eng subtitles
New Wave of Czech Animation
„New Wave of Czech Animation" is the most recent project of the International Festival of Animated Films - ANIFEST - operating under the umbrella of the Institute of Czech Animation.
Since movie theatres had abolished the screening of shorts before a feature-length films (which used to be guarranteed by law in the Czech Republic before 1989) and in the context of the international tendency towards producing commercial feature-length animated formats, the original short films have become a sort of „endangered species". Despite the long tradition and famous names, presently, short animated films can only be seen at festivals. This is why the Czech Animation Institute / AniFest consider it their priority to continue the long tradition of classice masters of Czech animation, e.g. J.Trnka, K. Zeman, J. Švankmajer, B.Pojar, or J. Barta, P.Koutský, M. Pavlátová and many others and through its new project „New Wave of Czech Animation" introduce young Czech animators to the worldwide professional audience as well as to the large public. The dramaturgist of this project and the Professor of the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Animated Film Department, Jiří Kubíček, says: „Without anybody planning or forecasting it, Czech animation saw the birth of something new, congenial, viable and meaningful. Let's call it the "New Wave" as this technical term has a grounded tradition and a solid foundation in the Czech film industry. It is a symbol".
The showcase includes the following Czech animated works:
Contact (2003) by Martin Duda
Playfulness, harmony and conflict between cartoon and digital animation.
Game (2004) by Galina Miklínová
Rules and accidents between two players - hand painted and colored "total" animation with subsequent computer processing in Prague's Alkay studio. The work on the film and screenplay took a year.
Geranium (2005) by Lucie Sunková
A male and a female fall in love in a bar called Pygmalion. They decide to lead wonderful suburban life together gardening and growing geraniums together. However, their destiny prevents them from doing so and both of them make a mistake that proves fatal to their dreams. There is a geranium at the window to serve as a reminder - nothing else remains.
A Scene from the Life of Antelopes (2004) by Edita Krausová
An interpretation of one of the fables for misbehaved children by Jacques Prévert. Antelopes live in Africa with aboriginals and whites. Stray bullets accidentally hit an antelope. Her friends wait in vain for her to come back for dinner...
Radio Kebrle (2006) by Zdeněk Durdil
Prior to founding his legendary Monstrkabaret, renowned variety artist and entertainer Fred Brunold, scraped by doing anything and everything he could. For instance, he worked as an employee at a certain parasitic radio station. Fred's rich experience from his job as a reporter is illustrated in this enlightening story about little Janik and his dangerous excursion to see his grandfather, Jaroslav Kebrle.
Awards:
Fresh Film Fest 2007
FILM FUTURA 2009
The Clod (2007) by Jaromír Plachý
One unusual morning for one unusual creature.
Awards:
AniFest 2008 (Best Internet Animation, Viewers´ Award)
Mrs. G (2007) by Michal Žabka
Mrs. G. is a puppet love story full of funny situations that occur during the co-existence between a man and his unusual female life-partner. You can expect humor, romance and at times even thrills.
Awards:
AniFest 2007 (Viewers Award)
Rio de Janeiro 2008 (Golden Cactus trophy - Best International Animation)
Trieste 2008 (Trudi for the best short animation)
AniFest 2009 (3rd award and special mention by the student jury for best script)
Balchik 2009 (Best Animated Film)
Whoops, Mistake! (2008) by Aneta Kýrová
The storks from the sky delivery service have long, noisily clapping beaks. When they stop to chat, anything can happen. Aneta Kýrová tells a story about two mismatched children, or it would be better to say a human baby and a bear cub. In the writer's version, the story has an unusual ending based on the common experiences shared by all parents. In the end, the parents must adapt to their offspring regardless of what they are.
Torchbearer (2006) by Václav Švankmajer
There is a city with a large labyrinth. Day and Night and the Sun and the Moon keep alternating above the city in a seemingly never-ending cycle. Suddenly the gear gets stuck and then stops and the city is covered in endless darkness. The hero enters the labyrinth and wanders along its dark corridors. He is followed by guards who, at first sight, look like motionless statues of ancient women. But they come back to life behind the hero's back who is on his way into the heart of the labyrinth to pass three tests.
Awards:
Cracow Student Jury Award
Fresh Film Fest - Best Animation
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Danny Boy (Poland 2010)
directed by Marek Skrobecki, 10 min, eng subtitles
A young poet falling in love. A city that awaits a drama to unfold. A time of sadness and conformity, a time of decisions. There is light, there is hope, there is poetry behind the dark clouds of our world.
Awards:
Solothurn 2010 (Audience Award)
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2010 (H.R. Giger Award "Narcisse" for the Best Short)
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Dokumanimo (Poland 2007)
directed by Malgorzata Bosek, 9 min, eng subtitles
A housewife bringing up her kids alone finds a way to escape from the boring tasks of the household by means of a joyful creation of jigsaw puzzle from litter.
Awarded at OFAFA and International Film Festival Etiuda&Anima for best film debut.