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For its smallest visitors, Anifilm prepared two programmes composed of selected episodes of animated series and songs. While the tales for children were made in Britain, the songs were created by Czech Television. In the first of these showcases, we will see how David Súkup used his specific cutout animation technique to animate Czech folksongs Jede, jede poštovský panáček, Já mám koně and Já do lesa nepojedu. Children can also look forward to unexpected adventures of the peculiar creatures called Clangers, who live on a nice little planet in space. New episodes of Clangers are a sequel to the original series from the 1960s and 1970s animated by stop-motion animation and comprehensible for children. Another star of this showcase is a dog named Dugee, who earns a badge for his efforts in every episode.Sing with Us – Jede, jede poštovský panáček

Director: David Súkup, Czech Republic, 3 min

Sing with Us – Já mám koně

Director: David Súkup, Czech Republic, 3 min

Clangers – Round and Round                                                       

Director: Joe Chalkey, Chris Tichborne, United Kingdom, 11 min

Clangers – The Sound Snatcher

Director: Joe Chalkey, Chris Tichborne, United Kingdom, 11 min

Clangers – Wooly Welcome

Director: Matt Baker, United Kingdom, 11 min

Hey Dugee – The Story Badge

Director: Grant Orchard, United Kingdom, 7 min

Hey Dugee – The Teddy Bear Badge

Director: Grant Orchard, United Kingdom, 7 min

Sing with Us – Já do lesa nepojedu

Director: David Súkup, Czech Republic, 3 min

Nowhere in the world are bright green meadows and golden dandelions as beautiful as in Lusatia. This land where the soil smells of freshly baked bread and the promise of a bright future is a haven for young Krabat, an orphan who struggles to find his place in the world and depends on the good will of others. But as soon as the winter comes, even the hospitable land of Lusatia shows him how harsh it can be. After a sinister rook lures him to the Sorcerer’s Mill, Krabat becomes an apprentice to the mill’s master and joins eleven other apprentices only to find out later that each winter, one of the apprentices has to leave the Sorcerer’s Mill (and the world as well). The school of wizardry in the Sorcerer’s Mill has very strict rules and it is not advisable to break them. But living in thrall of a tyrannical master-sorcerer and waiting for death is something that Krabat cannot easily accept. Even more so when one night he meets a beautiful girl from a nearby village and falls in love. The legend of the sorcerer’s apprentice that has many variations in many countries was adapted into a book by Otfried Preussler from Liberec almost fifty years ago. The legendary Czech animator Karel Zeman later used cutout animation to adapt the book into an iconic film of Czech cinema with a unique atmosphere and an unforgettable artistic style. 

Nine Fairy Tales by Karel and Josef Čapek was published in 1932 and it has been immensely popular among children and parents ever since. The same applies for animated adaptations of individual fairy tales from the book made by Eduard Hofman. Beginning in 1959, he adapted six of them. We will screen the first four adaptations. The director closely adhered to the original artistic style of the illustrations by Josef Čapek and cast one of our best actors and voice talents Karel Höger. He performed Čapek’s text with an incredible brilliance and in the proper humorous manner. As this year’s festival focuses on music and sound in animation, we also need to praise the art of voice actors. This year also marks the 130th anniversary of Karel Čapek’s birth.

The Dog’s Tale, 1959, 14 min

The Postman’s Tale, 1961, 21 min

The Great Doctor Tale, 1963, 16 min

The First Bandits’ Tale, 1964, 15 min

Director: Eduard Hofman, Czechoslovakia

Katarína Minichová (2 October 1949 – 12 August 2019) was a director and screenwriter of films for children and young adults. She was also a film critic and theorist. She worked at Slovak Television, lectured on screenwriting and dramaturgy of animated film at the Film and TV Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and, in 2006, she became the programme director of the Biennial of Animation Bratislava. She was a regular visitor of both AniFest and Anifilm and a warm-hearted colleague to us all. This programme prepared in collaboration with the Biennial of Animation Bratislava and the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava includes a selection from the bedtime stories and films created under her tutelage. Fairy-Tales from all over the World – A Shepherd and the Wind

