How many Oscars can Czechs claim? The answer may surprise you

Over the weekend, fans of Czech cinema and global movies were treated to two nights of film fun. The Czech Republic presented its top film award on Saturday, March 9, at Prague’s Rudolfinum. The 96th Academy Awards took place Sunday evening in the U.S., with Czech-based enthusiasts waking up to the news of an Oppenheimer win.

The historical drama The Brothers, about young freedom fighters against Czechoslovakia’s communist regime in the 1950s, won best film at the 31st annual Czech Lion Awards, the nation’s top honors for movies.

The Brothers had a leading 15 nominations but converted only its best picture nod amid a split in Czech society over the legacy of the protagonists, who violently resisted the communist regime before escaping.

Ultimately, the black comedy She Came at Night earned the most trophies, including Best Director for Jan Vejnar and Tomáš Pavlíček and Best Actress for Simona Peková. For a full list of Czech winners, see here.

In Sept. 2023, The Brothers (Bratři) was selected as the Czech Republic’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film category by the Czech Film and Television Academy. The film failed to clinch the nomination, but if it had, it would’ve joined the distinguished ranks of films to have been nominated for the prestigious prize.

Three Czechoslovak films have won Best International Feature Film: The Shop on Main Street (1966), Closely Watched Trains (1968), and Kolya (1997). Additionally, six films received nominations: The Loves of a Blonde (1967), The Firemen’s Ball (1969), My Sweet Little Village (1987), The Elementary School (1992), Divided We Fall (2001), and Želary (2004).

Two films by a Czech native, Miloš Forman (One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975 and Amadeus in 1984) were awarded Best Director.

While the Czech Republic was absent from this year’s competition (the Oscar for Best International Feature Film went to Zone of Interest, a Polish-UK coproduction), a recently released list of “Czech Oscar winners” paid homage to the country’s rich cinematic heritage and contributions to the global film industry by widening the definition of “Czechness.”

Czech publication Deník N’s comprehensive breakdown of Czech Oscar winners takes a more inclusive approach to arrive at its list of 25 Czech citizens, natives, or compatriots who have clinched 31 coveted Oscars.

The list comprises renowned Czech Oscar winners like Ivan Jandl, Jiří Menzel, Miloš Forman, and Tom Stoppard, who were born in the territory of Czechia as well as those who belong to “Czech compatriots in the U.S.” (Sissy Spacek, Adrien Brody, Brendan Fraser, James Horner.)

The overview, presented chronologically, seeks to “appreciate the diverse ways these laureates embody the essence of ‘Czechness’,” writes the publication.