A restored version of the 1968 classic Riders of the Sky (Nebeští jezdci, also translated as The Sky Riders), one of the most powerful war films from the Czech New Wave, is now playing in local cinemas more than 55 years after its original release. Directed by Jindřich Polák and based on the autobiographical novel by Filip Jánský (pseudonym of RAF veteran Richard Husmann), the film offers an unflinching, emotionally resonant portrayal of Czechoslovak pilots who flew for Britain’s Royal Air Force during World War II.
The digitally restored version, handled by the Czech National Film Archive in collaboration with the Czech Audiovisual Fund and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, is screening in cinemas across the country this month, which marks the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII.
At the heart of Riders of the Sky is its dedication to realism. Drawing directly from Jánský’s wartime experience as a member of the 311th Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron, the film blends dramatized scenes with historical footage. Cinematographer Jan Němeček’s black and white lensing adds to the documentary feel, alongside seamless integration of authentic WWII archival material into the narrative.
Filming took place both in Czechoslovakia and abroad. While many scenes were shot locally—including at the Klecany Airfield—some of the more harrowing sequences, such as a crash landing at sea, were filmed off the German island of Rügen. The film opens with solemn scenes filmed at the Czechoslovak military cemetery in Brookwood, UK, grounding the story in the real-life losses of the war.
The film stars Jiří Bednář, Jiří Hrzán, and Svatopluk Matyáš as the young airmen at the story’s core. They are joined by British actress Elsie Randolph and American Winston Chrislock, who was studying in Prague at the time and took on the role of a bomber navigator; Riders of the Sky film marks his only on-screen role. Veterans of the RAF assisted the filmmakers as consultants, lending the film rare authenticity by contributing personal items and sharing firsthand insight.
Riders of the Sky was filmed amid the liberal Prague Spring movement but originally released in late 1968, after Soviet tanks rolled into Prague during the Warsaw Pact Invasion of Czechoslovakia. Its reach was stifled during the period of normalization, when politically sensitive works were shelved. It wasn’t until years later that the film earned broader recognition, and is now widely considered a landmark in Czech cinema.
The film has since earned lasting acclaim for its emotional depth, stark realism, and moral clarity. Its title, referencing the Western folk ballad Ghost Riders in the Sky (memorably performed by Johnny Cash), encapsulates both the spirit of the men it portrays and the tone of haunting remembrance that pervades the film.
“Riders of the Sky is often considered a film that gives an authentic picture of the private and military lives of our airmen,” says Michal Bregant, director of the Czech National Film Archive. “The use of newsreel footage aids significantly in this regard, although we still have a traditionally constructed fictional story, realistic film language and dramatic acting.”
The new restoration was completed in 2024 at Prague post-production studios Universal Production Partners and Soundsquare, marking the latest restoration of a classic work from the Czech New Wave.
A full list of screening dates and locations for the new digital restoration of Riders of the Sky can be found at the website of the Czech National Film Archive.
