A genre wave is sweeping through Czech cinema at the moment, and one of the most eagerly awaited such films, the sci-fi detective flick Restore Point [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], the feature debut by up-and-coming director Robert Hloz, has started shooting. After studying at Film School Zlín, Hloz continued at the Hanyang Film Department in South Korea, where he shot the Czech-Korean co-production Numbers. Restore Point has been generating a buzz on the industry circuit ever since it became the first Czech project ever to be pitched at the Asia Film Financing Forum, followed by an outing at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Fantasia Frontières, and Baltic Event in Tallinn.

The story is set in Prague in 2041, when every citizen has a constitutional right to live a whole life. In the event of an unnatural death, the person is brought back through the innovative technology of Restore Point. In order to be restored, a person has to back up his or her brain every 48 hours. The story follows a young detective, Emma Trochinowska, who has been assigned to the case of a murdered couple after the restoration team was only able to bring one of them back to life.

As a sci-fi film, Restore Point will use VFX to render the futuristic environment. The film’s Czech producer, Jan Kallista, of outfit Film Kolektiv, told Cineuropa that the architecture would combine socialist brutalism with a futuristic spin, creating a kind of “futurosocialism”. Principal photography is being split between the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Czech post-production studio Magiclab, responsible for the visual effects on the Guy Ritchie films Wrath of Man and Aladdin, will be bringing the story into the near future, integrating CG elements into it.

The Czech-Slovak-Polish cast is led by newcomer Andrea Mohylová in the leading role, flanked by Czech supporting actors Matěj Hádek (The Snake Brothers [+lire aussi :
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interview : David Ondříček
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interview : Marko Škop
interview : Milan Ondrík
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interview : Václav Marhoul
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interview : Pawel Pawlikowski
interview : Pawel Pawlikowski
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Q&A : Pawel Pawlikowski
fiche film] editor Jaroslaw Kaminski will ply his trade on Restore Point. Kallista confirmed to Cineuropa that post-production is planned to take place throughout 2022, and the team expects to have the final cut ready in early 2023. The Czech producer is open to potential partners for some additional financial backing for post-production.

Restore Point is being produced by Kallista, of Film Kolektiv, and co-produced by Slovakia’s D.N.A. Production, Poland’s Film Produkcja, Serbia’s Mali Budo, Czech Television and Magiclab. The Czech Film Fund, Prague Film Fund, Slovak Audiovisual Fund, Polish Film Institute, Film Center Serbia and Creative Europe – MEDIA have all supported the film. Restore Point has a theatrical release secured in all co-producing countries. The sales agent is currently in negotiations, while the premiere is planned for 2023.