Josef Tuka (b. 1979) studied radio and TV scripting and programming at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, and then film direction under Věra Chytilová at Prague’s FAMU. He shot several shorts as a student, of which the biggest successes were his bachelor’s degree film Saharan Sands (2009) and his graduation work Small Circle of Attention (2011). The latter was a finalist for the 2011 Magnesia Award in the student film category as part of the annual awards presented by the Czech Film and Television Academy. That same year saw the premiere of a Karel Čapek story adaptation, Mr Janík’s Cases, that he made for the Czech Television series Čapek’s Pockets. Two years later his screenplay Blue Ribbon Champagne won a Film Foundation award. Absence of Closeness is his feature film debut.