The trailer for the film Dancing with the Bear is out

In just three months, one of next year's most delicate films will hit theaters – the intimate and visually stunning drama Dancing with a Bear, starring Czech Lion Award winners Pavla Gajdošíková and Kryštof Hádek.

Director Jitka Rudolfová's film offers a deeply emotional exploration of a partnership facing a fundamental decision. It examines the moment when the joy of new life collides with uncertainty, fear, and courage, and when even solid relationships can begin to shake at their foundations. Dance with a Bear, which will premiere on March 19, 2026, now has a trailer.

The film offers an intimate and civil narrative that deliberately avoids simple answers, instead showing the complexity of situations that people often deal with behind closed doors in real life. "What interested me most about the script was that whatever decision the couple makes, it always comes with some negative consequences, some trauma, something that will affect their future lives," explained director Jitka Rudolfová, who boldly tackles the topics of ethics, parenthood, and social pressure in the film. She also added why she thinks the film is important today. "I think our film will appeal to those who have gone through something similar or have someone like that in their circle."

Dancing with a Bear deals with emotions realistically, without pathos or moralizing. The viewer watches the characters at a moment when their lives are falling apart—and the film allows them to be with them in their greatest doubts, fears, and hopes. "It was quite a challenging shoot because I had never encountered this topic in my life before. Moreover, what Linda and Marek are dealing with is not simple or ordinary," confided Pavla Gajdošíková, one of the most prominent actresses in contemporary Czech cinema. "It's a film about making decisions, about how nothing is black and white," added the actress who plays the violinist Linda.

Her partner is Kryštof Hádek, who brings his own experience as a parent and personal sensitivity to the role of Marek. "I am a father myself, so I have also gone through the process of wondering if everything will be okay. And I have disabled children in my circle of friends. Having a healthy child is a huge gift, it's not something to be taken for granted," said the actor, who admits that filming raised fundamental questions for him. "It's not at all easy to face the kind of decision our characters are facing."

Another important element of the film is the perspective of those around them – parents, friends, and experts. This adds another layer to the story and offers viewers the opportunity to look at the topic from all sides. "I feel that this film reveals, at least to some extent, that it is difficult to judge anyone when we don't know their background, what they are going through or what they have been through," said Vladimír Javorský, who plays Linda's father.

Klára Melíšková played the powerful role of Linda's mother. "In our film, the young couple learns of the diagnosis during the first trimester and can decide how to proceed. It's very nice that we follow the main character and the people around her throughout the film, allowing us to empathize with what they are going through. It's always a difficult decision," explained the actress.

It is precisely this plurality of views that allows for a discussion that tends to be conducted privately in society. "I think the film raises very important questions and that viewers will have different opinions about it depending on how they perceive this issue," added Zuzana Kronerová, who plays Marek's deeply religious mother.

Dance with a Bear is an intimate story that offers authenticity, exceptional acting performances, and a sensitive but open approach to a socially important topic. At the same time, it reveals the dynamics of a relationship that changes under the weight of a fundamental decision. The film thus shows not only the dilemma of one couple, but above all how fragile human happiness can be and how demanding it is to bear responsibility for a new life.

The film, produced by Jindřich Motýl and Martin Růžička from LUMINAR Film, will be released in cinemas on March 19, 2026, distributed by Bontonfilm.

Synopsis
Linda is 20 weeks pregnant when she and her husband Marek learn during a routine ultrasound that their daughter has a congenital developmental defect. They have only one month left to decide on a possible termination, but they are opposed to this option. They begin visiting parents of children with the same disability and meet Alice, the mother of 12-year-old Adam. Linda's fears grow—how can she balance motherhood with her career as a highly successful violinist? She finds no support even from her mother, who urges her to have an abortion. On top of that, Marek, who works as a commercial pilot, suddenly finds himself on unpaid leave. The couple thus faces an ever-growing crisis, which is gradually exacerbated by the incomprehension of those around them regarding their decision to bring a disabled child into the world. In a heated argument between them, abortion is mentioned for the first time as a real possibility...

Cast:
Pavla Gajdošíková, Kryštof Hádek, Klára Melíšková, Vladimír Javorský, Zuzana Kronerová, Petra Špalková, Petr Pěknic, Katarína Šafaříková, Tomáš Palonder, Lukáš Dvořák, Eliška Soukupová, Gabriela Míčová, Elliot Manzanares

Director: Jitka Rudolfová
Screenplay: Lucie Bokšteflová
Story: Jindřich Motýl, Martin Růžička

Producer: 
LUMINAR Film (Jindřich Motýl, Martin Růžička)

Co-producers:
Czech Television (CT creative producer: Helena Uldrichová)

ATTACK FILM (Ľubomír Ján Slivka)

Slovak Television and Radio (Renáta Koleková)

Cinematography: Ferdinand Mazurek

Editing: Jakub Hejna

Architect / Designer: Daniel Tůma

Costume Designer: Marek Cpin

Makeup Artist: Zuzana Peschlová

Music: Jonatan Pastirčák, Martin Štefánik

Sound Design: Richard Müller

Executive Producer: Pavel Vácha

Film support:

State Audiovisual Fund, Audiovisual Fund, Ministry of the Environment, Ústí Region, co-financed by the European Union, financed by the European Union Next Generation EU National Recovery Plan, Ministry of Culture

Media partners:

Totalfilm, ČSFD

Premiere: March 19, 2026
Distributor: Bontonfilm
Country: Czechia / Slovakia
Genre: drama
Length: 110 min

photo: LUMINAR Film

Film PR - Gabriela Vágner (Mia Production)