‘Manipulation’ Exposes a Hidden European Power Network in New Thriller

Power, faith and hidden influence sit at the centre of Manipulation, the first international feature from Czech filmmaker David Balda, which will open in UK and Irish cinemas on 6 November following releases in Germany and Italy.

The thriller explores a secretive elite organisation operating across Europe, exerting influence through political institutions and the Church while remaining largely invisible to the wider public. As that system begins to reveal itself, the film shifts its focus towards questions of control, belief and how easily certainty can be destabilised when competing versions of the truth are placed in front of people.

Balda has described the project as a response to the difficulty his generation can face in separating fact from manipulation, particularly in a media environment shaped by politics, advertising and competing sources of information.

“I’m 26 years old, and I see that my generation can often struggle to figure out what’s true,” Balda said. “I think manipulation happens everywhere, in the media, in politics, in advertising.”

Rather than anchoring the film to one political system, the director chose to build the story around secret societies and religious institutions, allowing the themes to move beyond a single country.

“That’s why I wanted to show this topic on secret societies and churches, which is very interesting and more universal and omnipresent,” he added.

Manipulation features an international cast led by James Faulkner, whose credits include Game of Thrones, alongside Féodor Atkine, Heino Ferch, Arnaud Binard, Predrag Bjelac and Pawel Delag. The film was shot across Prague, Ferrara and Bologna, giving the production a deliberately European scale and visual identity.

For Balda, the release marks another significant step in a career that began unusually early. His debut feature Narusitel (Intruder) was released in 2019 when he was 18, making him one of the youngest filmmakers to have a full-length feature released theatrically in the Czech Republic and later on Netflix.

Balda said he also wanted the film to carry “the importance of faith and right decision making of a young generation”, while remaining broad enough for viewers to recognise elements of their own daily experiences within it.

The filmmaker also welcomed the forthcoming British release, saying he had long drawn inspiration from the UK’s film, music and wider cultural industries.

Manipulation will be released in UK and Irish cinemas from 6 November 2026, with Blue Eyes Film & Distribution handling the UK release.

Manipulation trailer