The Czech animated film Living Large (Život k sežrání), directed by Kristina Dufková, has received a surprise nomination for Best European Film at the 2024 European Film Awards. The Czech movie will compete against high-profile features like The Substance and Emilia Pérez, which are also looking to make a splash at this year’s Academy Awards.
Living Large had already received an early nomination for Best Animated Film at the European Film Awards, but it’s selection among films vying for Best European Film came as a surprise. The higher-profile Czech Oscar submission Waves failed to score any nominations for the 37th annual awards, which will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland, on Dec. 7.
This year marks a shift in the European Film Awards rules, allowing animated features and documentaries to compete for the overall Best European Film category, a move that has expanded the diversity of titles vying for the award. In addition to Living Large, the animated features Flow, Savages, Sultana’s Dream, and They Shot the Piano Player also scored Best Film nods.
Based on the French novel La vie, en gros by author Mikaël Ollivier, Living Large addresses themes of childhood obesity and self-acceptance and centers on twelve-year-old Ben, a boy whose love of food and music shapes his journey. The story follows Ben as he navigates the complexities of adolescence, with encouragement from his bandmates and mother as he attempts to impress his classmate Klára.
Living Large won the Jury Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival earlier this year, and had its Czech premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in June.
“I enjoy immersing myself in specific moments of life,” told audiences when presenting the film in Karlovy Vary. “Now I want to make a film for younger children about the importance of dreaming and to capture the excited state of happiness.”
The script for Living Large was adapted by Petr Jarchovský, best known for his collaborations with director Jan Hřebejk that include the beloved Christmas story Cosy Dens (Pelíšky) and the excellent Garden Store trilogy. Czech Television and Aerofilms co-produced the film, which tackles issues that resonates with audiences of all ages through stop motion, 2D, and puppet animation.
The competition for Best European Film is strong, with a total of 15 nominees including Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes, Pedro Almodóvar‘s The Room Next Door, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Mohammad Rasoulof‘s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and Coralie Fargeat‘s hit body horror movie The Substance.
No Czech film has managed to win Best Film at the European Film Awards, but the country has achieved recognition in other categories. In 2008, director Helena Třeštíková won Best Documentary for René, and Tomáš Luňák’s animated feature Alois Nebel won Best Animated Film in 2012.
The winners of this year’s European Film Awards will be decided by the 5,000 members of the European Film Academy, based across Europe. The nomination of Living Large alongside some of the best films of 2024 should elevate its profile ahead of additional year-end award ceremonies.
In Prague, Living Large is currently playing in cinemas, including select English-friendly screenings.
