Festival daily Wednesday 4. 5. 2016 · Every year, the VAF features a competition of animated...
Transcript of Festival daily Wednesday 4. 5. 2016 · Every year, the VAF features a competition of animated...
Svět
ozor
Cin
ema
10.0
0 —
11.1
9 Lo
ng W
ay N
orth
13.0
0 —
14.1
7 In
tern
atio
nal C
ompe
titio
n of
Sho
rt F
ilms
– Sh
ort F
ilm B
14.3
0 —
15.3
3 W
here
is m
y ho
me?
– S
hort
Film
s I.
16.3
0 —
17.5
4 In
tern
atio
nal C
ompe
titio
n of
Stu
dent
Film
s
–
Stud
ent F
ilm B
18.0
0 —
19.0
1 Ac
com
pany
ing
film
pro
gram
me
– Vá
clav
Mer
gl:
It’s
time
to e
nd D
isne
yism
20.0
0 —
20.4
1 Ju
rors
Pro
gram
me
– O
ndře
j Šva
dlen
a
J. K
. Tyl
The
atre
10.0
0 —
11.2
4 In
tern
atio
nal C
ompe
titio
n of
Stu
dent
Film
s
–
Stud
ent F
ilm A
12.0
0 —
14.0
0 Th
e Bo
y an
d th
e Be
ast
15.0
0 —
16.1
4 In
tern
atio
nal C
ompe
titio
n of
Sho
rt F
ilms
– Sh
ort F
ilm C
17.0
0 —
18.1
8 W
here
is m
y ho
me?
– P
aul F
ierli
nger
–
Exile
Mel
anch
oly
– Sh
ort F
ilms
I.19
.00
—20
.19
Inte
rnat
iona
l Com
petit
ion
of S
hort
Film
s
–
Shor
t Film
D20
.30
—22
.05
The
Mag
ic M
ount
ain
Schw
arze
nber
g H
all
17.3
0 —
18.5
2 Fr
om D
oodl
es to
Pix
els
III. M
oder
n Ti
mes
19.3
0 —
20.5
0 Th
e A
post
le
Pupp
et T
heat
re
10.3
0 —
11.3
0 In
terw
ar M
igra
nts
in C
zech
oslo
vak
Ani
mat
ed
Fi
lm /
Mic
hael
a M
erto
vá12
.30
—14
.00
The
Poet
ics
of H
erm
ína
Týrlo
vá /
Luká
š G
rego
r14
.00
—15
.30
Mak
ing-
of C
hico
& R
ita /
Javi
er M
aris
cal
15.3
0 —
17.3
0 G
raph
ics i
n Cz
ech
TV +
Onl
ine
& O
n-ai
r & O
n-de
-
m
and
/ P. Č
erný
, D. K
ollá
rová
, L. M
achá
čkov
á17
.30
—18
.30
VAF:
Pre
sent
atio
n of
pro
duce
rs’ k
now
-how
18.3
0 —
19.3
0 VA
F: D
istr
ibut
ion
of c
hild
ren
anim
ated
sho
rts
in E
urop
e
Rohá
č –
ČT H
all
08.3
0 —
09.2
6 St
orie
s ab
out M
um a
nd D
ad09
.30
—16
.30
Ani
mat
ion
Wor
ksho
p10
.30
—11
.48
Czec
h H
oriz
ont –
Cze
ch H
oriz
on I.
13.0
0 —
14.1
2 Vá
clav
Mer
gl –
Sel
ecte
d W
orks
for C
hild
ren
15.0
0 —
16.3
2 H
ome
Mas
aryk
Squ
are
21.0
0 —
22.3
0 H
otel
Tra
nsyl
vani
a 2
Hou
se o
f Ani
mat
ion
09.0
0 —
12.0
0 W
orks
hop
in C
astin
g Fi
lm P
uppe
ts /
T. Č
erve
ný, J
. Kru
pičk
a, M
. Per
tlíče
k, M
. Val
chář
09.0
0 —
17.0
0 3D
Ani
mat
ion
Wor
ksho
p / M
icha
l Pou
stka
10.0
0 —
17.0
0 KR
EUS
– 45
Mom
ents
Bef
ore
Awak
enin
g
Hou
se o
f Ště
páne
k N
etol
ický
10.0
0 —
18.0
0 Vá
clav
Mer
gl –
Seq
uenc
e of
Sto
pped
Tim
e
Cast
le G
alle
ry
09.0
0 —
18.0
0 N
ew C
zech
Pup
pets
J. K
. Tyl
The
atre
– F
oyer
09.0
0 —
18.0
0 Th
e Tr
ee: S
tills
Tune
l Mus
ic B
ar
21.3
0 —
22.3
0 Sí
tě22
.30
—23
.30
Indi
a
Down with Disneyism!6 p.m. at the Světozor cinema
Yesterday, we presented Václav Mergl with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Ani-mation. Today, you have the opportunity to watch his visually unique short films. Mergl is a one-of-a-kind Czech animator, who introduced Czech animation to an artistic vision never seen before. The screening series includes his cult films Laokoon, Crabs, Homunkulus and Microbe.
