Broken Voices

Broken Voices
Theatrical release poster
CzechSbormistr
Directed byOndřej Provazník
Screenplay byOndřej Provazník
Produced by
  • Jiří Konečný
  • Ivan Ostrochovský
Starring
CinematographyLukáš Milota
Edited byAnna Johnson Ryndová
Music by
  • Jonathan Pastircak
  • Aid Kid
Production
companies
Distributed byCinemArt
Release dates
  • 6 July 2025 (2025-07-06) (KVIFF)
  • 10 July 2025 (2025-07-10) (Czech Republic)
Running time
104 minutes
Countries
  • Czech Republic
  • Slovakia
LanguageCzech
Box officeUS$890,905[1][2]

Broken Voices (Czech: Sbormistr) is a 2025 thriller drama film written and directed by Ondřej Provazník. The film set in early-1990s, inspired by Bambini di Praga case, explores the fragile line where innocence collides with abusive power. It follows thirteen-year-old singer Karolína, who joins her sister in a prestigious girls' choir, where the strict guidance of a demanding choirmaster Mácha begins to shape her aspirations.[3][4]

The film, a Czech Republic and Slovak Republic co-production premiered at 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 6 July 2025, where it was nominated for Crystal Globe.[5] The film was critically appreciated,[6] and won Europa Cinemas Label Award as well as Special Jury Mention for Kateřina Falbrová, for her performance as protagonist Karolína.[7]

Cast

Cast and crew of the film at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival From (L to R) Ondřej Provazník, Maya Kintera, Kateřina Falbrová, Juraj Loj
  • Kateřina Falbrová as Karolina
  • Juraj Loj as Choirmaster Vit Macha
  • Maya Kintera as Lucie
  • Zuzana Šulajová as Mother of Karolina and Lucie
  • Marek Cisovský as father of Karolina and Lucie
  • Ivana Wojtylová as mother of the Choirmaster
  • Anna Linhartová as Judita
  • Anežka Novotná as Katka
  • Markéta Kühnová as Andula
  • Lucie Žáčková as mother of Judith

Production

Ondřej Provazník, the director of the film at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Broken Voices is produced by Endorfilm in association with Punkchart Films, Czech Television, Innogy, and Barrandov Studios, with financial backing from several film institutions, including Eurimages and the Czech Audiovisual Fund. For the role of Karolína, the protagonist, newcomer Falbrová was chosen through a nationwide casting search. The part demanded acting talent and professional level vocal ability, as all choral performances were recorded live during filming.[8][9]

The film was shot in Brno, Prague, Mladá Boleslav, the Jizera and Orlické Mountains, and New York City. In New York it was filmed in locations at Manhattan subway, Central Park, and Hotel Bossert in Brooklyn. Multivision Creative, a New York-based production services company helped in re-creating 1990s in New York City.[4]

Music

The production brought together a diverse cast comprising both professional actresses and actual choir members to authentically recreate the dynamics of a real-life ensemble. The soundtrack combines classical choral music with contemporary touches from Czech producers Aid Kid and Jonathan Pastircak, whose subtle input highlights the film’s psychological depth while preserving its more subdued scenes.[10]

Release

Delegation to the film Broken Voices at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Broken Voices had its premiere at 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 6 July 2025, where it competed for Crystal Globe with other eleven feature films.[11] The trailer was released on 1 July 2025, just before the start of the festival by the Czech distributor Cinemart.[12]

The film was released in Czech theatres on 17 July 2025.[13]

The film was shortlisted alongwith other two films as the Czech Republic‘s Oscar submission for 98th Academy Awards.[14]

In June 2025, the international rights of the film were acquired by the Salaud Morisset.[15]

Reception

Critical response

On the Kinobox, which lists 15 professional reviews, the film obtained an average rating of 77%. Its AI summary of the opinions of the professional community says, "Critics have received the film very positively, appreciating its artistic value and sensitive approach to a difficult subject."[6]

Chase Hutchinson reviewing the film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for TheWrap compared it to Damien Chazelle's 2014 film Whiplash and Kitty Green's 2019 film The Assistant. Hutchinson found the film "somewhere between the two" films made on the similar theme. In his opinion Broken Voices "is delicate in some moments yet devastating in others, doing justice to a true story."[16]

Marta Balaga writing in the Variety felt that Provazník rather than "showing the trial or its aftermath" explored how such incidents begin, which led him to seek insights from other real-life cases of sexual harassment: as Vanessa Springora’s memoir Consent "(describing abuse she experienced from author Gabriel Matzneff, which started when she was 14)", 2020 American web documentary television miniseries about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich and 2019 documentary television film Leaving Neverland. Balaga concluded her review with an advice, "‘If anything happens to you, please tell someone.’"[17]

Veronica Orciari reviewing the film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for Cineuropa opined, that "the strength of the film lie in its performances and visual storytelling." Praising the director, Orciari wrote, the film is delivered with remarkable subtlety and emotional grace, leaving a deep and lasting impact through its understated strength and genuine sentiment. Orciari concluded, "Broken Voices stands out as a profoundly moving and carefully crafted film."[18]

Peter Debruge reviewing the film at the Festival for the Variety, noted that Provazník’s collaboration across departments contributed to a visually cohesive style. The use of earthy tones was intended to evoke the nostalgic warmth of 1980s family photographs, producing a look described as both intimate and enduring. He also observed that the film subtly reflects elements of Sofia Coppola’s impressionistic aesthetic, particularly referencing her 2017 film The Beguiled, in which a lone man is surrounded by young women, contributing to a mood of quiet tension. In conclusion, Debruge appreciated the director writing, "he’s to be commended for finding a poignant note on which to wrap such a sensitive, understated treatment of real-world abuse".[19]