Director: Monika Trajterová, Tomáš Čepek, Czechoslovakia, 1992, 8 min

Dada and Dodo – Dada, Dodo and the Eggs

Director: Rudolf Urc, Czechoslovakia, 1986, 7 min

The Smallest Heroes – Vegetable Soup

Director: František Jurišič, Czechoslovakia, 1985, 9 min

Clay Tales – A Fashion Show

Director: František Jurišič, Slovakia, 1994, 9 min

Fairy-Tales about King Fiškus – How Fiškus Came into the Tale

Director: Vladimír Malík, Slovakia, 1995, 8 min

Fairy-Tales from all over the World – Krištof in the Land of Goblins

Director: Monika Trajterová, Tomáš Čepek, Czechoslovakia, 1992, 9 min

Know

Director: Ivana Zajacová, Slovakia, 2000, 4 min

Invention in A Minor for Two Voices

Director: Vlado Král, Slovakia, 1998, 2 min

The protagonists of the selected fairy-tales included in our showcase all share a passion for exploring distant countries, the sea and the submarine world and they also like to meet new creatures and learn about their customs. Bear Mouk and his best friend, a cat called Chavapa, are two globetrotters travelling around the world, whether on their bikes or in a hot-air balloon or aboard the Trans Siberian Express. Cute puffins travel only on their island near the coast of Ireland, but their adventures are no less fascinating. The romantic island offers an abundance of unexplored nooks and crannies. The showcase is concluded by an even more poetic story of a dog named Polo. Every day, he embarks on a different adventure with his extraordinary friends from Earth and outer space. This time, he sets out to the sea and becomes a pirate.

Mouk – Papyrus

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

Mouk –The Red Crabs

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

Mouk – Trans Siberian Express

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

Mouk – The Sky Travellers

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

Puffin Rock – Turtle Taxi                                                           

Director: Maurice Joyce, Ireland, 7 min

Puffin Rock – Cave Camping

Director: Maurice Joyce, Ireland, 7 min

Polo – The Day When Polo Became a Brave Pirate

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award laureate Ivo Špalj worked on many Czech (and Czechoslovak) Bedtime Stories. In this programme, we focus on his work on hand-drawn animated Bedtime Stories from the 1960s until the mid-1990s. Our showcase includes work from renowned directors and visual artists.

The oldest screened Bedtime Story narrated by the brilliant František Filipovský is The Boy from the Poster directed by Josef Kábrt. In the 1980s, Ivo Špalj worked continuously on various animated series. From that period come acoustically and graphically original fairy-tales Lardocks and Crunch, The Earthling, Bobby and Bob Bobkins and Radovan Has Some Fun from the late 1980s. The programme is concluded by Špalj’s work from the 1990s, popular series From the Diary of a Third-Grade Pupil, or Edudant and Francimore and Babbie and Bertie.

The Boy from the Poster – Have You Seen a Lion Around Here?

Director: Josef Kábrt, Czechoslovakia, 1968, 7 min

Lardocks and Crunch – In an Eagle’s Nest

Director: Václav Mergl, Czechoslovakia, 1983, 8 min

The Earthling – Collecting Blueberries

Director: Josef Lamka, Czechoslovakia, 1985, 8 min

Bobby and Bob Bobkins – Around the World with Barbucha

Director: Zdeněk Smetana, Czechoslovakia, 1986, 8 min

Radovan Has Some Fun – Crazy Wind

Director: Zdena Bártová, Czechoslovakia, 1988, 7 min

From the Diary of a Third-Grade Pupil, or Edudant and Francimore – At Home

Director: Jaroslava Havettová, Czech Republic, 1993, 8 min                                                     

Babbie and Bertie – The Button

Director: Václav Mergl, Czech Republic, 1994, 8 min

The Little Witch is a classic of Czech Bedtime Stories. But not everyone knows that in parallel with this iconic series, a feature film was being produced. Both the series and the film are based on the popular book by German writer Otfried Preußler, who was born in Liberec. The film (and the series as well) was created by prominent personalities of Czech animation: director Zdeněk Smetana, who imbued the tale with pleasant humour and a remarkable artistic style along with a little mystery, composer Petr Skoumal, who took care of the unforgettable soundtrack, and the unmistakeable talent of Jiřina Bohdalová, who voiced the likeable witch. Together with similar Tales from Moss and Fern and Reedy, The Little Witch ranks among Zdeněk Smetana’s best works for children. The original fairy-tale, which many parents will undoubtedly nostalgically remember, follows a rather clumsy and naïve novice witch. But unlike the rooted notion has it, she is not evil and doesn’t wish to complicate lives. On the contrary, the Little Witch is nice and kind-hearted. And also somewhat confused. And so there is little wonder that she has a hard time preparing for big witch exams.

