A Czech co-production has secured one of the top creative honors at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, marking another high-profile international success for Czech producers and filmmakers involved in European arthouse cinema.
How to Divorce During the War, directed by Lithuanian filmmaker Andrius Blaževičius, won the festival’s Directing Award in the World Cinema Dramatic category. The film was supported by the Czech Audiovisual Fund and co-produced by Jakub Košťál and Vratislav Šlajer of Prague-based production company Bionaut.
“For his immense talent and steady hand in a darkly comedic film about life in times of war, this director’s subtle observation holds a mirror to our contradictions without neglecting the humanity of his characters,” reads the Sundance jury’s citation.
The award was presented at the 42nd edition of Sundance, the largest showcase of independent cinema in the United States. The film is scheduled for release in Czech cinemas in the second half of 2026.
A European co-production with Czech input
How to Divorce During the War is a co-production between Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, and Ireland. While led by Lithuanian partners, the project involved several Czech creatives in key roles across post-production and design departments.
According to co-producer Košťál, Czech participation extended beyond financing. The Czech creative team includes editor Anna Johnson Ryndová, composer Jakub Rataj, makeup designer Adéla Anděly Bursová, and costume designer Aneta Grňáková. “It is a European film in the best sense of the word,” Košťál said, noting the collaborative structure of the project and the strong Czech contribution to its final form.
Set in Vilnius in early 2022, How to Divorce During the War follows Marija, a senior media executive, and her husband Vytas as they begin divorce proceedings on the eve of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As the war reshapes daily life across the region, the couple navigates separation against the backdrop of a refugee crisis and broader social uncertainty.
The film marks Blaževičius’ third feature and his second collaboration with Bionaut, following Runner, which was also co-produced by the Czech company. Blaževičius has emerged in recent years as one of the prominent voices in contemporary Lithuanian cinema, with a focus on intimate personal stories set within larger social realities.
Sundance recognition
The directing prize places How to Divorce During the War among a select group of European films to receive major recognition at Sundance, a festival traditionally associated with U.S. independent cinema but increasingly open to international co-productions.
Košťál said the film screened to sold-out audiences during the festival run. “The award for directing confirms the film’s quality,” he said, describing the project as a personal story framed by a major historical event rather than a conventional political drama.
International critical response has also been positive. Variety‘s Guy Lodge described the film as “a droll, perceptive look at handling personal crises amid political ones,” praising its restrained tone and performances. The review highlighted the film’s dry humor and its focus on moral ambiguity rather than overt political messaging.
The Sundance Film Festival was co-founded by U.S. filmmaker Robert Redford and has long served as a launchpad for independent filmmakers seeking international distribution. Past Sundance discoveries include works by Steven Soderbergh, Jim Jarmusch, and Quentin Tarantino. For European films, festival recognition often plays a key role in securing wider theatrical and streaming releases.
Czech films and co-productions have previously found success at Sundance, notably in 2007, when Irish musical drama Once won the audience award. The film featured Czech singer-songwriter Markéta Irglová, whose song Falling Slowly, co-written with Glen Hansard, later won an Academy Award.
With its Sundance win, How to Divorce During the War adds to the growing visibility of Czech-backed projects on the international festival circuit, underlining the role of Czech producers and creatives in cross-border European filmmaking.
