A Czech family film set during the final days of World War II will represent Czech cinema on the international stage this August. Secret Delivery (Tichá pošta), directed by Ján Sebechlebský and based on a novel by Jiří Stránský, has been selected for the Locarno Film Festival’s Locarno Kids Screenings section. The film, which premiered in Czech cinemas earlier this year, will screen internationally for the first time on August 13.
Produced as a Czech-Slovak-Serbian co-production, Secret Delivery has drawn critical praise at home for its mix of historical drama and family adventure. The film follows a group of children smuggling a wounded Allied pilot across occupied territory, mirroring the childhood game from which it takes its original Czech title.
Locarno spotlight for Czech family cinema
The Locarno Film Festival, held annually in Switzerland since 1946, is considered one of Europe’s premier “A-list” festivals alongside Cannes, Venice, and Berlin. Secret Delivery was selected for Locarno Kids Screenings, a curated program showcasing exceptional family films from around the world. The section aims to introduce younger audiences to quality international cinema through premieres and rediscovered classics.
The selection marks a significant opportunity for Czech cinema, particularly in the family genre, to reach global viewers. In addition to the screening, the program includes workshops and filmmaker discussions with young audiences. Representing Secret Delivery in Locarno will be lead actors Eliška Dytrychová, Theodor Schaefer, and Jakub Král, alongside producers Julietta Sichel (8Heads Productions) and Silvia Panáková (Arinafilm).
The film’s presence in Locarno is supported by the PPF Foundation, the Czech Audiovisual Fund, and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund, and forms part of a broader campaign to promote Czech cinema internationally.
A wartime adventure told through young eyes
Secret Delivery is adapted from Jiří Stránský’s semi-autobiographical novella, based on real events. The story unfolds in the snow-covered Krkonoše mountains during the final weeks of WWII. When a group of children discovers a downed French pilot, they secretly transport him from village to village—passing him along like a whispered message in a game of “telephone”—while evading German soldiers, local collaborators, and the brutal winter.
Sebechlebský co-wrote the screenplay with Klára Formanová, crafting a narrative that blends historical suspense with childlike bravery. The cast includes Matěj Hádek, Judit Pecháček, Karel Dobrý, Antonie Formanová, and Jean-Thierry d’Almeida, alongside a young ensemble of Czech and Slovak actors.
The film was shot over 32 days from January to March 2024 in the Ústí, Liberec, and Plzeň regions, as well as in Slovakia. Following its domestic theatrical release on February 27, Secret Delivery was previously featured as a work-in-progress at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it screened in the Just Film section.
Funding for the project came from a wide range of institutions, including the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the Slovak Audiovisual Fund, and the Serbian Film Center, as well as regional Czech governments and the EU’s Next Generation recovery program. Additional support came from the Czech and Slovak Ministries of Culture, the Czech Ministry of the Environment, and partners such as Barrandov Studio and Czech Television. CinemArt handled Czech distribution.
