New York Shooting is done

After filming in NYC, we’re slowly winding down shooting for "It Would Be My Dream".

Starting in January of this year in the Krkonoše Mountains, and after several Czech locations, the filmmakers have now returned from shooting in the USA. Just a few days of shooting left in Brno and it’s officially a wrap! 

It Would Be My Dream marks Provazník’s most ambitious project to date.

For this production, director Ondřej Provazník had really big ambitions: 

“From the beginning, I wanted the choir in our film to truly go on tour. And I dreamed of the United States, specifically New York. Of course, that’s easy to write into the screenplay, but making it happen is another story. During the nine-month preparations for a week of filming, we considered locations in Toronto, and visited a studio set of New York streets in Sofia, but in the end, we decided that reality beats everything, and we headed to the real New York.”

The film is set in the 1990s, which wasn’t easy to recreate in present-day New York City. 

“Shooting a period film from the 90s in a contemporary American metropolis was a real challenge, both creatively and logistically. But a few days after our return and seeing the dailies, I can say that we faced it with honor. The advantage of New York is that you can find many iconic places that haven’t changed much in the last 30 years. We managed to shoot authentic and impressive scenes in the New York subway, Greenwich Village, Central Park, and in the beautiful Bossert Hotel in Brooklyn.” 

In collaboration with local production company MultiVision Digital, with the help of fellow Czech partners and the Czech consulate, the production also recruited dozens of extras, period cars, and many local residents. 

Hotel Bossert, Brooklyn, NYC

“For the actors and crew, it was extremely demanding, a bit crazy, but above all, a unique experience, and I hope that the energy from it will find its way into the final film.” 

Producer Jiří Konečný confirmed the director’s words: 

“We had a crew of 50 people, including actors, a ten-member American crew, and over a hundred extras. We used local period cars, including the typical yellow taxi, and we even had to acquire an old phone booth for street scenes. Shooting in the subway was a big challenge because getting permission there is nearly impossible without an American budget. In the end, we succeeded thanks to the willing New York police, who opened the doors to the platform and supported us during the shoot.” 

Streets of NYC, set in 90’s

However, it wasn’t the only challenging aspect. Executive producer Michal Sikora (Lonely Production) added: 

“The historic Bossert Hotel, which has been closed for decades, caused technical problems throughout the filming – elevators would randomly go up and down, air conditioning would buzz loudly, alarms would ring every half an hour, and many promised things didn’t work. But in the end, we managed to shoot everything successfully according to plan. Looking back on it now, I consider it a little miracle.”

The actor playing the choirmaster, Juraj Loj, may be familiar to viewers from the film “Charlatan,” for which he was nominated for a Czech Lion. “I never believed that I would get to America under these circumstances. But I’ve always dreamed of it, and this film even has a working title ‘It Would Be My Dream,'” 

Juraj Loj, Choirmaster

Juraj Loj shared his feelings about his first film work in the USA. And he is immensely grateful for it. “Shooting in New York was demanding but beautiful and unforgettable thanks to the entire team. For me, the greatest reward, encouragement, and happiness come from working with people who are willing to do anything for the film, and who love their project and their work. And that’s why I love this crew!” added the Slovak actor.

The story of two sisters in one choir will be seen through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old singer dazzled by her dream —  but at her age, unaware of all the consequences of her pursuit. The director cast the gifted Kateřina Falbrová in this role, while her sister is played by fifteen-year-old Maya Kintera, who has previously appeared in films like “Buko” directed by Alice Nellis. The film also stars Ivana Wojtylová, Zuzana Šulajová, and Anna Kameníková, among others.

Kateřina Falbrová, role Karolína

Maya Kintera, role Lucie

The final shooting days will be in mid-November in Brno. “It Would Be My Dream” has been in preparation since 2018 and is expected to arrive in Czech cinemas next year.”