Her story is absolutely extraordinary. Martina (35) from Pilsen survived a brutal acid attack. She was blinded by him, fighting for her bare life. She was able to cope with everything and went as far as helping others and even becoming a happy mother. Her fate is represented by the film My New Face, which premiered at the film festival in Jihlava and has so far only been shown in cinemas. It is now being broadcast by Czech Television.
Trailer for the film My new face, which tells the story of Martina from Pilsen, who survived an acid attack.
| Video: courtesy of Czech Television
“My colleagues and I filmed acid attacks on women many years ago in India. The theme of disfigured women who defied the system and gradually changed the punishment for such an appalling act resonated with me long after. I was looking to see if we also have such cases here. And that’s how I met Martina. Already at the first meeting, I was so impressed by her personality that I wanted to watch her story on camera,” said Jarmila Štuková, the director of the nearly eighty-minute long documentary. She added that she would like the film to motivate above all. “And not only those viewers who suffered a serious injury, their lives changed dramatically in a way they could not even imagine, but all of us. All those who sometimes run out of strength in life,” added Štursová.
Trailer for the film My New Face, which tells the story of Martina from Pilsen, who survived an acid attack:
Source: with the permission of Czech Television
Together with producer Maja Hamplová, she recalled that Martina became only the second woman in the Czech Republic to survive a brutal acid attack. She became blind and had to learn to live again and differently. The picture presents Pilsen woman as an extraordinary woman, whose inner strength and determination brought her out of the darkness back into the light. The documentary charts Martina’s steps from the moment her life as she knew it collapsed from second to second. In a very intimate narrative, supplemented by situations describing her admirable struggle, you can follow Martina step by step, from the deepest falls to the greatest advances and successes.
“The reactions are surprisingly overwhelmingly positive. We have great feedback on it, everyone says that it is an inspiration, motivation, or even an incentive to change their life for the better. I’m surprised, I didn’t expect such a response,” said the main protagonist of the story to Deník, who was most pleased that people were looking for the positive in the documentary. “No one told us that it would be depressing, sad for them, but they agree that there they feel the will to live, that it gives them a kick to change their lives for the better,” added Martina, adding that people with psychological problems react a lot , who appreciate how she coped with hers. “We had panic attacks, anxiety states. People tell me that when they see how I coped with it, it gives them the strength not to give up and fight their problems,” concluded Martina, who found new love, got married and is a mother, and she and her partner have a small son. In 2020, she received the Olga Havelová Award for her awareness-raising activities and helping people with burns.
STORIES OF THE YEAR 2020: She lost her sight after an acid attack, but she still helps others
The documentary My new face will be broadcast on Tuesday, April 30 at 9 p.m. on ČT2.
Tags: heroine Pilsen inspires extraordinary documentary broadcast Czech Television