The second programme for small children, which includes episodes of extraordinary and artistically cultivated British series along with animated songs by Czech Television. This time, the children will see and hear popular folk songs Měsíček svítí, Šel zahradník do zahrady and the much loved Pásla ovečky. The Clangers, a cute family living with their similarly cute friends on a distant planet, will deal with Snow Business and the Mother of Invention. Originally, the Clangers are one of the unique creations of British animator and screenwriter Oliver Postgate, who – along with his colleague, graphic artist Peter Firmin – was a part of the creative duo of the Smallfilms production company. Their Clangers rank among milestones of television animation and programmes for children. Similarly captivating, although with a different artistic and animation style, are the adventures of dog Dugee, who earns badges for his “acts of heroism”.

Sing with Us – Měsíček svítí

Director: David Súkup, Czech Republic, 3 min

Sing with Us – Šel zahradník do zahrady

Director: David Súkup, Czech Republic, 3 min

Clangers – Snow Business

Director: Daniel Postgate, United Kingdom, 11 min

Clangers – Mother of Invention

Director: Daniel Postgate, United Kingdom, 11 min

Clangers – Puffball

Director: Daniel Postgate, United Kingdom, 11 min

Hey Dugee – The Fashion Badge

Director: Grant Orchard, United Kingdom, 7 min

Hey Dugee – The Sailing Badge

Director: Grant Orchard, United Kingdom, 7 min

Sing with Us – Pásla ovečky

Director: David Súkup, Czech Republic, 3 min

Ivo Špalj’s sound artistry can be found in Czech puppet animation as well. Apart from other films, he worked on many puppet series, some of which are included in this programme mainly for pre-school children. Some of the screened Bedtime Stories that have attained cult status will surely be nostalgically remembered by parents, some will charm the audiences with playful stories and some with their precise stop-motion animation, skilfully made puppets and impressive decorations. Individual fairy-tales bear the signature of phenomenal Czech directors – in this programme, we will see work by Břetislav Pojar, Lubomír Beneš and Vlasta Pospíšilová. Our showcase covers several decades as it includes the poetic Fireflies, comical Pat and Mat and recent The Cottage on the Hilltop.

Tumbling Teddy – Wandering Through Town

Director: Libuše Koutná, Czechoslovakia, 1973, 7 min

Yaya and Paya – Fulfilling Spring Wishes

Director: Břetislav Pojar, Lubomír Beneš, Czechoslovakia, 1986, 8 min

Fireflies – Winter

Director: Vlasta Pospíšilová, Czech Republic, 1995, 8 min

Pat and Mat – Eaves

Director: Marek Beneš, Czechoslovakia, 1992, 8 min

The Cottage on the Hilltop – Annie Fears Death

Director: Šárka Váchová, Czech Republic, 2008, 8 min

The Adventures of the Bee Teddies – Honey

Director: Libuše Koutná, Ivo Houf, Czechoslovakia, 1984, 9 min

This programme includes fairy-tales swarming with fish, dolphins, salmon and giant whales. Traveller Mouk and his friend Chavapa, curious puffins and brave dog Polo all run into fish (mostly sea fish) and other animals. Who will save a baby whale stranded on a shore during migration? And who will involuntarily become an observer and keeper of records of the migration only to subsequently embark on an adventure both on the sea and under it? And finally, those who want to see something as unique as salmon leaping must sacrifice their sleep.

Mouk – Pink Dolphin

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

Mouk – Whale Watchers

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

Polo – The Day When the King of Fishes Almost Lacked Water

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

Polo – The Day When Polo Saved the Whale

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

Polo – The Day When the Oldest Fish Tried to Fly

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

Puffin Rock – The Sad Whale

Director: Maurice Joyce, Ireland, 7 min

Puffin Rock – Oona’s Fishing Trip

Director: Maurice Joyce, Ireland, 7 min

Puffin Rock – The Salmon Leap

Director: Maurice Joyce, Ireland, 7 min

The mysterious and infinite place with many hidden corners and secrets known as Space is a phenomenon that – at certain ages and to a certain extent – fascinates virtually all children. And many are fascinated by it for their entire lives. In our showcase Space Explorers, we present fairy-tales which portray space as a friendly place full of kind creatures. As their hands are not tied with concrete images, the filmmakers usually let their imagination run wild when creating the settings and characters of their space-related work. Some of the fairy-tales in our showcase are set directly in space (Clangers), others take place somewhere between the Earth and sky (Polo) and in some, the curious heroes observe space from the safety of our planet (Puffin Rock, Mouk).

