‘Zátopek’ Leads 2022 Czech Lion Awards With Eight Wins

“Zátopek,” director David Ondříček’s biopic about Olympic champion Emil Zátopek, dominated the 29th annual Czech Lion Awards, winning in eight categories across 13 nominations.

The Czech Lion Awards were held on Saturday evening at Dvořák Hall in Prague’s Rudolfinum. The awards, which are voted on by a 350-person jury of members from the Czech Film and Television Academy, are considered the highest film honors in the Czech Republic.

During the ceremony, “Zátopek” won awards for best film, director, actor in a leading role, cinematography, editing, sound, production design and makeup and hairstyling.

Prior to the ceremony, it was also announced that the film had previously won the fan vote category at the awards, as well as an award for its poster design.

“Zátopek” stars Václav Neužil, recipient of the Czech Lion for leading actor, as long-distance runner Emil Zátopek, who won four gold medals at the Olympics and is widely considered one of the greatest runners of all time.

The film is structured around a meeting between Clarke and Zátopek during the 1968 Summer Olympics, during which the film flashes back to notable moments in Zátopek’s life, including his win in the marathon competition of the 1952 Olympics, the first marathon he ran in his life.

“Zátopek” was an instant success upon release, with its opening weekend becoming the most successful for any film in the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, grossing over 17 million Czech Crowns. The film has received positive reviews both in the Czech Republic and abroad.

A U.S. release for the film has not yet been announced. “Zátopek” was selected as the Czech submission for the international feature film category at the Oscars, but was not nominated.

The Czech Lion ceremony also paid tribute to the Ukrainian people as a response to the current invasion of the country by Russian military forces, with the venue decorated in Ukraine’s yellow and blue colors.

The audience collectively donated over 5 million Czech Crowns for Ukrainian relief. The ceremony’s afterparty was cancelled, with the money that would have gone to it instead being donated to the Ukrainian resistance.