Sára Sliwková: “My First Films Were Shot on a Tablet”
It all started with a single tablet. When Sára Sliwková was eleven, her mother gave her one – and instead of playing games or studying, she simply started filming. Her first movies were made with her sister and friends: detective stories in her bedroom, horror films by the Brno Reservoir, and fairy tales in the garden. “I was constantly filming, and my mom noticed. One day, she told me, ‘You’re always making movies and bossing everyone around. Maybe you should be a director?’” Sára recalls.
And as they say, moms and directors are always right. Sára enrolled at the Arts & Management School in Brno, where she explored everything from narrative film, documentary, advertising, animation, graphic design, to illustration. “My dad wanted me to be the next Jiří Trnka,” she laughs. Even while in high school, she jumped into hands-on work, starting with photography, wedding videos, and documentaries, eventually moving into reporting, commercials, and UGC content. “I’m always trying to improve – buying better equipment, learning new skills. I want my work to have meaning.”
Her desire to continue in filmmaking led her to FAMO in Písek, where she studied narrative film directing. That’s where she first understood what real production means. “For the first time, I worked with a real film crew. Everyone had a defined role, and everything had to run smoothly. That’s also where I met my cinematographer, who I want to keep working with in the future.” However, while the practical experience was invaluable, she felt a lack of clear direction in school. After finishing her bachelor’s degree, she wanted to continue, but due to an administrative error, she was not accepted into the master’s program.
Then, by chance, she saw a video on Instagram featuring Jiří Mádl talking about CME Content Academy. She was intrigued by the fact that the program was in Brno – she could move back home. But what convinced her the most was Matěj Chlupáček and his production company. “I love their series, Iveta, To se vysvětlí soudruzi, Dcera národa. If I could choose where to start my career, it would be with them. I’d even be happy as the fourth assistant director,” she jokes.
The admissions process was a challenge. She was most nervous about the English portion, but in the end, she enjoyed it. “It was tough, but also great. We talked about my graduation film, which explores the family relationships of a young engaged woman. The panel wanted to know why I made the film and what my intent was. It was very personal, but it opened my eyes.”
During her studies, she also realized how much she enjoys working with children. At FAMO, she directed young actresses – teenagers and even a three-year-old girl – and discovered that she had a natural understanding of them. “Thanks to that, she won a film competition in Brno. That’s when I realized how much I love the world of children, exploring their themes, family relationships, and how they see the world.”
Her current project also features a young protagonist: a fifteen-year-old influencer who, after her mother abandons her, is placed in the custody of her estranged grandmother. “The girl is building an online community and gaining followers, while her grandmother doesn’t understand social media at all – until she unexpectedly goes viral herself. In the end, it changes both of their lives.”
Sára refuses to be boxed into a single genre. “In my new project, I’m experimenting with absurdity and tragicomedy. I love blending drama with other genres, fairy tales, fantasy, sci-fi. For example, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was a major inspiration for one of my films with children.”
Within CME’s productions, she was most drawn to the miniseries Metoda Markovič. “If I could pick a project from Voyo, it would definitely be this one. It’s a smart, high-quality crime drama with real depth, and it just works.”
For Sára, the future is in fiction, preferably as a director, assistant director, or child actor coordinator. But she’s also considering reality and entertainment content. “I love Survivor. Thinking about how to ask the right questions, how to structure a story in unpredictable conditions… it’s actually very close to documentary filmmaking.”
She feels that CME Content Academy has given her more in just a few months than her three years at FAMO. “During my previous studies, I had to figure everything out myself as a director. Working with a real crew was an amazing experience, and I’m grateful to FAMO for that.” What she appreciates most about her current studies is the practical approach and script work. “We’re learning from people who have fresh industry experience. It’s incredibly valuable.”
CME Content Academy, a project of TV Nova and TV Markiza, provides practical training alongside theoretical lectures at the Television Institute. The aim is to educate the next generation of TV professionals and enable them to work with these leading TV companies.
-Kristina Sverkunová