Clangers – Space Tangle

Director: Mole Hill, Chris Tichborne, United Kingdom, 11 min

Clangers – Rainbow Star

Director: Mole Hill, Chris Tichborne, United Kingdom, 11 min

Puffin Rock – The Meteor Shower

Director: Maurice Joyce, Ireland, 7 min

Polo – The Day When Polo Opened a Magical Advent Calendar

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

Polo – The Day When a Star Fell from the Sky

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

Polo – The Day the Moonman Disappeared

Director: Caroline Origer, France, Luxembourg, 8 min

Mouk – Meteorite Hunters

Director: François Narboux, France, 10 min

This showcase presents traditional and modern fairy-tales in brand new versions. In recent years, authors from the upcoming generation of Czech animators decided to make films for children. Every author used an original and playful approach to adapt and expand classic as well as new fairy-tale themes. Some fairy-tales are considerably modernised (what would, for instance, happen to the wolf if all Red Riding Hoods knew Judo, and how will a snotty princess end up after visiting a make-up artist?), others are more traditional but no less captivating. Often humorous and surprising twists in the stories of young animators inevitably lead to a universal fairy-tale message in which boasting and greediness don’t pay off, but with a little bit of courage and luck, even the smallest of heroes can find their way out of trouble. Whether the way takes them through a dark forest, swamp or snow.

Little Red Riding Hood

Director: Martina Holcová, Czech Republic, 2017, 5 min

Through the Marsh

Director: Kryštof Ulbert, Czech Republic, 2017, 6 min

Awaker

Director: Filip Diviak, Czech Republic, 2017, 10 min

Cloudy

Director: Filip Diviak, Kateřina Čupová, Czech Republic, 2018, 5 min

Kovlad

Director: Kateřina Čupová, Czech Republic, 2017, 8 min

Insatiable

Director: Linda Retterová, Czech Republic, 2017, 5 min

The Witch

Director: Anna Němečková, Czech Republic, 2018, 4 min

First Snow

Director: Lenka Ivančíková, Czech Republic, 2015, 14 min

Screening of selected episodes and Q&A with authors

Hook’s High Jinks produced by Czech Television will be presented at Anifilm by its director, Maria Procházková, along with other creators. Between screenings of selected episodes, they will talk about how the series was made and there will naturally be time for some questions. Maria Procházková has years of experience with production for children, and she has for quite some time now been specialising in educational programmes. Hook’s High Jinks uses a playful way to explain fine art to younger as well as older viewers. It is set in a gallery and its protagonists are Hook, who cares about what picture is hung on her, and Nail – a sharp boy who won’t put up with just about anything. But these two luckily aren’t the ones who are interpreting the artworks. They discuss them with Mr. Lightbulb, who sheds some light on various things, and a naïve Fly, who thinks it understands everything. Hook’s High Jinks playfully and humorously introduces various artistic styles, specific works and artists.

A Square Sailor

From Hrusice Straight to the Gallery

Blue is Good

Painting as a Photograph

Town at Dusk

Director: Maria Procházková, Czech Republic, 2019, 5 x 4 min

Or when the journey is far more entertaining than the destination. And even more so in the case of this programme, whether the journey is a race, a fight, a chase, a flight or a search for a loved one. The important thing is to move, and in this showcase, our heroes will demonstrate running, jumping, flying, riding and other dynamic methods of relocation. You just sit back and get ready, set and… GO!

This selection of short films prepared by dramaturges from Anifilm Distribution presents films by Czech and foreign animators. The protagonists of all the rushing, running and jumping are not only race cars, but also animals. We will see them riding a bike in a forest in autumn, look at them skiing, meet a graffitiger exploring the walls of a city, watch a shadow following its master, witness even immovable objects like a country house move and observe unexpectedly agile Christmas decorations.

