04/10/2023 - Rudolf Biermann is directing the story of the mafia's entanglement with politics and the secret service, adapted from Arpád Soltész's novel

Róbert Jakab (left) and Alexander Bárta in War of the Police (© Cinemart SK)

The sequel to the Slovak box-office success Scumbag [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see the news), titled War of the Police (working title; original title Vojna policajtov), is currently in post-production. Scumbag was a collaborative directorial effort between Mariana Čengel Solčanská, known for her politically inspired genre pieces, such as Kidnapping [+see also:
trailer
film profile], and producer Rudolf Biermann, whose credits include The Man with Hare Ears [+see also:
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interview: Martin Šulík
film profile], A Prominent Patient [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and The Glass Room [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. However, War of the Police marks Biermann's first venture as a solo director. The narrative delves deep into the sociopolitical ambience of Eastern Slovakia during the tumultuous "Mečiarism" era, marked by the authoritative tenure of the country's prime minister and noticeable breaches in democratic norms. Mirroring Scumbag (see the news), the script is adapted from a novel by Slovak author Arpád Soltész, titled Anger, which was inspired by actual events. This is the third instalment in a literary crime series preceded by Scumbag and Flesh. Once Upon a Time in the East (which have been published in French under the titles Le Bal des Porcs and Il était une fois dans l’Est, respectively). The first novel, Flesh. Once Upon a Time in the East, has also been in development for the big-screen treatment, overseen by producer-director Michal Kollár (The Red Captain [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

War of the Police offers a portrayal of the mafia’s sway and its relations with politics, the police and the Slovakian Secret Service during the wildest era in the country’s history. The film affords us a detailed and unvarnished glimpse into the daily existence and activities of individuals in the eastern region. Set against the backdrop of the volatile 1990s, the narrative is anchored by Mikuláš "Miky" Miko (Alexander Bárta, from Hostage [+see also:
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trailer
film profile]), a captain at the Regional Police Directorate in Košice. Notably, Miky remains untainted in an environment rife with corruption, a stance that frequently sets him apart from his contemporaries. The storyline intensifies when he joins forces with a youthful, principled officer, Igor "Moly" Molnár (Juraj Loj, from Charlatan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agnieszka Holland
film profile]). Together, they unearth disturbing links between the criminal underworld and high-ranking political elites. The creators have cited the neo-noir classic LA Confidential as a reference for their film.

While the movie is characterised by dark undertones, it is also punctuated by moments of cynical humour – a signature of Soltész's penmanship. The narrative is anchored in themes of personal courage, integrity and the pivotal act of confronting a flawed system, making it resonate with modern contexts. Described as an "eastern" – a nod to westerns but set amidst the unique aesthetic and socio-cultural backdrop of Eastern Europe – War of the Police contrasts the stark ambience of rundown housing blocks and grimy bars with the historic vistas of Košice, Banská Štiavnica and the commanding Tatra Mountains, lensed by award-winning Slovak DoP Martin Štrba (Charlatan). The ensemble cast, predominantly Slovak, features Robert Jakab (Arvéd), Marián Mitaš (We Have Never Been Modern [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Matěj Chlupáček and Miro Ši…
film profile]), Anežka Petrová, Broňa Kováčiková (Amnesty [+see also:
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film profile]), Ady Hajdu (A Prominent Patient) and Dušan Cinkota (Miki – see the news).

War of the Police is being co-produced by Rudolf Biermann’s production outfit IN Film (Czech Republic), distribution company Cinemart (Czech Republic) and Cinemart SK (Slovakia). The Slovak Audiovisual Fund has supported the project. Cinemart will handle the theatrical release in both countries – on 1 February in Slovakia and on 29 February in the Czech Republic.