A Czech remake of the Oscar-winning Danish film Another Round has just wrapped filming in Mikulov, South Moravia. Titled Pod parou, the film features a female-led cast that includes Czech actresses Hana Vágnerová (Borders of Love), Alžběta Ferencová (a Slovak singer and actress better known as Zea), Judit Pecháček (Fair Play), and Zuzana Bydžovská (Lidice) in the lead roles.
Directed by Rudolf Biermann, the project is set for a theatrical release on Sept. 18, 2025. The film’s title Pod parou directly translates to Under Steam in English, Czech slang for being wasted, but will likely have an alternate official English-language title upon release.
Pod parou is an adaptation of the 2020 film Another Round (Druk), directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen. The Danish version, which centers around four high school teachers who test a controversial theory about alcohol consumption, won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2021.
The original film received widespread praise from critics for its poignant exploration of mid-life crises, friendship, and the effects of alcohol, and went on to become a critical and commercial success globally. Beyond the Oscar win for Best International Film, Vinterberg was also nominated for Best Director.
For the new Czech version, director Biermann (Once Upon a Time in the East (Válka policajtů)) and screenwriter Roman Olekšák decided to alter the premise by changing the original four male protagonists to female teachers. The new premise aims to bring a different perspective to the story while exploring similar themes of personal struggle and escapism.
The narrative follows Martina (Vágnerová) and her three friends, all high school teachers, as they embark on an experiment based on a theory by Norwegian psychiatrist Finn Skårderud. According to the theory, people are born with a natural deficit of 0.05 percent blood alcohol content, and maintaining this level can enhance performance and creativity.
Produced by In Film Praha and Cinetim Film in collaboration with Czech Television, Pod parou is described through a press release as a Czech-Slovak project that leverages local settings to create a unique backdrop for the story. CinemArt will serve as the film’s distributor.
Scenic Mikulov, a picturesque town in the Czech Republic’s South Moravian wine region, provides a distinct atmosphere for the shoot, aligning with the film’s themes of inebriation and liberation. Given the setting, viewers can expect shots of flowing Moravian vineyards and perhaps a focus on Czech wines compared to the original film’s mix of various alcoholic drinks.
Beyond the main quartet, the cast includes Czech actors Jiří Havelka (The Prague Orgy), Petr Čtvrtníček (Arvéd), Alexandr Bárta, Martin Myšička (Charlatan), and Leoš Noha (The Greedy Tiffany). Fans can expect a combination of drama and comedy, much like the original Another Round, with some unique Czech twists when Pod parou hits cinemas next fall.
Lead photo: still from Pod parou courtesy Igor Stančík – IN FILM/CINETIM