Captivating 3D films 8 p.m. at the Světozor cinema
This evening, the screen of the Světozor cinema will be dedicated to the remarkable, absurd, raw and almost surreal 3D films of Ondřej Švadlena. As a bonus, the director, illustrator, comics author, 3D animator and one of this year’s Anifilm jurors will introduce his new film Time Rodent (2016) and the computer game based on it.
...and one making-of2 p.m. at the Puppet Theatre
Yesterday, you may have watched Chico & Rita at the Masaryk Square. If you would like to learn more about the film, you can attend the afternoon programme of our juror Javier Mariscal, who worked on this Oscar-nomina-ted film as an animation artist. The progra-mme includes a screening of an atypical making-of film and a subsequent discussion.
Tips of the day
What is the Visegrad Animation Forum?
What’s on the programme for today?
In today‘s Festival Daily:Interview: Filip Pošivač & Bára Valecká – page 2Invitation to the opening of exhibiton – page 3Who’s there to meet – page 3
The Visegrad Animation Forum (VAF) represents the industry section of Anifilm. It is also the largest platform for the edu- cation of professionals in Central and Eastern Europe. Among other things, the program-me offers a chance to establish co-produc-tion relations or secure financing for animation projects and it introduces the most successful recent films made in the countries of the Visegrad Group.
Every year, the VAF features a competition of animated short films and TV series in development. The competition includes guidance on how to successfully pitch a project provided by experts from the Cartoon Forum and a chance to present a project to an expert audience and TV professionals from Central and Eastern Europe.
Thirteen short films and twelve TV series were selected from this year’s nearly one hundred competition entries. The winning short film project will be awarded a financial support of 2,000 euro. The winning TV series will receive pitching guidance from Czech Television and secure a spot at the Cartoon Forum 2016.
The most important programme for the animating public starts at 3 p.m. The French producer Frederic Puech from Planet Nemo will present the opportunities for internatio-nal cooperation in Europe. His presentation will be followed by a discussion with film fund representatives, broadcasters and producers working in international co-pro-ductions. Another interesting panel dis- cussion, a presentation of two prestigious European studios, Silver Fox Animation and Camera-etc, will take place at 5 p.m. The programme will close with a panel discu-ssion entitled “Distribution of Children’s Animated Shorts”.
Mrdrchain (Ondřej Švadlena, 2010)Mrdrchain (Ondřej Švadlena, 2010)
Festival dailyWednesday 4. 5. 2016Festival dailyWednesday 4. 5. 2016
What is the Visegrad Animation Forum?The Visegrad Animation Forum (VAF)
represents the industry section of Anifilm.
It is also the largest platform for the edu-
cation of professionals in Central and Eastern
Europe. Among other things, the program-
me offers a chance to establish co-produc-
tion relations or secure financing for
animation projects and it introduces the
most successful recent films made in the
countries of the Visegrad Group.
Every year, the VAF features a competition
of animated short films and TV series in
development. The competition includes
guidance on how to successfully pitch
a project provided by experts from the
Cartoon Forum and a chance to present
a project to an expert audience and TV
professionals from Central and Eastern
Europe.
Thirteen short films and twelve TV series
were selected from this year’s nearly one
hundred competition entries. The winning
short film project will be awarded a financial
support of 2,000 euro. The winning TV series
will receive pitching guidance from Czech
Television and secure a spot at the Cartoon
Forum 2016.
