Smetana, a new biopic about the life of legendary Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, is set to premiere for local audiences on Czech Television’s ČT art channel on Nov. 3. In December, it will screen at New York City’s Bohemian National Hall in coordination with five Czech Week concerts at Carnegie Hall, which are celebrating the 200th anniversary of Smetana’s birth.
The film is one of the key cultural highlights of the Smetana200 project, a year-long initiative commemorating the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Smetana‘s narrative will explore the final 16 years of Smetana’s life, a period marked by profound personal and professional challenges, including his struggle with deafness while composing his most celebrated work.
Directed by Marek Najbrt, best known for his Czech Lion Award-winning 2009 historical drama Protektor, Smetana is not intended as a detailed historical recreation but as an artistic interpretation of the composer’s later years. Václav Neužil, who previously played Czech Olympic hero Emil Zátopek in Zátopek, stars as the titular composer, celebrated as the “father of Czech music.”
“We weren’t aiming to demystify or scandalize Smetana as a person,” Najbrt noted during a press conference in Prague. “We drew from available sources but ultimately created our own vision of this period in his life. It should be viewed as a reflection of the filmmakers, not as a strict historical account.”
Smetana‘s story focuses on the dramatic final decade of Smetana’s life, during which he lost his hearing but continued to compose some of his most significant works, including Má vlast and Libuše. Vltava, the second movement of Má vlast, is perhaps the most famous piece of Czech music ever composed.
The film also delves into Smetana’s personal relationships, particularly his complex bond with his second wife, Betty, played by Sarah Haváčová, and his friendship with poet Eliška Krásnohorská, portrayed by Denisa Barešová. Jana Plodková, Igor Bareš, Pavel Řezníček, Jiří Maryško, and Viktor Zavadil also star in the film.
Star Neužil prepared intensively for the role of the iconic Czech composer. In addition to growing a distinctive beard, he worked with Czech Lion award-winning makeup artist Martin Valeš to fully embody the composer. He also collaborated with Czech National Theatre Conductor Jan Chalupecký to master proper conducting technique and worked with choreographer Marek Zelinka for the film’s extensive dance scenes.
Following its premiere on Czech Televison, Smetana will also play internationally, with a U.S. premiere scheduled for Dec. 6 at the Bohemian National Hall in New York. This event will take place during the Year of Czech Music, part of the Czech Week celebrations at Carnegie Hall, showcasing Czech culture to U.S. audiences.
The release of Smetana comes amidst a series of nationwide celebrations honoring the 200th anniversary of the birth composer, who was born in 1824 in Litomyšl and died in 1884 in Prague. Smetana is widely regarded as the founder of Czech national music, with his works deeply influencing the country’s musical identity.
As part of the Smetana200 project, over 600 events have been scheduled throughout the year, ranging from opera performances and classical music concerts to exhibitions and lectures. The project is organized under the broader umbrella of the Year of Czech Music, which seeks to highlight the country’s rich musical heritage through a variety of cultural events.
Lead photo: Václav Neužil in Smetana © Česká televize / Pavla Černá