At the opening ceremony of the IFF Art Film Festival in Košice, film producer Zuzana Mistríková accepted the Milan Lasica Award on behalf of her late uncle, the legendary actor Ivan Mistrík. Together with Ivan Mistrík’s family, she curated a special section of the festival featuring three notable Czech and Slovak films in which he delivered unforgettable performances. In addition to honoring her uncle’s memory, Mistríková also presented the TV miniseries Miki, a continuation of two feature films, Miki (2024) and Černák (2025). In this interview, she shares her thoughts on the selected films for the Milan Lasica Award section and the making of these popular titles about a former Slovak underworld boss.
Why did you and your family choose to include The Higher Principle (1960), Happiness Comes on Sunday (1958), and Archimedes’ Principle (1964) in the IFF Art Film lineup? What do these films say about Ivan Mistrík as an actor?
I have to start with The Higher Principle (1960). For me, the character of Vlastík Ryšánek encapsulates who Ivan Mistrík was — and the kind of acting we love him for: tender, youthful, yet deeply humane, a person fighting for justice. I’ve loved this film since childhood. Happiness Comes on Sunday (1958) is a comedy where we see Ivan in a different light than we’re used to, as he’s best known for his tragic roles. Here, he’s charming and lighthearted, yet again his character stands out among the trio of friends as the most touching and human. I only discovered Archimedes’ Principle (1964) when director Martin Hollý and I were making a short documentary about Ivan Mistrík twenty years ago. We were working with a private television network that not only aired the documentary but also ordered Archimedes’ Principlefrom their archive — a film I hadn’t seen before. I was really impressed by it. It’s a satire by Andrej Lettrich that, unfortunately, feels disturbingly relevant today.
How did Ivan Mistrík influence you — personally and professionally?
Coming from an acting family — Ján Mistrík and Ivan Mistrík, both actors with their own paths — shaped me profoundly. I was fifteen when Ivan passed away, and it’s both moving and remarkable that, forty-five years later, we still remember him as someone we loved — someone who embodies both beauty and tragedy. His death was a huge tragedy — for the whole of Czechoslovakia, and especially for our family. Growing up in a theatrical environment also had a big impact on me. When I later studied theatre, it didn’t intimidate me — theatre felt natural, a normal part of life. Acting was simply part of our family dynamic. And Ivan Mistrík always approached his craft with deep humility, which set an example.
You also came to IFF Art Film to premiere the Miki miniseries at the Garden Cinema. Why did you and the creative team decide to adapt the story of Mikuláš Černák into a series format, and what would you like viewers to know about it?
Initially, we planned Miki as a standalone film. But as we delved into the story, we realized it naturally split into two parts: the first exploring how an ordinary village boy became a mobster, and the second focusing on the mafia wars of the 1990s. One film would’ve been either too long or too shallow. So we — along with the director and screenwriter — decided to make two films. Since we had a TV partner, TV JOJ, we realized a miniseries format would work better for broadcast. Screenwriter Miro Šifra added several new elements, so the miniseries isn’t just a chopped-up version of the films — it has a different narrative structure and includes scenes not featured in either film. That’s why we decided to prepare a version specifically for television, and viewers at IFF Art Film will be the first to see it.
Why did you and director Jakub Kroner choose to tell Mikuláš Černák’s life story, and what makes Miki, Černák, and the Miki miniseries relevant today?
There were several reasons. First, my co-producer Rado Gerek — who had always dreamed of making a good gangster film — acquired the rights and was passionate about the project. I then reached out to Miro Šifra and Jakub Kroner to see if they were interested. But first, we had a deep conversation about what the topic entails and how we wanted to approach it. Even though we were very mindful in our treatment, there are still ongoing debates about whether we’re glorifying a murderer or giving him publicity. But our main motivations were twofold: to create a high-quality genre film — something still rare in Slovakia — and to help the younger generation understand what happened in the 1990s and how its consequences linger today. All the corruption and mafia ties we see now are remnants of that era. That’s why we felt it was essential to tell this story.
I’m thrilled that over 800,000 viewers have seen the two films in Slovak cinemas. I think this generation, which knows little about the ’90s, now understands how small steps led to a situation we’re still dealing with today. Those were our motivations, and I’m incredibly proud of my colleagues — I believe they’ve laid strong foundations for genre filmmaking in Slovakia. We’re now also working with a British sales agent to promote the miniseries internationally.
The 31st IFF ART FILM is made possible thanks to the support of:
Organizer: ART FILM FEST s.r.o.
Co-organizers: Mesto Košice · K13 – Košické kultúrne centrá · Visit Košice · ART FILM FEST, n.o. · LGM, s.r.o. · FORLIVE
Financial support: Audiovizuálny fond · Nadácia SPP
Co-financed by: Košický samosprávny kraj through the Terra Incognita programme
Main Partners: národná lotériová spoločnosť TIPOS · Slovenská elektrizačná prenosová sústava, a.s. · CODES Brand House
Main Media Partners: TV JOJ · Pravda · Eurotelevízia
Automotive Partner: Moris Slovakia
Advertising Partners: Best Press · U. S. Steel Košice · ANTIK telecom · Kino Úsmev · LOKO TRANS Media · CORE Labs · Technická univerzita v Košiciach
Technology Partners: NOV · ZEBRA · Deutsche Telekom Systems Solutions Slovakia · T4H · LEDGO · DELTA OnLine · ARICOMA · TelekomCLOUD
Official Suppliers: DKC Veritas · Kaviareň Slávia · PLOOM · Krušovice BOHÉM · pramenitá voda Lucka · DOMOS SLOVAKIA · Reštaurácia Contessa · Aupark Shopping Center Košice · Pierre Baguette · Julius Meinl · Red Fox Golf Club
Official wines: Kubbo Select · Ostrožovič
Media Partners: JOJ play · JOJ 24 · Film Europe · Rádio KOŠICE · Aktuality.sk · Forbes · Startitup.sk · Korzár · Slovenka · SITA · TASR · Mediaboard · See & Go · Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze – ČSFD · BigMedia · Košice City Guide · Košice v skratke · Film.sk · diva.sk · koktejl.sk · zenskyweb.sk · MOJAkultúra · Kino Sterio · Dopravný podnik mesta Košice · AHOJ TV
Partners: JOJ Cinema · Jojko · Veľvyslanectvo Indie v Bratislave · Carmeuse Slovakia · DDDental · TINY Houses · ECO Technologies · Letisko Košice · Local Nomad Tours · Slovenský filmový ústav · Taper · YumEarth · Puella vône · Kvety Garomi · čLOVEčina hra · Rakúske kultúrne fórum · TESCO Store SK · CPK Transport · Tabačka Kulturfabrik · King Media · Východoslovenské múzeum v Košiciach · Letní filmová škola · KPK Reklama · MIHYRING · Zoberma taxi · Hair Factory Košice · Veľvyslanectví České republiky v Bratislavě
Gastronomy Partners: Pub u Kohúta · El Nacional · OhniskO Fire Dining & Brew Bar · Maiko Sushi · Macarons Košice · šum vináreň · Café de Paris · Casa Trade – Casablanca cafe · TATRATEA · Moritz Eis