What’s on the programme for today?The most important programme for the
animating public starts at 3 p.m. The French
producer Frederic Puech from Planet Nemo
will present the opportunities for internatio-
nal cooperation in Europe. His presentation
will be followed by a discussion with film
fund representatives, broadcasters and
producers working in international co-pro-
ductions. Another interesting panel dis-
cussion, a presentation of two prestigious
European studios, Silver Fox Animation and
Camera-etc, will take place at 5 p.m. The
programme will close with a panel discu-
ssion entitled “Distribution of Children’s
Animated Shorts”.
Tips of the day
Svět
ozo
r C
inem
a
10
.00
—1
1.1
9
Lon
g W
ay N
ort
h1
3.0
0 —
14
.17
In
tern
atio
nal
Co
mp
etit
ion
of S
ho
rt F
ilms
– Sh
ort
Film
B1
4.3
0 —
15
.33
W
her
e is
my
ho
me?
– S
ho
rt F
ilms
I.1
6.3
0 —
17.
54
In
tern
atio
nal
Co
mp
etit
ion
of S
tud
ent
Film
s
–
Stu
den
t Fi
lm B
18
.00
—1
9.0
1
Acc
om
pan
yin
g fi
lm p
rog
ram
me
– V
ácla
v M
erg
l:
It
’s t
ime
to e
nd
Dis
ney
ism
20
.00
—2
0.4
1
Juro
rs P
rog
ram
me
– O
nd
řej Š
vad
len
a
J. K
. Tyl
Th
eatr
e
10
.00
—1
1.2
4
Inte
rnat
ion
al C
om
pet
itio
n o
f Stu
den
t Fi
lms
– St
ud
ent
Film
A1
2.0
0 —
14
.00
Th
e B
oy
and
th
e B
east
15
.00
—1
6.1
4
Inte
rnat
ion
al C
om
pet
itio
n o
f Sh
ort
Film
s
–
Sho
rt F
ilm C
17.
00
—1
8.1
8
Wh
ere
is m
y h
om
e? –
Pau
l Fie
rlin
ger
–
Exile
Mel
anch
oly
– S
ho
rt F
ilms
I.1
9.0
0 —
20
.19
In
tern
atio
nal
Co
mp
etit
ion
of S
ho
rt F
ilms
– Sh
ort
Film
D2
0.3
0 —
22
.05
Th
e M
agic
Mo
un
tain
Sch
war
zen
ber
g H
all
17.
30
—1
8.5
2
Fro
m D
oo
dle
s to
Pix
els
III. M
od
ern
Tim
es1
9.3
0 —
20
.50
Th
e A
po
stle
Pu
pp
et T
hea
tre
10
.30
—1
1.3
0
Inte
rwar
Mig
ran
ts in
Cze
cho
slo
vak
An
imat
ed
Fi
lm /
Mic
hae
la M
erto
vá1
2.3
0 —
14
.00
Th
e Po
etic
s o
f Her
mín
a Tý
rlo
vá /
Lu
káš
Gre
go
r1
4.0
0 —
15
.30
M
akin
g-o
f Ch
ico
& R
ita
/ Ja
vier
Mar
isca
l1
5.3
0 —
17.
30
G
rap
hic
s in
Cze
ch T
V +
On
line
& O
n-a
ir &
On
-de-
m
and
/ P
. Čer
ný,
D. K
ollá
rová
, L. M
ach
áčko
vá1
7.3
0 —
18
.30
VA
F: P
rese
nta
tio
n o
f pro
du
cers
’ kn
ow
-ho
w1
8.3
0 —
19
.30
VA
F: D
istr
ibu
tio
n o
f ch
ildre
n a
nim
ated
sh
ort
s
in
Eu
rop
e
Ro
háč
– Č
T H
all
08
.30
—0
9.2
6
Sto
ries
ab
ou
t M
um
an
d D
ad0
9.3
0 —
16
.30
A
nim
atio
n W
ork
sho
p1
0.3
0 —
11.
48
C
zech
Ho
rizo
nt
– C
zech
Ho
rizo
n I.
13
.00
—1
4.1
2
Vác
lav
Mer
gl –
Sel
ecte
d W
ork
s fo
r C
hild
ren
15
.00
—1
6.3
2
Ho
me
Mas
aryk
Sq
uar
e
21.
00
—2
2.3
0
Ho
tel T
ran
sylv
ania
2
Ho
use
of A
nim
atio
n
09
.00
—1
2.0
0
Wo
rksh
op
in C
asti
ng
Film
Pu
pp
ets
/
T.
