Awards News

"Something Like Happiness" dominated the Czech Lions on Satur-day, winning seven awards, including film, director, actor, actress and screen-play.

"Happiness" scribe-helmer Bohdan Slama took home the screenwriting and directing Lions. Pic's Pavel Liska and Tatiana Vilhemova drew the main thesping prizes. Ana Geislerova landed the supporting actress trophy and Divis Marek the award for cinematography.

The film just missed a sweep of the top award categories when Miroslav Krobot won the supporting actor nod for his perf in "Wrong Side Up" as a depressed former propaganda film voiceover artist.

The kudos' 13th edition looked more like a family reunion, as even fringe filmmakers turned out in support of the winners and Czech filmmaking in general. Many could be seen con-gratulating Vilhemova outside the awards hall following her first win as actress after five previous noms.

"I don't have a speech," Vilhemova said during the kudos, broadcast on Czech TV, as she hoisted the hefty crystal lion, joking she'd always had speeches prepared before but found them unneeded.

For Slama, whose previous 2001 film "Wild Bees" got little attention, the seven Lions for "Happiness" proved especially sweet. But he deferred credit to his cast and crew and made a point of commending the other two major contenders, "City of the Sun," which won in the editing and soundtrack categories, and "Wrong Side Up," which landed the sound award in addition to Krobot's win.

Slama said he also admired non-winners "Toyen," the story of a Czech surrealist who worked under Nazi occupation, and "Shark in the Head," a series of comic monologues by Oldrich Kaiser.

And the winners are...

Film - "Something Like Happiness "

Director - Bohdan Slama -- "Something Like Happiness"

Screenplay - Bohdan Slama -- "Something Like Happiness"

Cinematography - Divis Marek -- "Something Like Happiness"

Editing - Jiri Broyek -- "City of the Sun"

Sound - Michal Holubec -- "Wrong Side Up"

Music - Vladimir Godar -- "City of the Sun"

Art direction - Eva Svankmajerova and Veronika Hruba -- "Lunacy"

Actress - Tatiana Vilhelmova -- "Something Like Happiness"

Supporting actress - Anna Geislerova -- "Something Like Happiness"

Actor - Pavel Liska -- "Something Like Happiness"

Supporting actor - Miroslav Krobot -- "Wrong Side Up"

Best attended - "From Subway With Love"

Sazka prize for script in development - Irena Hejdova -- "Children of the Night "