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Kolya

Original title: Kolja
  • 19961996
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Zdenek Sverák in Kolja (1996)
Trailer
Play trailer1:20
1 Video
51 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Music

A confirmed bachelor is in for the surprise of his life when a get-rich-quick scheme backfires and leaves him with a pint-sized new roommate.A confirmed bachelor is in for the surprise of his life when a get-rich-quick scheme backfires and leaves him with a pint-sized new roommate.A confirmed bachelor is in for the surprise of his life when a get-rich-quick scheme backfires and leaves him with a pint-sized new roommate.

IMDb RATING
7.8/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jan Sverák
  • Writers
    • Pavel Taussig(story)
    • Zdenek Sverák(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Zdenek Sverák
    • Andrey Khalimon
    • Libuse Safránková
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jan Sverák
  • Writers
    • Pavel Taussig(story)
    • Zdenek Sverák(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Zdenek Sverák
    • Andrey Khalimon
    • Libuse Safránková
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 66User reviews
    • 62Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 21 wins & 14 nominations total

    Videos1

    Kolya
    Trailer 1:20
    Kolya

    Photos51

    Zdenek Sverák, Andrey Khalimon, and Ladislav Smoljak in Kolja (1996)
    Zdenek Sverák and Andrey Khalimon in Kolja (1996)
    Zdenek Sverák and Libuse Safránková in Kolja (1996)
    Zdenek Sverák and Andrey Khalimon in Kolja (1996)
    Vladimír Smutný and Jan Sverák in Kolja (1996)
    Kolja (1996)
    Zdenek Sverák and Andrey Khalimon in Kolja (1996)
    Kolja (1996)
    Kolja (1996)
    Kolja (1996)
    Kolja (1996)
    Zdenek Sverák and Libuse Safránková in Kolja (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Zdenek Sverák
    Zdenek Sverák
    • Loukaas Louka
    Andrey Khalimon
    Andrey Khalimon
    • Koljaas Kolja
    Libuse Safránková
    Libuse Safránková
    • Kláraas Klára
    Ondrej Vetchý
    Ondrej Vetchý
    • Brozas Broz
    Stella Zázvorková
    Stella Zázvorková
    • Motheras Mother
    Ladislav Smoljak
    Ladislav Smoljak
    • Houdekas Houdek
    Irina Bezrukova
    Irina Bezrukova
    • Nadezdaas Nadezda
    • (as Irina Livanova)
    Silvia Suvadová
    Silvia Suvadová
    • Blankaas Blanka
    Liliyan Malkina
    Liliyan Malkina
    • Tamaraas Tamara
    • (as Lilian Malkina)
    Karel Hermánek
    Karel Hermánek
    • Musilas Musil
    Petra Spalková
    Petra Spalková
    • Pasaas Pasa
    Nela Boudová
    Nela Boudová
    • Brozováas Brozová
    • (as Nella Boudová)
    René Pribil
    René Pribil
    • Pokornýas Pokorný
    Miroslav Táborský
    Miroslav Táborský
    • Novotnýas Novotný
    Slávka Budínová
    Slávka Budínová
    • Bustikováas Bustiková
    Jirí Sovák
    Jirí Sovák
    • Ruzickaas Ruzicka
    Lubomir Pisa
    F.X. Thuri
    • Director
      • Jan Sverák
    • Writers
      • Pavel Taussig(story)
      • Zdenek Sverák(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Character
    7.7
    Character

    Storyline

    Edit
    Franta Louka is a concert cellist in Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia, a confirmed bachelor and a lady's man. Having lost his place in the state orchestra, he must make ends meet by playing at funerals and painting tombstones. But he has run up a large debt, and when his friend, the grave-digger Mr. Broz, suggests a scheme for making a lot of money by marrying a Russian woman so that she can get her Czech papers, he reluctantly agrees. She takes advantage of the situation to emigrate to West Germany, to her lover; and leaves her five-year-old son with his grandmother; when the grandmother dies, Kolya must come and live with his stepfather - Louka. —Gary Dickerson <slug@mail.utexas.edu>
    • paper marriage
    • gold digger
    • marriage for money
    • promiscuity
    • pregnant woman
    • 245 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Hasta el corazón más duro puede ser ablandado por la ternura de un niño... (Mexico)
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Music
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for some sensuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The child actor who plays Kolja, Andrey Khalimon, was not cast until three weeks before filming started.
    • Goofs
      Throughout the movie, many background cars are clearly newer than 1989 models. The film is set in 1989.
    • Connections
      Featured in 54th Golden Globe Awards (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      American Quartet
      (2nd movement)

      Music by Antonín Dvorák

    User reviews66

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    A Thoughtful, Luminous Film
    What is a man to do who has resisted marriage until late middle age but then enters into a fraudulent marriage of convenience and ends up solely responsible for a five year old in the bargain? That is Franta Louka's dilemma in this beautiful film.

    Louka, played by Zdenek Sverak who also wrote the screenplay, is a onetime philharmonic cellist who has lost his orchestra job because the Soviet era Czech communist powers-that-be deem him unreliable. As a consequence Louka has been reduced to playing at weddings and funerals and re-gilding cemetery tombstones. He has no car and is deeply in debt. In order to finance a car and reduce his debt Louka lets a coworker from the cemetery convince him to marry a Russian woman so that she can emigrate to the West. Louka reluctantly agrees and married the woman but the Russian decamps. This ultimately results in Louka becoming solely responsible for the woman's five year old boy -- who only speaks Russian.

    Louka and the little boy's relationship is both believable and moving. "Kolya" is very nearly a great film. Highly, highly recommended. 9 out of 10.
    helpful•18
    1
    • gws-2
    • Aug 13, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 24, 1997 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Czech Republic
      • United Kingdom
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • Czech
      • Russian
      • Slovak
    • Also known as
      • Коля
    • Filming locations
      • Prague, Czech Republic
    • Production companies
      • Biograf Jan Sverak
      • Pandora Cinema
      • Ceská Televize
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,770,254
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,770,254
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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