Čer
ven
ý, J
. Kru
pič
ka, M
. Per
tlíč
ek, M
. Val
chář
09
.00
—1
7.0
0
3D A
nim
atio
n W
ork
sho
p /
Mic
hal
Po
ust
ka1
0.0
0 —
17.
00
K
REU
S –
45 M
om
ents
Bef
ore
Aw
aken
ing
Ho
use
of Š
těp
ánek
Net
oli
cký
10
.00
—1
8.0
0
Vác
lav
Mer
gl –
Seq
uen
ce o
f Sto
pp
ed T
ime
Cas
tle
Gal
lery
09
.00
—1
8.0
0
New
Cze
ch P
up
pet
s
J. K
. Tyl
Th
eatr
e –
Foye
r
09
.00
—1
8.0
0
The
Tree
: Sti
lls
Tun
el M
usi
c B
ar
21.
30
—2
2.3
0
Sítě
22
.30
—2
3.3
0
Ind
iaPhoto: Jan Hromádko
Down with Disneyism!6 p.m. at the Světozor cinema
Yesterday, we presented Václav Mergl with
the Lifetime Achievement Award for Ani-
mation. Today, you have the opportunity to
watch his visually unique short films. Mergl
is a one-of-a-kind Czech animator, who
introduced Czech animation to an artistic
vision never seen before. The screening
series includes his cult films Laokoon,
Crabs, Homunkulus and Microbe.
Captivating 3D films 8 p.m. at the Světozor cinema
This evening, the screen of the Světozor
cinema will be dedicated to the remarkable,
absurd, raw and almost surreal 3D films of
Ondřej Švadlena. As a bonus, the director,
illustrator, comics author, 3D animator and
one of this year’s Anifilm jurors will introduce
his new film Time Rodent (2016) and the
computer game based on it.
...and one making-of2 p.m. at the Puppet Theatre
Yesterday, you may have watched Chico &
Rita at the Masaryk Square. If you would like
to learn more about the film, you can attend
the afternoon programme of our juror Javier
Mariscal, who worked on this Oscar-nomina-
ted film as an animation artist. The progra-
mme includes a screening of an atypical
making-of film and a subsequent discussion.
In today‘s Festival Daily:Interview: Filip Pošivač & Bára Valecká – page 2
Invitation to the opening of exhibitonMergl
mergl mergl mergl – page 3
n – page 3
Publ
ishe
d by
Ani
film
on
the
occa
sion
of
Ani
film
201
6 –
Inte
rnat
iona
l Fe
stiv
al o
f Ani
mat
ed F
ilms.
Reda
ctio
n:
Mal
vína
Bal
víno
vá,
Miro
slav
a Ja
niča
tová
Tran
slat
ion:
Lu
káš W
icha
Com
ic:
Ja
n Sa
ska
Des
ign:
Ja
n Ši
msa
The
Fest
ival
Dai
ly is
prin
ted
on E
PSO
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IPS
prin
ting
mac
hine
s. IT
equ
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or th
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stiv
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as p
rovi
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by A
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yste
ms
Třeb
oň.
And
roid
iOS
An
dro
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Dow
nloa
d ou
r fes
tival
app
for
free
and
get i
nfor
mat
ion
abou
t th
e pr
ogra
mm
e, in
divi
dual
film
s,
prog
ram
me
chan
ges,
new
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stiv
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ww
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for
free
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form
atio
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bou
t th
e p
rog
ram
me,
ind
ivid
ual f
ilms,
p
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stiv
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enu
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Pub
lish
ed b
y A
nif
ilm o
n t
he
occ
asio
n
of A
nif
ilm 2
016
– In
tern
atio
nal
Fest
ival
of A
nim
ated
Film
s.
Red
acti
on
: Mal
vín
a B
alví
no
vá,
Mir
osl
ava
Jan
ičat
ová
Tran
slat
ion
: Lu
káš
Wic
ha
Co
mic
: J
an S
aska
Des
ign
: Ja
n Š
imsa
The
Fest
ival
Dai
ly is
pri
nte
d o
n E
PSO
N R
IPS
pri
nti
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mac
hin
es. I
T eq
uip
men
t fo
r th
e
fest
ival
was
pro
vid
ed b
y A
RG
ON
sys
tem
s
Třeb
oň
.