Kampa – Petřín Rallye
Director: Kreus, Czech Republic, 2012, 8 min

The Last Day of Autumn
Director: Marjolaine Perreten, France, Switzerland, 2019, 7 min

Hopus
Director: Lucie Kokoliová, Czech Republic, 2019, 4 min

Graffitiger
Director: Libor Pixa, Czech Republic, 2010, 10 min  

Modulatorie
Director: Alžběta Burešová, Czech Republic, 2016, 4 min

The Concrete Jungle
Director: Marie Urbánková, Czech Republic, 2019, 7 min

The House
Director: Veronika Zacharová, Czech Republic, 2016, 6 min

Vivat Musqueteers!
Director: Anton Diyakov, Russia, 2017 / 5 min

Charlie the Snowman’s Christmas Wedding
Director: Petr Vodička, Czech Republic, 2017, 12 min

Or six short more or less serious films about death by Czech and Slovak animators! How should one portray the difficult theme of death in a film? Is it possible to use a film to come to terms with the loss of a loved one and at the same time appeal to child audiences? Animated film is a suitable medium for discussing the end of life sensitively but also humorously. Simply in a way that is easily acceptable for children. The authors of the following six films approach the theme very loosely and variedly. The majority of the films lighten the delicate subject and work with popular characters such as skeletons, ghosts and zombies. Other films choose a serious approach emphasizing feelings. But all of the films face the often-tabooed theme without fear and perceive a loss as the beginning of something new. After all, hope never dies.

A Tear Is Needed

Director: Kristina Dufková, Czech Republic, 2008, 17 min

Do Not Touch!

Director: Pavel Endrle, Czech Republic, 2017, 1 min

30 Amper

Director: Michal Kubíček, Czech Republic, 2018, 14 min

The Tree

Director: Lucie Sunková, Czech Republic, 2015, 15 min

Ghostory

Director: Alžběta Göbelová, Czech Republic, 2017, 10 min

The Kite

Director: Martin Smatana, Czech Republic, Slovakia, 2019, 13 min

Perhaps the stories of Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood were different. Perhaps there was more than one wolf. And perhaps they all kind of knew each other. In the case of Revolting Rhymes, this is true. In this film, we find both our heroines in a big city. Given the fact that the film is based on the work of popular British writer of books for children Roald Dahl, we can be sure that these tales will include a lesson, peculiar humour and a certain dose of horribleness just like the originals. The modern adaptation deepens the relations between the characters and rhymed narration helps to keep the playfulness and winsomeness not only in the story of friendship of two popular fairy-tale heroines – in the second part, they are joined by Jack and the Beanstalk and his neighbour Cinderella. Red Riding Hood’s sly children hear the stories from none other than the wolf himself, disguised as a babysitter. How will their stories end? And will the children survive the wolf’s bedtime story? Both parts of Revolting Rhymes earned Magic Light Pictures an Oscar nomination and a number of prestigious awards.

Director: Jacob Schuh, Jan Lachauer, Bin-Han To, United Kingdom, 2016, 58 min

In Memoriam Gene Deitch: Immortal Tom and Jerry and their Friends

5+

 American director and screenwriter Gene Deitch spent over half of his life in Prague, which means – and there may be some who don’t know this – that some episodes of iconic American cartoons directed by him were produced in socialist Czechoslovakia. And that’s not all – apart from many episodes of popular series, Gene made also short films, usually in collaboration with a Czechoslovak crew but in an American production. His films, which Anifilm repeatedly screened, were often made for child audiences.

Let’s come together and remember this remarkable person who, despite being American, has cemented his place in the history of Czech animation. For this programme, we picked well-known as well as less-known episodes of various series and short films. Apart from the beloved immortal heroes Tom and Jerry, we will see for instance an episode of a series starring a grotesque character named Nudnik who fails at everything no matter how hard he tries. Gene’s short films are represented in this programme by the humorous Pig’s Wedding and an adaptation of African fable A Story, a Story with music played on ancient African instruments borrowed from the Náprstek Museum.

Gene Deitch: 1924–2020

Tom & Jerry – Mouse into Space, USA, 1961, 7 min

Nudnik – Here’s Nudnik, USA, 1960, 7 min  

The Foolish Frog, USA, Czechoslovakia, 1971, 7 min          

Tom & Jerry – Carmen Get it!, USA, 1962, 7 min

The Pigs’ Wedding, USA, Czechoslovakia, 1989, 7 min

Nudnik – Nudnik on the Roof, USA, 1966, 7 min      

A Story, a Story, USA, Czechoslovakia, 1974, 9 min

Tom & Jerry – Buddies Thicker than Water, USA, 1962, 7 min