A new English-language historical drama about the brutal Communist suppression of Catholic monasteries in post-war Czechoslovakia is slated to begin production next year, reports Variety. Operation K will star Czech actor Karel Roden (pictured at top in 2010’s Habermann) as Josef Toufar, a priest who faced horrific persecution for defying the Soviet-backed regime.
Georgian filmmaker Rusudan Glurjidze, known for her critically acclaimed anti-Putin drama The Antique, will direct. The film will shed light on the brutal state-led campaign that saw the closure of religious sites, mass arrests of clergy, and the dismantling of religious heritage, dramatizing a dark period in the history of Soviet-influenced Czechoslovakia.
Set in 1949-1950, Operation K will depict the events of Akce K, a covert operation launched by the Communist regime to systematically dissolve Catholic monasteries and imprison monks across Czechoslovakia. In April 1950, authorities targeted 219 monasteries, detaining over 2,300 monks and confiscating valuable religious and cultural artifacts.
The government’s goal was to undermine the influence of the Catholic Church, which it viewed as a threat to Communist ideology. The campaign caused enormous cultural losses, as many historic monastery buildings were left to deteriorate, while precious religious texts and artifacts vanished into state storage or were outright destroyed.
At the heart of Operation K is the story of Toufar, a Czech priest who found himself targeted by the state following a mysterious event in his parish that became known as the Číhošť miracle. In December 1949, during one of Toufar’s sermons, a wooden cross on the altar reportedly moved on its own, witnessed by multiple parishioners.
News of the so-called miracle quickly spread, alarming the Communist government, which feared the incident would inspire opposition to its anti-religious agenda. Determined to discredit the Church, the regime accused Toufar of staging the event. State police abducted him and subjected him to brutal torture, forcing a confession that he had faked the miracle.
However, Toufar refused to comply, and despite attempts by government agents to fabricate evidence, they failed to debunk the event convincingly. Toufar died from his injuries in February 1950, becoming a martyr in the eyes of many Czechs.
Roden, famed locally for films like Habermann (pictured at top), Masaryk, and Photographer, will star as Toufar. The Czech actor is also known internationally for his performances in Hollywood features like Hellboy, Orphan, and 15 Minutes. In addition to starring in the lead role, Roden will also executive produce the project.
Operation K is written by Gregory W. Jordan (The Royal) and produced by David Goldblum’s Conscious Contact Entertainment alongside Jordan’s Sweet Ginger Films. The project will reunite director Glurjidze with cinematographer Gorka Gómez Andreu, who worked with her on The Antique, Georgia’s official submission to the 2025 Academy Awards that premiered at the recent Venice Film Festival.
Glurjidze also directed House of Others, which won the East of West Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2016. Operation K is expected to begin production across Europe next fall.
Lead photo: Karel Roden in Habermann (Habermannův mlýn) © Bontonfilm / KN Filmcompany – Larry Horricks
One Response
Interesting. There’s a great story behind Toufar and even in Czech media he is barely remembered, probably because of the religious angel. Curious how well this director can tell it but Roden is good casting to start.