4. July 2024
A hotel with furnishings from the 1970s, a university with technical laboratories, a neo-Gothic synagogue, a 16th-century mill and other fascinating locations were included in the photographic archives of location managers and producers who took part in a location tour organised by the Vysočina Film Office in cooperation with the Czech Film Commission on June 18 and 19, 2024.
“I like that it’s possible to join and leave during the location tour; it significantly increases the likelihood of my participation,” said Radek Hunák, location manager from Silvershot, about the two-day event. “The Medlov Hotel and the Polytechnic College in Jihlava, with its wood-panelled lecture hall below, were the biggest assets for me. Locations that are as unmodified as possible are desirable, simply as original as possible, and since they are not exactly close to Prague, they don’t have to be extensively remodelled.”
“For me, the location tour was terrific and full of great locations. Hotel Medlov was absolutely amazing,” said Terezie Vávrová, location scout at Stillking Films.
© Czech Film Commission
Velké Meziříčí Synagogue
The brick neo-Gothic building from the late 19th century served as a synagogue until the beginning of World War II. In 2023, it became the property of the city and now functions as a cultural space. On the ground floor, the remains of the market that operated here before 2023 are still visible. On the first floor, there is an impressive space with a vaulted wooden ceiling and round windows. The Oslava River flows behind the synagogue.
Polytechnic College in Jihlava
The building, built in 1905, served as a county courthouse and prison until 1960. The main courtroom from that time has been preserved. Classrooms now occupy other spaces. In 2020, a modern teaching centre was added to the building, with an auditorium for 330 students and technical laboratories.
Jihlava Grain Silo
The listed granary with a preserved unique lamellar roof is located in the middle of town, next to the railway station. The building is cared for by a volunteer community that organises cultural events there. Filmmakers have one last opportunity to exploit the unique atmosphere of the location in its current state. Road construction will begin in the vicinity in the fall of 2024.
Modeta Jihlava
Private owners renewed production of swimwear and sportswear in a late-19th-century factory in 2022. The two-storey building has a model room, a cutting room, a sewing workshop, storage rooms, a system for processing packages from online shops, offices, and facilities for employees with changing rooms. The new owners are keen to work with filmmakers.
Trhonice Grain Mill
The 16th-century mill has preserved stone milling technology and roller mills from the 19th century. The last time the mill was operational was in 1941. The inner courtyard of the mill has a special atmosphere. On the ground floor, there are living rooms with beamed ceilings. The renovated attic, accessible by a wooden staircase, offers one large space.
Hotel Medlov
The original building from 1934 was rebuilt in 1964 according to the project of architect Jiří Herzán in “Brussels”-style. The current owners are renovating the hotel, emphasising preserving the original elements, including the period furnishings and room decor. The hotel stands by the pond of the same name in the middle of the beautiful nature of the Žďár Hills.
Žďár nad Sázavou Chateau
Baroque architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel participated in the rebuilding of the original Gothic monastery, founded in 1252, at the beginning of the 18th century. The monastery was abolished at the end of the 18th century and nationalised as a chateau in 1948. The current owners, the Kinský family, run the New Generation Museum in part of the building, organise tours and cultural events for the public, and are revitalising the building.
Centrum Eden
The extensive adventure area organises events for families and introduces visitors to traditional crafts and children to farm animals in the Farm Corner. For filmmakers, there is a village with timbered houses, a chateau with 19th-century interiors, a riding hall, and stables.
Kvasetice Chateau
The two-winged pseudo-Gothic chateau with a prism-shaped tower was built at the turn of the 19th century. Since 2017, when it was in ruins, the current owner has been reconstructing it into representative company premises with a training centre and accommodation for foreign partners. The chateau includes an English park and farm buildings with stables.
Jihlava-Helenín Secondary School of Arts and Crafts
The school is housed in the former textile factory buildings and the adjacent neo-Gothic residence of the former owner, Karel Löw. Its dominant feature is the beautiful Knights’ Hall, restored in 2021. The hall has a parquet floor, a wooden ceiling, and arched windows along the entire length of one wall.
Contact for filming in Vysočina:
Vysočina Film Office, Eliška Rodová (eliska.rodova@vysocinatourism.cz, +420 737 800 671)
The mission of regional film offices is to attract audiovisual projects to their regions and to be a reliable source of information for Czech producers.
One of the main tools to draw filmmakers' attention to the region's film-friendly locations is the location tour, which is organised for Czech film professionals, from producers and location managers to directors, writers, cinematographers and film architects, by the regional film office in cooperation with the Czech Film Commission.
A representative of the regional film office connects filmmakers with property managers and owners. A location tour is often the first step towards further inspections for a specific audiovisual work in pre-production.
A photographer specialising in architecture, landscape, and location photography is present on the location tour. The resulting photographs are then used to promote the film-friendly locations by the regional film office and the Czech Film Commission for promotional activities aimed at foreign filmmakers and are actively offered when specific requests from abroad are received.
