After Party, directed by Vojtěch Strakatý, will have its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on September 3, and has released an international trailer ahead of the debut. The Czech drama, which marks Strakatý’s feature debut as director, will be featured in the festival’s Horizons Extra section, which presents offbeat global features that are voted on by the festival audience.
After Party follows the story of 23-year-old Jindřiška, whose life changes dramatically when debt collectors arrive to seize her family’s house. Over the course of a single day, Jindřiška is forced to confront her family’s financial troubles and decide whether to help her father or focus on her own future.
“I thought this coming-of-age in one day [drama] had a very precise and convincing narrative structure, with a beautiful crescendo served by a discreet but eloquent mise-en-scène and an excellent leading performance,” Paolo Bertolin from the Venice International Film Festival’s selection committee tells Variety. “The final result is both fresh and thought-provoking.”
In a press statement, director Vojtěch Strakatý reveals that the film was inspired by his own personal experiences, including dealing with family debts and the loss of property. He explained that the film’s events, which unfold over 24 hours, are a condensed representation of a longer, more complex period of life challenges.
“Jindřiška’s own hungover odyssey is complicated not only by the sudden loss of her secured future but also by physical exhaustion as she starts the hellish day after a night out,” the director says.
“There are evil forces present in the form of her father and the loan sharks, but the film overall is not meant to give a daunting impression. The lightness of the narrative and the presence of hope are crucial to me, embodied particularly through the character of Karolína and the energy and unconditional friendship she brings.”
“The title After Party goes hand in hand with this approach, as the film is framed by two parties which are usually associated with more joyful experiences. The events following each of them are pivotal for Jindřiška’s future life.”
After Party stars Eliška Bašusová, Anna Tomanová, Jan Zadražil, and Monika Zoubková, and is a co-production of Xova Film, Česká Televize, i/o Post, and Studio Beep. Aerofilms will distribute the film in Czech theaters later this year, with a local release currently set for November 14. Film Republic is handling global sales.
Lead photo: Eliška Bašusová in After Party (2024) courtesy Xova Film
