13/05/2024 - The film, inspired by Hong Sang-soo and Sophie Letourneur, was shot in a semi-guerrilla style on location at the 2023 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Emerging Czech filmmaker Šimon Holý is completing his latest project, Hello, Welcome, the final instalment in a trilogy that explores the theme of women on the brink of transformative life experiences, which so far includes Mirrors in the Dark [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Šimon Holý
film profile] and And Then There Was Love… [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Šimon Holý
film profile]. Hello, Welcome centres on three actresses — Ema (Eliška Soukupová), Adéla (Alena Doláková) and Soňa (Sára Venclovská) — who attend a film festival where Adéla is debuting her new movie. Each actress has her own unique reasons for attending: Ema is there to support her friend Adéla; Adéla is involved in the presentation of her work; and Soňa, driven by her passion for cinema, seeks to immerse herself in the festival experience.

Writer-director Holý notes that the film delves into themes of self-love, the challenges faced by actors, and the often-enigmatic nature of the film industry, while portraying the quest for authenticity as a challenging yet vital pursuit within the professional landscape.

Like Holý's earlier works, Hello, Welcome is dialogue-driven, but it moves away from the chamber character of his previous films, adopting a broader approach, rather than adhering to the strict mumblecore style that his previous opuses are known for. The setting for the film is the actual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), and the movie was shot on location during the event’s 57th edition in a semi-guerrilla style (with the festival being aware of the shoot). The film crew included sound designer Hana Kašpárek Vyšínská, cinematographer Jana Hojdová and a camera assistant, along with Holý and all of the actors. Actual festival visitors took part in some scenes as extras, while Czech filmmakers Tomáš Pavlíček and Tomasz Winski and actress Jana Plodková are featured in cameo roles. Holý shared with Cineuropa that the stylistic approach for this third instalment drew inspiration from Hong Sang-soo's Claire's Camera [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Sophie Letourneur's Les coquillettes [+see also:
trailer
film profile], both of which also utilise the dynamic environment of film festivals as a narrative backdrop.

The director describes Hello, Welcome to Cineuropa as “a wild comedy about actresses, their eccentricities and the absurdities of the film-festival world”. He elaborates that while the characters are not caricatures, the film places performance, the use of social media, like Instagram stories, and authenticity in juxtaposition. Holý characterises the film as a semi-satire that takes a stab at the film industry regarding its treatment of women, while touching upon issues of sexism, misogyny and the #MeToo movement. In his words, he aims to provide a realistic and unembellished look at an acting career, moving beyond the glamour of glossy magazine covers and red-carpet events to offer an insider’s view of the industry.

The final cut of the film is complete, and it is currently in the final stages of post-production, with the team polishing both the visual and audio elements. Holý, who is also the producer, is seeking an international sales agent in anticipation of a festival debut in autumn or winter 2024. He is concurrently in discussions with local distributors for a domestic theatrical release. The project is entirely self-funded.

Hello, Welcome is being produced by První řada (formerly known as šššššFilm), and co-produced by PFX and Studio Beep.