Champions (2004)
Ice hockey is a Czech national obsession, and the country's victory over Russia in the 1969 World Championships, the year following the Soviet invasion, is a celebrated moment in its history. In Marek Najbrt's black comedy, the heroic exploits take place only on a black and white tv screen as a group of representative misfits gather and watch the game in a desolate village on the Czech border. Fuelled by the prophetic visions of an alcoholic, the self-obsessed fans - the owner of a failed pub; a bigoted invalid, Jarda; the neurotic Pavel; Josef (who hopes his father wasn't a Roma); and the bus driver who provides their only link with the outside world - follow a much less successful course than the national team. Alongside them are Zdena, the publican's wife, who hopes for a better life, and a local Sudeten German, who was dispossessed following the war. While consisting of recognisable types, Najbrt's bleak portrait reveals a world of alcoholism, debt, racism, bigotry, and infidelity that trails behind the dreams of nationalism and bears little resemblance to the fantasies of the new consumerism. A clever and multi-levelled film, it provides a sharp antidote to the reconciliatory charms of the conventional Czech comedy.
All Releases
Domestic (–)
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International (100%)
$79,035
$79,035
Worldwide
$79,035
$79,035
Earliest Release DateApril 1, 2004
(Czech Republic)
Running Time1 hr 23 min
GenresComedy
Drama
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Marek Najbrt | Director |
| Robert Geisler | Writer |
| Marek Najbrt | Writer |
| Benjamin Tucek | Writer |
| Milan Kuchynka | Producer |
| Pavel Strnad | Producer |
| Petr Marek | Composer |
| Miloslav Holman | Cinematographer |
| Pavel Hrdlicka | Editor |
| Milan Býcek | Production Designer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Klára Melísková | |
| Will Spoor | |
| Jirí Ornest | |
| Jan Budar |
