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After six years of work on the adaptation of Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s internationally acclaimed play Enigma Variations, the film adaptation is finally coming to Czech cinemas. Distributed by CinemArt, the Czech Republic’s largest film distributor, the film will be released nationwide from September 10. You now have the opportunity to watch its official trailer.
The play, which has been translated into more than 50 languages and which brought Alain Delon back to the stage in 1996, has finally received its long-awaited film adaptation, written and directed by Adolf Zika.

Even before its official release, the film is already receiving awards at international festivals:

The film Gentle Brawler, directed by Adolf Zika, won the grand prize at the Sportfilm Liberec festival. The jury praised his inspiring portrait of an athlete who shows that real strength lies in the mindset, not just in the muscles. The powerful and inspiring feature-length documentary describes the incredible "Japanese journey" of Olympic judo champion Lukáš Krpálek against the backdrop of an unknown story and the confession of his greatest rival.

Gentle Brawler is a powerful and inspiring documentary about Czech judoka Lukáš Krpálek, whose journey to Olympic victory is much more than a story of sporting success. The film reveals not only Krpálek’s rigorous training and unbreakable will, but also his personal struggles, life losses and inner conflicts that have shaped his path to the top.

Official trailer for the movie Gentle Fighter.

The project is co-financed with the financial support of the program: Creative Vouchers III.

In the summer of 2024, Zika shot his long-awaited second feature film, The Healing Effects of Self-Deception, based on the famous play Enigma Variations by French playwright Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, which has been translated to more than 50 languages. The film is expected to premiere in February 2026.

In early 2024, Czech Television premiered a feature documentary about world-renowned fashion designer Blanka Matragi. Filmed over the course of 3 years, the documentary achieved one of the highest viewership ratings for a documentary in the history of Czech Television.