The first trailer has dropped for Pod parou (which directly translates to Under Steam in English, Czech slang for being wasted), a Czech remake of Thomas Vinterberg’s Oscar-winning Another Round (Chlast). The comedy, which gives the boozy midlife experiment a local twist, hits Prague cinemas from August 7.
Like the Danish original, Pod parou follows a group of teachers who set out to test a theory that humans function best with a constant blood alcohol level of .05 percent. But this time, the protagonists are four female high school teachers from Mikulov, South Moravia, turning the male-led story into a fresh take on female camaraderie, life choices, and a few too many glasses of wine.
Leading the cast are Hana Vágnerová (Borders of Love), Alžběta Ferencová (a Slovak singer and actress better known as Zea), Judit Pecháček (Fair Play), and Zuzana Bydžovská (Lidice). The film is directed by Rudolf Biermann, who also produced the project.
“When I had the chance to get remake rights for Another Round, I knew right away that it should be about women instead of men,” Biermann said in a statement. “I believe the result speaks for itself, and I hope this version, full of female charm and Czech-Slovak banter, will entertain everyone.”
While the original tackled themes of male friendship and existential crisis, Pod parou leans into the local setting and humor, with its characters gaining a new outlook on teaching and personal life as their alcohol experiment spirals out of control.
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.
Scenic Mikulov, a picturesque town in the Czech Republic’s South Moravian wine region, provides the atmosphere for the remake, aligning with the film’s themes of inebriation and liberation. Viewers can expect shots of flowing Moravian vineyards and 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.
Produced by In Film Praha and Cinetim Film in co-production with Czech Television, Pod parou will be distributed locally later this summer by CinemArt.
