EXCLUSIVE: Tereza Nvotová, the director behind Slovakia’s 2026 Oscar entry Father, has signed with the Independent Talent Agency.

Father debuted at the 2025 Venice Film Festival and was shortlisted for the European Film Awards. The film went on to screen in the main competition at the Zurich Film Festival, where it won the Best Film Award. Father also won the Best Film Award and the Best Screenplay Award at the Stockholm Film Festival, the Best Director Award at the Antalya Film Festival, and the Golden Frog in the Cinematographers’ Debuts Competition at Camerimage. The film has also been selected as Slovakia’s official submission for the 98th Academy Awards.

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Before Father, Nvotová directed the feminist mystery-drama Nightsiren, which won the Golden Leopard in the Filmmakers of the Present competition at Locarno. Her debut feature, Filthy, premiered at Rotterdam.

Nvotová first emerged as a documentarian, directing several nonfiction works including the HBO feature The Lust for Power, which was shortlisted for the European Film Awards. She is also attached to direct the political true-crime limited series Our People.

“Tereza is an astonishing filmmaker; she has a unique ability to tell stories that crack open taboos and depict characters on the edge, with confidence, beauty, rawness, and unflinching honesty,” Olivia Gray and Molly Eagles of Independent Talent said in a statement.

“We are particularly excited to be boarding her team at this pivotal moment in her career, with the release of ‘Father’ only consolidating Tereza as a rising star, who is ready to break out on an international stage, and we look forward very much to going on that journey with her.”

Nvotová added: “I’m very excited to be working with Molly and Olivia, and the team at Independent. They represent the sort of art and artists I deeply admire. It’s an inspiring company to be in.”

Nvotová continues to be represented by UTA and Black Bear.

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