Documentary Kaprálová hits cinemas

The documentary film Kaprálová, which returns to the extraordinary personality of composer and conductor Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915–1940), is coming to Czech cinemas. Directed by Petr Záruba, the film follows her short but intense life and creative arc from her studies in Brno and Prague to her time in Paris, where she composed her most important works. 

Kaprálová's letters play an important role in the film, forming the main narrative thread. Their authentic wording reflects not only the personal reflections of the young composer, but also echoes of the dramatic pre-war period in Europe, including reflections on forced exile and an uncertain future. It is through this correspondence that the figure of Bohuslav Martinů, with whom Kaprálová had a deep professional and personal relationship, also features prominently in the film.

Vítězslava Kaprálová's music comes to life in the film through performances by leading international performers and orchestras. It is performed, for example, by bass-baritone Adam Plachetka, cellist Steven Isserlis, and conductor Alena Hron. The documentary also follows how Kaprálová's work appeals to the younger generation of musicians, including at the École Normale de Musique in Paris, where she herself studied. It shows that even after more than eighty years, her music remains a living part of the world concert repertoire. 

The documentary will be released in Czech cinemas on February 12, 2026, and will later be shown on Czech Television.

KAPRÁLOVÁ
Documentary film
2025, CZ, 70 min.

Director, screenplay, and story: Petr Záruba
Producer: Alice Tabery
Dramaturgy: Eliška Cílková
Cinematography: Nina Bernfeld, Petr Záruba
Editing: Josef Krajbich
Sound Design: Martin Stýblo
Music: Vítězslava Kaprálová and Eliška Cílková
Project partner: The Kapralova Society (Karla Hartl)
Produced by: CINEPOINT, Czech Television
With the support of: State Audiovisual Fund, South Moravian Film Foundation, Ministry of Culture, National Recovery Plan, European Union – Next Generation 

The film brings Vítězslava Kaprálová's music to life through performances by leading international artists and new talents:

Bianca Maretti, Brazilian conductor and recent graduate of the École Normale de Musique, where Kaprálová once studied
Adam Plachetka, one of the most prominent Czech opera singers
Steven Isserlis, world-renowned British cellist
Alena Hron, chief conductor of the South Bohemian Philharmonic Orchestra
Timothy Cheek, voice coach and pianist, University of Michigan
Karla Hartl, musicologist, founder of The Kapralova Society
Erik Entwistle, pianist, teacher, and long-time promoter of Kaprálová's legacy
Antonie Martinec Formanová, actress, read passages from Kaprálová's letters