Czech Comedy ‘Vyšehrad’ Scores Big with Football Fans and Filmgoers Alike
PRAGUE — What began as a low-budget online series has unexpectedly become one of the czech Republic’s most beloved and accomplished franchises, blending the worlds of football and comedy.”Vyšehrad,” the brainchild of actor and director Jakub Štáfek, follows the misadventures of Julius “Lavi” Lavický, a perpetually struggling and often clueless football player.
The original web series gained a cult following for its irreverent humor and sharp parodies of the Czech football scene. Its success led to “Vyšehrad: Fylm,” a feature-length film that drew an notable 700,000 viewers to cinemas, making it one of the most-watched Czech films of the post-revolution era.
“The combination of football and comedy naturally attracts audiences,” Štáfek explained in a recent interview. “But you still have to do it well. People like the politically incorrect humor that our work is based on.”
The film’s success paved the way for a sequel,”Vyšehrad: Dvje,” which Štáfek promises will be even bigger and bolder. “In ‘Vyšehrad: Dvje,’ we went all in,” he said. “We alternate genres, we’re even crazier. We’re getting closer to crazy parodies, like ‘Hot Shots!’, which I grew up on, as did other co-creators. Expect the sequel to be more breathtaking.”
Filming “Vyšehrad: Dvje” proved to be a more complex undertaking, with shoots taking place not only in the Czech Republic and Slovakia but also in England (Manchester) and Argentina. “It was definitely more challenging, more expensive, had more shooting days, and in terms of stress and experience gained, it was a higher level,” Štáfek said. “We didn’t come up with an easy thing, but we like challenges. So we complicated things to enjoy the ovations even more later.”
While “Vyšehrad’s” humor is not for everyone, Štáfek defends the show’s approach, noting that it resonates with a wide audience, including those who may not be avid football fans. “If the first one was liked even by people who are not otherwise football fans, I believe that the second one will entertain them even more. It is indeed more global,” he said.
The show’s willingness to poke fun at the frequently enough-absurd world of professional football has occasionally drawn criticism, but Štáfek insists that the series is ultimately a loving satire. “Of course, some say that we overdid it, others say that the reality is even worse,” he said. “It’s hard to say where the truth is. I have been in the football surroundings as childhood, I am part of the Real TOP Prague charity team, where, in addition to members from the cultural field, ther are also guys who played in the Champions League. And when I hear their stories from the locker room, I dare to say that we shot an even weaker brew. (laughs)”
Despite its sometimes-crude humor, “Vyšehrad” has earned praise for its clever writing and well-developed characters. “We have a solid, load-bearing structure of the story and we add jokes to it,” Štáfek explained. “It is a well-thought-out concept, and even though it looks wild, it is created for a long time and with love.We are targeting everyone – not only those who live for football. I dare say that Vyšehrad is for anyone who likes exaggeration. We deliberately create a mix of crazy things and subtle, well-thought-out allusions for football connoisseurs.”
Looking back on the origins of “Vyšehrad,” Štáfek recalls the early days of creative freedom and experimentation that led to the birth of Lavi. “We went into it with the idea that we can do whatever we want,” he said. “We didn’t expect it to be such a success. We experienced incredible creative freedom – without bosses to answer to. We were our own producers, which has remained. I still remember how the character of Lavi was created.”
He recounted a brainstorming session with his colleagues, where the character of Lavi was conceived. “We were sitting with the boys at my place in Vinohrady in a room that used to be a study,now it’s a children’s room,” Štáfek said. “We were after a meeting with representatives of the Internet television obbod TV, for which we were to come up with a series about football. Originally, we wanted to shoot each episode about a different character, such as a groundskeeper, manager or masseur. But the people from television thought it was too sketchy.”
The television executives steered them toward focusing on a single player, and the character of Lavi was born. “my co-director Martin Kopp knew a guy named Julius – we liked that name,” Štáfek said. “We were looking for a typically Czech surname for him, which can be shortened, as football players commonly do. This is how Lavický or Lavi was created.”
Initially, Štáfek had no intention of playing the role himself, but after struggling to find an actor who could both play football and act, he reluctantly agreed to take on the part.
The success of “Vyšehrad” has been a surprise to Štáfek and his team, but they are grateful for the support of their fans and excited about the future of the franchise. Štáfek first felt that the project was successful after the first two or three episodes of the series. The first was the start, the second moved it and the third shot it. When the first three episodes were released on YouTube, they had millions of views. Of course, repeated replays also played a role in this – people kept coming back to it. we differed from other Internet comedy projects in that we tried to work professionally, so the result did not seem low-budget. But that it could ever be a feature film? We didn’t think of that at the time.
