Czech Film ‘Choir Master’ Temporarily Banned from Broadcast Following Privacy Concerns
A Prague court has issued a preliminary injunction halting the television broadcast of the Czech film Choir Master (Sbormistr), following a lawsuit alleging the film infringes on the privacy rights of a woman who identifies as a victim of Bohumil Kulínský, the former choirmaster of the Bambini di Praga ensemble. Kulínský was previously convicted of sexually abusing underage choir members.
Background of the Case
The lawsuit centers on the film’s narrative, which is inspired by the case of Kulínský and his abuse of choir members. The plaintiff argues that the film’s plot contains striking similarities to her own life experiences, leading her to believe she is identifiable within the story. The court agreed, stating in its reasoning that “essential parts of the film’s story” could rightfully be perceived as the plaintiff’s own story [1].
Court’s Reasoning and Concerns
The court emphasized the sensitive nature of the case, noting it touches upon the “most intimate area of private life, i.e. Sexual integrity.” It also highlighted the plaintiff’s vulnerability as a victim of sexual abuse committed during her childhood, requiring increased legal protection. The court expressed concern that the television broadcast, potentially reaching up to one million viewers, could retraumatize the plaintiff by reopening traumatic events [1].
Film’s Response and Previous Success
The film’s producers initially announced they would change the first name of the main character in an attempt to mitigate concerns about identification. However, the court determined that this change was insufficient to eliminate the risk of the plaintiff being recognized.
Choir Master has already garnered critical acclaim, being named the best film of the past year by the Association of Czech Film Critics and winning three Czech Lion awards, including Best Actress for Kateřina Falbrová. The film reportedly attracted approximately 125,000 viewers in Czech cinemas, generating over 20 million Czech crowns in revenue. It is currently available on Netflix and other video-on-demand platforms [1].
Bambini di Praga History
The Bambini di Praga (“Children of Prague” in Italian) was a Czech children’s choir founded in 1973 by Bohumil Kulínský Sr. And active until 2011. The choir, primarily composed of girls, gained significant recognition and performed internationally [1], [3]. Kulínský Sr. Had previously established a children’s choir in Hrabůvka in 1939 and later founded the Children’s Choir of Czechoslovak Radio in 1945 [1].
The preliminary measure issued by the court applies only to terrestrial broadcasting and is not a final decision on the lawsuit.