidents and the way the media, the press and the people reacted was strong. My first instinct was this is too tragic, this can’t be the inspiration for a movie. I didn’t know how to approach it, but it lingered in my brain for so long, and I couldn’t shake it off.

The film is inspired by a true story, not based on a true story?

We were not making Father based on Budzaks’ friend. We studied other incidents too before writing it.

How did you want to make it?

I told Dušan and Veronika Paštéková (of Slovakia’s Danae Production) that I have to make it the way I see it and it will be radical: You either want to do it with me or not, because I cannot see this film the other way. They wanted to know what my vision was, I told them and they were like silent for a moment. And then Dušan said let’s do it.

Did you have to find other co-production partners to get it made?

We started development with the film fund in Slovakia (at the second time of asking). With the Czech co-producers it was quite natural because I had worked with moloko film (Karel Chvojka and Miloš Lochman) on my previous films. We knew we needed a third country to finance because it seemed like a long shot to make this. We went to Poland, because there are great cinematographers and I needed someone really good for this. 

Had you worked with anyone in Poland before?

No. Lava Film read the script, and then I started to look for the DoP and an editor, which helped get backing from the Polish film fund. I met with Adam [Suzin], who had made great short films. He’s also a very well-known camera operator in Poland.

The film shot on location in Slovakia in January and then June 2024 because there are two seasons in the film. How did you run your set?

With previous films I had made a lot decisions and choices in the editing room. With this I shot it so I wouldn’t have to spend so long stressing out in the edit. I brought the editor Nikodem, to the set. I was also scripting the music with Jonatán before we even started shooting.

What was the biggest challenge while filming?

You only have few takes when actors go deep in this emotional space before you’re done for the day. I wanted to make sure that when they are there in this most truthful, authentic moment, we were also there technically, with everything in place to capture it. We did technical rehearsals with the camera crew, actors and camera on set, and then we had rehearsal days for the emotional scenes. I wanted the camera to feel more documentary: It’s not waiting for something to happen, but that it’s reacting when something is happening. 

How involved were you with the casting for Father?

We didn’t do casting for the main two characters because I already knew who I wanted. It was offered to them and I just hoped they’d say yes, because I didn’t have an alternative.

Why this film and why now?

This film came out of pure instinct, because it created so many questions about who we are, how we are, how we are built, what kind of control do we have, are we out of control? There were more questions than answers. It’s a call to accept who we really are and not the image of who we want to be.

• Intramovies acquires Tereza Nvotová’s Venice Horizons premiere and ‘Screen International’ prizewinner ‘Father’