Štáfek’s own connection to football runs deep. “I started in Sparta, I was about five years old,” he said. “I went to training in Letná and stayed there for a while. Then I went through practically the whole of Prague – and when I say the whole, I mean it. I played in vršovice, in Viktorka, and for a while even in Slavia, I was about twelve or thirteen.”
what do you think makes “Vyšehrad’s” style of humor so appealing?
Vyšehrad’s Creator, Jakub Štáfek, Talks Football, Comedy & The Future of the Franchise
Welcome back to Archyde! Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jakub Štáfek, the visionary behind the hit Czech comedy franchise “Vyšehrad.” Jakub, thank you for joining us.
Jakub Štáfek: Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure.
the Genesis of ‘Vyšehrad’
Archyde: The journey of “Vyšehrad” from a low-budget web series to a cinematic success story is remarkable. Can you walk us through the initial spark that ignited this project?
Jakub Štáfek: It all started with a simple idea – a comedy about football in the Czech Republic. We were given a task by a internet television obbod TV to come up with a series about football. Originally, we wanted to shoot each episode about a different character, such as a groundskeeper, manager or masseur. But the people from television thought it was too sketchy. We wanted to bring a fresh perspective to the sport, one filled with humor and a bit of irreverence. The character Julius “Lavi” Lavický emerged from our brainstorming session.
The Role of Lavi: Football and Comedy
Archyde: The character of Lavi is a key element in the success of the project. Can you share more about the character?
Jakub Štáfek: We were looking for a typically Czech surname for him, which can be shortened, as football players commonly do. This is how Lavický or Lavi was created. We knew the character had to entertain and also be a reflection of the real football and the Czech culture.
The Success of ‘Vyšehrad: Fylm’ and Beyond
Archyde: The feature film “Vyšehrad: Fylm” was a massive hit. What do you think made it resonate so strongly with audiences?
jakub Štáfek: It’s a mix, really.There’s the inherent appeal of football,which naturally attracts viewers. We combined that with politically incorrect humor and an irreverent approach. People responded positively, especially those who don’t care for football. If the first one was liked even by people who are not otherwise football fans, I believe that the second one will entertain them even more. It is indeed more global.
‘Vyšehrad: Dvje’ – Bigger and Bolder
Archyde: The anticipation for “Vyšehrad: Dvje” is high. In what ways will the sequel surpass the original?
Jakub Štáfek: “Vyšehrad: dvje,” We went all in. We alternate genres, we’re even crazier. We’re getting closer to crazy parodies,like ‘Hot Shots!’,which I grew up on,as did other co-creators. Expect the sequel to be more breathtaking. The new film is set to be even bigger, bolder, and more enterprising. We have a solid, load-bearing structure of the story and we add jokes to it. It is a well-thought-out concept, and even though it looks wild, it is created for a long time and with love. We are targeting everyone – not only those who live for football.I dare say that Vyšehrad is for anyone who likes exaggeration.
Challenges and Controversy
Archyde: Has the show’s humor faced any criticism? And how do you handle the critiques?
Jakub Štáfek: Of course, some say that we overdid it, others say that the reality is even worse. It’s hard to say where the truth is.I have been in the football surroundings as childhood, I am part of the Real TOP Prague charity team, where, along with members from the cultural field, ther are also guys who played in the Champions League. And when I hear their stories from the locker room, I dare to say that we shot an even weaker brew. (laughs)
The Future of ‘vyšehrad’
Archyde: Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of the “Vyšehrad” franchise?
Jakub Štáfek: I’m excited to see how far we can take it. We started with creative freedom, and we hope to continue doing something different. The success has been unbelievable. Now more people can enjoy it.
Final thoughts
Archyde: Jakub,this has been an insightful conversation. Before we conclude,is there anything you’d like to share with our readers?
Jakub Štáfek: I am grateful for all of the support. Don’t miss “Vyšehrad: Dvje” – it promises to be quite a ride! The project is for anyone who likes exaggeration. We deliberately create a mix of crazy things and subtle,well-thought-out allusions for football connoisseurs.
Archyde: Jakub Štáfek, thank you again for your time. We at Archyde look forward to the premiere of the sequel. To our readers, What do you think makes “Vyšehrad’s” style of humor so appealing?
