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Girl America

Amerikanka

The poignant tale of a forsaken girl raised in totalitarian Czechoslovakia, blending surreal visuals with the reality in her fight for redemption. They call her Girl America (Amerikánka). Once a girl, now a woman.How many times can you be knocked down and yet rise again? An orphan under communism.
Foster care. Juvenile detention. And then, the Velvet Revolution.

Girl America is more than just a story of perseverance; it‘s an emotional journey that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of hope. The hope that one day you’d escape to America, where your father awaits. 

Girl America is not just a story of mine but also resonates with the experiences of thousands of Czech children in communist orphanages. It is conveyed through the captivating lens of surreal visuality, yet its essence is deeply rooted in reality. Everything in this film is true. The narrative. The characters. The scars – it’s all genuine and authentic. This film brings to life the true account of a girl I encountered during my period of homelessness in Prague, following the Velvet Revolution. Together, we were part of the initial wave of freedom’s casualties, a group consisting of tens of thousands of children who grew without their parents. Now, twenty-five years on, Girl America revisits and reconstructs those memories with the assistance of a new generation of orphans, who breathe life into the characters, enriching the narrative with their own experiences and scars.
 
At its core, Girl America mirrors the journey of Mowgli, albeit set against the backdrop of an urban wilderness filled with strangers. It tells the poignant tale of a forsaken girl who, fortified by an unwavering belief in free America in the eighties and her hope of reuniting with her American father, surmounts all obstacles life throws her way. The film’s innovative use of fantasy imagery to reconstruct Girl America’s memories allows audiences to grasp the full intensity of the emotions involved, unfettered by the biases of conventional judgment and societal norms. This reconnection with the past facilitates the transition from a child to an emancipated woman, highlighting the profound notion that our identities are shaped by our memories as well as the moments that we fail to remember.
Viktor Taus is an avant-garde director renowned for his experimental approach to storytelling, recognized as an uncategorized force within Czech cultural scene. His work is a testament to a deep-seated quest to unravel the language of images, a pursuit that drives him to continuously evolve his narrative mediums. Whether it’s through theater, live cinema, TV miniseries, or feature films, Viktor’s projects are always at the forefront of passionate debates, highlighting his commitment to innovation earning him three prestigious Czech Lions across diverse formats.
 
One of Viktor’s most profound obsessions lies with the story of Girl America, a narrative thread that has woven through his career since his debut My Detox. This film, which marked Viktor as a significant voice in the post-communist cultural landscape, reflecting Viktor’s own struggles with addiction and reality. 
 
The story of Girl America was further inspired by his encounter with a woman known as Amerikanka during a period of homelessness, an experience that deeply influenced his artistic journey. Viktor’s pursuit to bring this story to life has led to its adaptation in 13 successful theatrical versions (with more than 100.000 spectators), innovative live cinema events, and, ultimately, a transition to the big screen. 

producers
HEAVEN’S GATE
VÁCLAV DEJČMAR
BARRANDOV STUDIO
VOYO
ČESKÁ TELEVIZE
PFX
KFILM SWISS
BFILM
AXMAN PRODUCTION
LONELY PRODUCTION
PICTURELLA
JAN EČER

screenplay
DAVID JAŘAB

story editor
VÁCLAV DEJČMAR

costume designer / production designer
JAN KADLEC

director of photography
MARTIN DOUBA

editor
ALOIS FIŠÁREK
KRZYSZTOF KOMANDER

music by
JAN PROKEŠ

sound designer
MICHAŁ FOJCIK

hair / make up artist
JANA DOPITOVÁ

prosthetics designers
RENÉ STEJSKAL
JANA DOPITOVÁ

executive producer
MICHAL SIKORA

line producers
DONIKA ŽÁNOVÁ
ANETA NOVOTNÁ WOJTYLOVÁ

acting coaching and preparation of child actors
PAVLA BERETOVÁ
LUCIE ŽÁČKOVÁ
KRISTÍNA MARTANOVIČOVÁ
DORA SULŽENKO HOŠTOVÁ

producer
VIKTOR@HEAVENSGATE.CZ

publicist

Christian De Schutter
HYPEPARK 
christian@hypepark.be
www.hypepark.be
+32 477 475257
 
Tatiana Detlofson
MEDIAPLAN PR
tatiana@mediaplanpr.com
www.mediaplanpr.com
+1.310.663.3465 / WhatsApp
 
World Sales:
 
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Amerikanka

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