A new sports documentary titled Zlatá cesta (The Path to Gold), directed by Petr Větrovský, opened in Czech cinemas on Thursday, offering fans an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the Czech national hockey team’s surprise gold medal victory at the 2024 IIHF World Championships.
The film traces the team’s journey from a shaky pre-tournament buildup to its dramatic win on home ice in Prague. Despite low expectations from fans and commentators, head coach Radim Rulík’s squad defied the odds to capture gold—Czechia’s first world title since 2010, and the first won at home since 1985.
“The things that didn’t come together for the golden generation in 2004, or again in 2015, somehow clicked for this underestimated group,” a voiceover in the film notes.
Structured around exclusive interviews and raw footage, Zlatá cesta features insights from key figures including Rulík, veteran captain Roman Červenka, and top goalie Lukáš Dostál. The film shows the emotional and physical toll of the tournament, highlighting not just athletic performance, but also the behind-the-scenes strain—jetlag, injuries, public pressure, and internal doubts.
Rulík’s unconventional strategy of testing a wide roster of players in the run-up to the championship, despite repeated pre-tournament losses, is framed as a methodical process aimed at clarity and fairness. “I wanted to be sure why each player deserved their spot,” he reflects in the film.
Yet the coach also admits he underestimated the emotional toll. “I thought I’d announce the lineup and that would be it. I wasn’t ready for the backlash,” he says, referencing the media scrutiny he faced.
Červenka adds a voice of calm in the storm, emphasizing the team’s need to shut out external noise and focus internally. Together, he and Rulík guide viewers through what Větrovský presents as both a sports triumph and a cultural moment. “Hockey in this country is something unique. For a brief moment, it unites the nation,” the director said in a statement.
The documentary also covers the physical limits pushed by players, including NHL stars like David Pastrňák, who arrived to the tournament visibly fatigued days after playing in the NHL playoffs. Rulík notes how even minor time differences affect “already exhausted bodies.”
Větrovský, known for documentaries on athletes Jan Koller and Gabriela Soukalová, once again blends action with emotion in the 101-minute film. Zlatá cesta is now screening in Czech cinemas courtesy distributor Bontonfilm ahead of this year’s IIHF World Championship, which begins May 9 in Sweden and Denmark. An English-subtitled version is not currently available.
