Fifty shades of Czech

Anthropoid film team (from left) Jamie Dornan, Sean Ellis and Czech actress Aňa Geislerová

Details of the shoot of new film Anthropoid, featuring Fifty Shades Of Grey star Jamie Dornan as well as Cillian Murphy and Charlotte Le Bon, was unveiled to the media today (July 9) at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Directed by Sean Ellis (The Brøken, Metro Manila), Anthropoid has its roots in Czech history, dealing with the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, protector of Bohemia and Moravia during the Third Reich.

Jamie Dornan plays a Czech war hero in Anthropoid now shooting on location Photo: Film Servis Karlovy Vary

Dornan and Murphy play two parachutists Jan Kubiš and Jozef Gabčík who are sent to try to save him. The incident led to an intensification of German repression as well as inspiring further resistance efforts during the Second World War. Operation Anthropoid helped to strengthen feelings of national self-confidence, patriotism and acts of personal bravery by individuals.

The subject has been explored in various Czech films and television specials but this is the first time an international production has taken up the narrative. Ellis, meanwhile, has been talking about the possibility of making a war film since 2008.

Dornan and Czech actress Aňa Geislerová are attending Karlovy Vary with Ellis to herald the start of the shoot.

“It is important that we, as Czech co-producers, have the chance to work with material so strongly linked with our history,” said David Ondříček, whose company Lucky Man Films is co-producing Anthropoid.

It could well have its premiere at next year’s 51st edition of the Festival.