Also attached to the film are Mexican Amores Perros and Frida cinematographer Antonio Riestra, former Slovak minister of culture/TV Joj CEO/actor Milan Knazko, and former Czech first lady Dagmar Havlova, wife of Vaclav Havel, marking her first film appearance since returning to private life. A period psychological thriller, Normal centers on a young lawyer defending a serial killer.

Czech production company Axman (www.axmanproductions.com) and Finnish co-production partner Filmiteollisuus (www.filmiteollisuus.fi) are shooting the €1.5 million pre-war Germany film at Prague's Film Studio Gatteo (www.filmstudiogatteo.cz). "To make a film with such a unique visual style is unusual in the Czech Republic, so we started filming well-prepared," Stojakova told FNE. The 50-day shoot began April 2. Stojakova hopes the film will mark a move in Czech films toward pan-European co-productions. The film has already lined up Czech distribution through Bontonfilm for a January 2009 premiere.