A legal dispute that temporarily blocked the Czech Television broadcast of the acclaimed drama Broken Voices (Sbormistr) has been resolved through a court-approved settlement, bringing an end to months of litigation between the film’s producers and one of the real-life victims who inspired its story.
While the agreement concludes the court proceedings, its terms remain confidential under a non-disclosure agreement, leaving unanswered questions about when the award-winning film may eventually return to Czech television.
Confidential settlement ends months-long legal battle
The parties involved in the lawsuit over Broken Voices have reached a settlement approved by Prague 4 District Court, according to Czech Television (ČT), one of the film’s producers. The agreement resolves a case that had raised broader questions about the balance between artistic freedom and the rights of victims portrayed in works inspired by real events.
The dispute began after a woman who survived the abuse committed by former Bambini di Praga choir conductor Bohumil Kulínský said she recognized herself in one of the film’s characters. She filed a civil lawsuit against the producers, arguing that the film infringed upon her personality rights despite being presented as a fictional work inspired by actual events.
In March, Prague 4 District Court issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the film’s terrestrial television broadcast in the Czech Republic. The Municipal Court in Prague later upheld that decision, finding that a television broadcast could deepen the psychological harm suffered by the plaintiff, who had been abused as a minor and was considered particularly vulnerable to secondary and tertiary victimization.
The settlement now brings that litigation to a close. According to the woman’s attorney, Ivan David, “a compromise acceptable to both parties” was reached on every aspect of the lawsuit. However, neither side is permitted to disclose the details of the agreement.
Czech Television spokesperson Radek Konečný said the broadcaster could not comment on either the settlement’s contents or future broadcast plans because of the confidentiality clause. Court spokesperson Jan Chmel noted that while the settlement has been announced in court, it will become legally final only after the written decision is delivered to the parties. No appeal is permitted, meaning the proceedings will formally conclude once that process is complete.
Award-winning drama an acclaimed Czech production
Directed by Ondřej Provazník, Broken Voices is inspired by the case of Kulínský, who was convicted of sexually abusing underage members of the Bambini di Praga children’s choir. The filmmakers have consistently emphasized that the drama is a fictional work inspired by real events rather than the story of any specific individual.
During the legal proceedings, Provazník expressed regret that the film had caused psychological distress to some real-life survivors. In response to concerns raised during the dispute, the filmmakers also changed the first name of the film’s 13-year-old protagonist after it originally matched that of one of the victims. The character is now named Valerie.
The injunction issued earlier this year applied only to terrestrial television broadcasts. Broken Voices was never withdrawn from cinemas or streaming platforms. The film premiered in Czech theaters last summer, attracting more than 120,000 admissions, and has remained available on Netflix and other paid video-on-demand services.
Despite the legal controversy, Broken Voices has become one of the Czech Republic’s most acclaimed recent films. It was named Best Film of 2025 by the Czech Film Critics’ Association and won three Czech Lion awards, including Best Actress for Kateřina Falbrová. The production received 13 Czech Lion nominations in total.
