Retrospektive
Short films on & Zdeněk Miler
“Gen: Gallery of the Elite of a Nation” – Dagmar Smržová on Zdeněk Miler
Dagmar Smržová | Czech Republic | 2002 | 14 min
In 1950 Miler was offered to make a children’s film on how linen was produced, a topic which children are hardly interested in. He had to create a character to guide them through the plot; however, Disney had made use of all animals by that time and left none for Miler until he by accident stumbled over a molehill, giving him the idea for the Little Mole. Finished after two years in 1954, Krtek a kalhotky (The Mole and the Trousers), the first Krtek film, was an instant success among millions of children worldwide, with Zdeněk Miler following Josef Lada as the next world renowned creator of a typical Czech cartoon character.
The Millionaire Who Stole The Sun
Zdeněk Miler | Czech Republic | 1948 | 10 min
The classic short film of Czech cartoon animation is based on a famous social fairy-tale by Czech poet Jiří Wolker. The millionaire, owning a whole town, factories as well as the workers there, falls ill and is prescribed only one medicament – the sun. The millionaire has the sun removed from the sky and puts it into a metal dome to shine just for him.
The Rooster and the Hen
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1953 | 13 min
A cartoon based on the screenplay by Czech writer Marie Majerová, who held the People’s Artist title, features a rooster and a hen. The film shows that selfishness is bad while helping each other is good.
About the World’s Richest Sparrow
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1961 | 10 min
story about a mean sparrow whose greed would backfire if it weren’t for his friends…
The Velvet Caterpillar
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1967 | 14 min
A poetic story based on the radio play by US writer Norman Corwin. A charming animated fairy-tale tells a story about a great and later also a famous friendship of a little boy and a small green caterpillar.
A Helgoland Romance
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1977 | 13 min
A cartoon based on Jan Neruda’s poem of the same name features a lighthouse keeper who wants to secure a dowry for his daughter by abusing his profession. Instead of warning ships, he lures them to shipwreck on the rocky coast.
Miler's Mole
How the Mole got his Trousers
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1957 | 14 min
Wishing to have linen trousers, the Little Mole is able to obtain them thanks to his effort and the help of other animals.
The Mole and the Rocket
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1966 | 8 min
The Little Mole flies in a rocket and lands on a small island where he befriends a crab, who helps the Mole in looking for the lost rocket parts.
Mole the Gardener
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1969 | 7 min
A garden hose stops working and flowers are in danger of running out of water. Digging up a ditch, the Little Moll saves the flowers.
The Mole and the Green Star
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1969 | 8 min
While spring cleaning, the Mole finds a shiny green shard and wants to place it as star on the sky. Before he succeeds, he has to overcome several obstacles.
The Mole and the Lollipop
Zdeněk Miler | Czechoslovakia | 1970 | 8 min
The Mole finds something he has not seen before – a lollipop. Trying to make out what it is, the Little Mole eventually learns what the curious thing is meant for.
The Mole and Friends
Zdeněk Miler | Czech Republic | 1995 | 5 min
The Mole and his animal friends learn from a good deed.
The Mole and the Robot
Zdeněk Miler | Czech Republic | 1995 | 5 min
A robot in the wrong hands can cause trouble.
The Mole and the Little Frog
Zdeněk Miler | Czech Republic | 2002 | 5 min
Tidying up in his house, the Mole is called by a mouse who wants to go to a disco. The Mole takes his car and picks the mouse up. However, a frog crosses their way and the Mole jams on the brakes, being consequently thrown out of the car. An ambulance arrives to treat the injured Mole but the injury is fortunately not serious. The frog then takes care of the Mole.
The Mole and the Flute
Zdeněk Miler | Czech Republic | 1999 | 5 min
The Mole learns how to play the flute, and after his initial failure, he achieves success.
The Mole and the Snowman
Zdeněk Miler | Czech Republic | 1998 | 5 min
The Mole saves a snowman from the sun.