On Saturday, October 24, the official presentation of the 7th annual Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) awards will take place in the form of an online broadcast. The gala ceremony will be exciting for us, as Czech location manager Jan Adler is nominated in one of the seven categories for his work on the film Jojo Rabbit. During the evening, moderated by actor Isaiah Mustafa (known for his work in the second part of the horror film It), Jan will be competing for an award in the category of Outstanding Location in a Period Film.

Jojo Rabbit | Photo: Jan Adler / Czech Anglo Productions

Since 2003, LMGI has brought together professionals from all over the globe in the field of location management in the film, television and advertising industries. One of the association’s primary goals is raising awareness of the work of location managers as an indispensable creative component in the audiovisual industry. Through its activities, LMGI supports the relationships between the various components of film production, but also the broader links necessary for film production: between film producers, government institutions (film funds, etc.), other related industries, and local communities affected by the production of specific films (film tourism).

One of the ways LMGI promotes these things was the establishment in 2014 of the first LMGI awards. The awards ceremony quickly gained a reputation as an event that serves as a formal recognition of the work of location managers. It's a profession that is not very well known to the average film fan, but it is an extremely important component in filmmaking, and it is practically impossible to make a film outside the studio walls without it.

Just look at everything the location manager and their team are in charge of. First of all, they do the scouting - the search for places that can be used as locations for film shoots. If these sites are approved by the producer and director, the location manager ensures that they are secured and obtains all necessary official permits for filming. Depending the requirements of the production, they make agreements with the owners of the locations regarding conditions for filming. The location team then also ensures that the things necessary for everyday operation are available: water and electricity connections for crew facilities, waste collection, and functioning toilets. When securing a location, they are usually the first and last person on the site and thus oversee the restoration of the site to its original condition.

This year, Jan Adler was given the opportunity be officially recognized for this demanding work. He was nominated for his work on the war satire Jojo Rabbit, which was filmed entirely in the Czech Republic under the baton of Czech Anglo Productions. Dozens of Czech filmmakers took part in the making of New Zealand director Taika Waititi’s film, and their collaboration with the Kiwis led to six Oscar nominations for the entire creative team. Taika Waititi was awarded the Oscar for the Best Adapted Screenplay, and Czech artist Nora Sopková was among the nominees.

We have an even greater motivation to support Jan Adler. The nomination itself is a symbolic award for the entire Czech creative team as well as for the Ústí Region Film Office, which collaborated on the film, and, last but not least, for Czech towns such as Úštěk and Žatec. However, he won’t have it easy - the competition is stiff - films such as Mendes' war drama 1917, Tarantino's period retro Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Terrence Malick's novel A Hidden Life, full of breathtaking mountain scenery, all have a chance to dominate this category.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed on Saturday!

Complete list of nominations in the category Outstanding Locations in a Period Film

1917 – DreamWorks Pictures, Emma Pill / LMGI

Dolemite is My Name – Netflix, David B. Lyons / LMGI, Russel Hadaya

A Hidden Life – Fox Searchlight Pictures, Markus Bensch / LMGI, Leo Baumgartner

Jojo Rabbit – Fox Searchlight Pictures, Jan Adler / LMGI

Little Women – Sony Pictures, Douglas Dresser / LMGI, Kyle “Snappy” Oliver /LMGI

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Columbia Pictures, Rick Schuler / LMGI, Steve Mapel /LMGI

An overview of all nominations for this year's awards can be found here; in addition to six categories for location managers, an award will be given to an exceptional film commission.