Mirka Spáčilová in iDNES.cz said, "Broken Voices is a film based primarily on the perspectives of young heroines, all of whom are excellent actors."[20] Jordan Mintzer reviewing the film at the Festival for The Hollywood Reporter described it as "A familiar tune performed with honesty and heart."[21]

Jason Pirodsky at The Prague Reporter rated the film with 3.5/5 stars and wrote that Broken Voices is a psychological drama that examines the concealed nature of abuse within relationships founded on trust. Pirodsky felt that the film avoids conventional narrative closure and instead emphasizes the revelation of a rarely addressed societal issue.[22]

Wendy Ide in ScreenDaily praised music, writing, "Music is central to the storytelling, with the choral performances impressive." Ide also commended the "production design and costume choices work". She liked the performance of Kateřina Falbrová, writing, "newcomer Falbrova is particularly impressive," and summed up the review with her opinion of the film as, "a sensitively structured psychological drama".[23]

Damon Wise in Deadline praising performance of Juraj Loj and Falbrová wrote that Loj gave "a masterclass in showing without telling," but in his opinion the film belonged to the newcomer Kateřina Falbrová, "whose finely tuned performance stems from a deep connection to both thought and sentiment."[24]

Box office

The film was released in 165 theaters across the Czech Republic[25] and in Slovakia in 58 theaters[26] on 10 July 2025. It opened with US$176,221 in Czech Republic.

As of 10 August 2025, it grossed a total of US$890,127 worldwide, including US$777,730 in the Czech Republic and US$112,397 in Slovakia.[27]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref
2025 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Crystal Globe Grand Prix Broken Voices Nominated [28]
Europa Cinemas Label Award Won [29]
Special Jury Mention Kateřina Falbrová Won [7]

See also

References

  1. ^ {"Sbormistr (2025)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Broken Voices". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  3. ^ Provazník, Ondřej (3 June 2025). "Broken Voices". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b Jason Pirodsky (18 May 2025). "'Broken Voices': New Czech film based on Bambini di Praga sex abuse scandal in girls' choir". The Prague Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  5. ^ Kudláč, Martin (3 June 2025). "The 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival unveils its competition line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Recenze filmu Sbormistr" [Review of the film The Choirmaster]. Kinobox (in Czech). 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b Leo Barraclough (12 July 2025). "Miro Remo's 'Better Go Mad in the Wild' Triumphs at Karlovy Vary as Stellan Skarsgard Picks Up Crystal Globe". Variety. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  8. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Poster for Karlovy Vary Competition entry Broken Voices". Cineuropa. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  9. ^ Szalai, Georg (5 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Dissects a Toxic Environment in All Its Complexity, Inspired by a Girls' Choir Sexual Abuse Scandal Long Before #MeToo". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  10. ^ Šťástka, Tomáš (6 November 2023). "O třináctileté zpěvačce a šéfovi sboru. Film inspirovala i Kulínského kauza" [About a thirteen-year-old singer and choir director. The film was also inspired by the Kulínský case]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Catalogue of Films". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  12. ^ Leo Barraclough (1 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Debuts Trailer Ahead of World Premiere at Karlovy Vary Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  13. ^ Göth, Jindřich (15 May 2025). "Kontroverze na obzoru? Film inspirovaný kauzou sbormistra Bambini di Praga má trailer" [Controversy on the horizon? The film inspired by the case of the choirmaster Bambini di Praga has a trailer]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  14. ^ Marta Balaga (15 July 2025). "Czech Academy's Call for Voters to Select 'Broken Voices' as Oscar Entry Comes Under Fire: 'This Approach Feels Manipulative'". Variety. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  15. ^ Leo Barraclough (23 June 2025). "Psychological Drama 'Broken Voices' Acquired by Salaud Morisset Ahead of Karlovy Vary Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  16. ^ Hutchinson, Chase (6 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Review: Disquieting Czech Drama Is 'Whiplash' for Singing". TheWrap. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  17. ^ Marta Balaga (6 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Revisits Infamous Sexual Abuse Case That Shook Czech Republic: 'If Anything Happens to You, Please Tell Someone'". Variety. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  18. ^ Orciari, Veronica (7 July 2025). "Review: Broken Voices". Cineuropa. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  19. ^ Peter Debruge (7 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Review: Exceptional Czech Drama Nimbly Deals With Abuses of Power in a Competitive Girls Choir". Variety. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  20. ^ Mirka Spáčilová (10 July 2025). "RECENZE: Čtěte z pohledů, vzkazuje divákům zdrženlivý Sbormistr" [REVIEW: Read from the looks, the restrained Choirmaster tells the audience]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  21. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (7 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Dissects a Toxic Environment in All Its Complexity, Inspired by a Girls' Choir Sexual Abuse Scandal Long Before #MeToo". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  22. ^ Jason Pirodsky (14 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' movie review: Quietly devastating tale of abuse in a Czech girls choir". The Prague Reporter. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  23. ^ Wendy Ide (9 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' review: Powerful Czech choir drama is loosely based on real-life abuse scandal". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  24. ^ Wise, Damon (10 July 2025). "'Broken Voices' Review: A Young Girl's Dream Becomes A Nightmare In This Indelible Czech #MeToo Drama – Karlovy Vary Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Broken Voices (Czech Weekend)". Box office Mojo. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  26. ^ "Broken Voices (Slovak Weekend)". Box office Mojo. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  27. ^ "Broken Voices". Box office Mojo. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  28. ^ Jason Pirodsky (3 June 2025). "Karlovy Vary film fest unveils 2025 lineup with global premieres, mystery film from Iran". The Prague Reporter. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  29. ^ "Broken Voices, Rebuilding or Out of Love Among the Winners of the Non-Statutary Awards". Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
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