Petr Koliha Receives the Golden Slipper: "It Means a Lot to Me"
29. May 2026
He directed the film adaptations of Michael Viewegh’s novel Bringing Up Girls in Bohemia and Bohumil Hrabal’s book Tender Barbarian. For many years, he was the artistic heart and soul of the Zlín Film Festival, and since 2012, he has been at the helm of the children's TV channel ČT Déčko. This is Petr Koliha—director, producer, and educator—who recently accepted the festival's Award for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution to Cinema for Children and Youth, famously known as the Golden Slipper.
It means a lot to me. I view it as an award for the entire festival team as well as the team at Déčko, which I helped build years ago,
Koliha stated.
The Czech Recipe for Children’s Cinema
According to Koliha, the Czech Republic is at the absolute forefront of children's cinema.
We have a unique Czech recipe for children's filmmaking that many around the world might envy. One proof of this is the Zlín festival itself, along with the glorious history of the Zlín film studios. On top of that, new generations of young filmmakers are constantly growing up here in Zlín.
In the past, this prestigious award has been presented to figures such as special effects artist Boris Masník, director Hynek Bočan, actors Bolek Polívka and Zlata Adamovská, and singer Karel Gott.
International Attendance at the Opening Ceremony
The grand opening of the 66th Zlín Film Festival was attended by representatives from cultural institutions, business, and politics. Notable guests included the Japanese Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Nagaoka Kansuke, and the Deputy Head of Mission for the Swiss Embassy, Soňa Kritzlerová. In the Congress Centre, attendees enjoyed the Spanish retro film Girls Out of League.