Country: Czechia • Slovakia | Genre: Fiction, historical, thriller | Year: 2024 | Duration: 131’ | In Czech with Ukrainian and English subtitles

About the film

Prague, 1967. Tomás is an older brother who takes care of his family and does everything to ensure that his younger brother remains safe and continues his studies. When Pavel joins the peaceful resistance to the regime, Tomás accidentally finds himself in the international department of the Czechoslovak Radio. He finds himself among journalists who challenge censorship and dictatorship. But their courageous work attracts the attention of the secret services, every word becomes jumbled, and Soviet tanks are about to enter the city to crush the hopes of the Prague Spring.

Reasons to watch

This is a spy thriller based on real historical events that resonate with the present. The main characters are journalists who resist censorship, risking everything: their work, their relationships, the safety of their loved ones. In an era when independent journalism is once again under pressure in many countries, these challenges sound sharp and do not lose their relevance. Waves is a film about the power of truth, the price of responsibility and a choice that can change not only a person's fate, but also the course of history.

About the director

Jiří Mádl is a Czech film actor, director and screenwriter. He is a member of the European Film Academy. He is also the youngest actor to ever receive the Crystal Globe Award for Best Actor at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. As a director and screenwriter, Jiří Mádl made his debut in 2014 with the film We Will Go to the Sea, which won numerous awards around the world.

Festivals

• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, 2024 (Audience Award)

• Miami Film Festival, 2025

• CinEast, 2024 (Audience Award)

• Czech Lions, 2025 (Award for Best Directing)