Beatrice Brentnerová, a Czech set decorator recognized for her work on the gothic horror film Nosferatu, has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Her nomination for Best Production Design at the Academy Awards marked a major milestone for Czech craftspeople in international cinema and secured her a place among the newest class of AMPAS members.
Each year, the Academy extends invitations to a select number of film professionals worldwide. In 2025, among the 534 invitees were three creators with Czech and Slovak roots—Brentnerová, Slovak-born costume designer Katarína Štrbová Bieliková (Waves, Charlatan), and Slovak sound engineer Viktor Krivosudský (MIKI). Their membership represents not only personal achievement but also wider recognition of Central Europe’s filmmaking excellence.
A milestone moment after years behind the scenes
Brentnerová’s Oscar nomination for Nosferatu placed her in the international spotlight after years of working quietly behind the scenes. Her contribution to the film’s eerie and period-authentic look was instrumental in earning it recognition for production design.
“I practically did everything related to the interior and exterior furnishings,” she explained in an interview with iRozhlas.cz earlier this year. . “That includes furniture, lamps, fabrics, carpets—all the small things you see in a set.”
Set in 1838, Nosferatu demanded rigorous historical accuracy. For Brentnerová, sourcing and adapting period-appropriate lighting posed the biggest challenge.
“We were at the transition point between kerosene and oil lamps,” she said. “It was very difficult to find lamps that both fit the period and worked for filming. That was probably the hardest part.”
Much of the film was shot in the Czech Republic, including locations such as Pernštejn Castle and Prague’s Barrandov Studio. Brentnerová shared the Oscar nomination with Canadian production designer Craig Lathrop, and credited her success to the team she worked with locally.
“I had the best team I could have had here, across all crafts,” she said. “I’m very happy it turned out this way—especially for them.”
Her work on Nosferatu was not her first foray into vampire cinema. The Academy also recognized her earlier credits, such as her involvement in Underworld: Blood Wars, another production filmed partly in Czechia. With an eye for moody, period-rich environments, Brentnerová has developed a reputation for creating atmospheres that elevate genre storytelling.
Academy membership underscores Czech industry’s global standing
Joining the Academy is more than symbolic recognition—it provides a voice in selecting future Oscar winners. Membership is extended only by invitation, typically requiring nomination by two existing members from the same branch or an Oscar nomination in that year. For Brentnerová, her Nosferatu nod automatically qualified her for consideration.
AMPAS currently includes more than 10,500 filmmakers and professionals from across the globe, divided into 19 branches including production design, directing, acting, sound, and others. Brentnerová joins a small but respected group of Czech Academy members, including documentary filmmaker Helena Třeštíková and animators Daria Kashcheeva and Michaela Pavlátová.
Former Czech members of AMPAS include directors Miloš Forman and Jiří Menzel, cinematographers Miroslav Ondříček and Vladimír Smutný, and Oscar-winning costume designer Theodor Pištěk.
This year’s new class also included well-known names such as actor Andrew Scott, actress Gillian Anderson, and director Coralie Fargeat.
