On The Roof

DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE!! Jiří Mádl in person

Retired teacher Mr. Rypar (Alois Švehlík) discovers a 20-year-old Vietnamese man named Song (Duy Anh Tran) on the roof of his Prague apartment building. The man is on the brink of jumping after he narrowly escapes a police raid on an illegal drug trade. Rypar does not know if he should trust Song but decides to offer him a job of cleaning his apartment. Rypar helps Song to improve his Czech and gives him advice on love, while Song offers him some friendly competition at chess, insight into the digital age and present-day perspective. They come from polarizing worlds, but they just might be what the other needs. Through the film, actor-turned-director Jiří Mádl presents an unassuming story of a friendship developing against all odds.

On the Roof received seven nominations for the prestigious Czech Lion award in such categories as Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Alois Švehlík), among others. The film was also nominated for the Audience Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Director Jiří Mádl received the Grand Newcomer Award at the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival for the film.

The film screened at the renowned Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, among others.

Mádl made his directorial debut with the film “To See the Sea” (Pojedeme k moři) in 2014. He is also the youngest actor to win a Crystal Globe for best actor in a leading role at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2008.