Filip Pošivač, Bára Valecká: Puppets hold a special charm for us
Today’s offer is so rich, your kids may have a hard time choosing. Let us give you a few tips to make things a little easier. Older children who read well enough to take on subtitles can watch several feature films competing in the international competition: for example Long Way North, full of French charm and adventure (10 a.m. at the Světo-zor cinema), or The Boy and the Beast, a typi-cal Japanese anime (12:30 a.m. at the J. K. Tyl Theatre). But watch the footage – the film is two hours long. Younger children can attend screenings in Roháč (Czech Horizon I. and the Little Eveninger Stories about Mum and Dad are definitely worthwhile). And should all else fail, the kids’ corner in the House of Animation will save the day.
Each year, Anifilm welcomes a variety of personalities from all corners of the world of animation. This year, you can meet the direc-tors Igor Kovalyov, Georges Schwizgebel, Isabella Plućinska, Kaspar Jancis, Priit Tender and Matyáš Trnka, whose films are competing in the international competition. You can meet them at moderated discu-ssions entitled “Coffee With the Filmmakers” held on the ground floor of the House of Animation (Thursday – Saturday at 1:30 p.m.). You can also meet Galina Miklínová, Katarína Kerekesová or the Italian sound designer and curator Andrea Martignoni, not to mention all the stars sitting on the international juries.
At 3 p.m. today, you can attend the opening of a unique exhibition entitled Václav Mergl: Sequence of Stopped Time in the House of Štěpánek Netolický (Dům Štěpánka Netol-ického) (89/I Masaryk Square). The opening ceremony is open to public so you don’t need an invitation to get in, just your festival pass. What can you look forward to? The exhibition will present not only Václav Mer-gl’s films but also a selection of his collages, drawings, paintings and various objects. The exhibition was prepared by Anifilm’s Pro-gramme Director Pavel Horáček in coopera-tion with the Aleš South Bohemian Gallery. The exhibition will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closing for a lunch break from 12 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Opening of Václav Mergl’s exhibition
What’s on the kids menu? Who’s there to meet
Dan Gregor:Interactiveinstallation
WC
Festival clubFestivalclub
Festivalclub
Guest ServiceAccreditation Center
Festival shop
8.30 – 20.00
The House of Animation:Ground floor
StairsThe House of Animation:Ground floor
Guest ServiceAccreditation Center
Festival shop
Dan Gregor:Interactiveinstallation
Festival clubFestival
clubFestival
club
Stairs
Czech animation did exceptionally well last year. One of the candidates for the Viewer’s award is an almost half-hour long puppet film Deep in Moss by the creative duo Filip Pošivač & Bára Valecká. The authors are also going to present their animated feature film in progress (Thursday 5th May, 3 p.m., the Puppet Theatre).
What’s the story behind the creation of Deep in Moss? We came up with the idea for Deep in Moss some five years ago while studying animation at the Academy of Arts, Architec-ture and Design in Prague. Originally, we were really into writing some Little Eve-ninger stories. We put some drafts together, but it didn’t work out so we decided to make our own author film. We were supported by Jan Balej. It was he who took us in after we graduated and made it possible for us to tell the story of the two blackthorn fairies. The support of nutprodukce and Pavla Janoušk-ová Kubečková, who helped finance the pro-ject, was just as crucial for our success. We really wanted to make a puppet-animated fairy tale that would allow us to express our imagination with complete freedom, one that we would be happy to show our kids.
The film took you several years to make. What was the most difficult part? Definitely the need to constantly deal with the awareness of not having enough money, while motivating all our colleagues, families and ourselves, convincing everyone that we were going to finish all the work suc-cessfully and that it was all really worth the time and effort. We were in the studio non-stop, working on a very tight budget. A lot of people helped us with the project pretty much out of kindness and just for the joy of being a part of it. This was great motivation, so any stress and pessimism about where we were heading and about possibly taking on too much was washed away by our wonder-ful colleagues and their support. We made a great tightknit team. We are very grateful to a lot of people.
Why did you choose puppet animation? Puppets just hold some special charm for us. We see a huge dramatic potential in them. They’re provocative. They are also magical items with life hiding inside, only waiting to be brought out. You’re in contact with them during the whole filmmaking process, touching them, talking to them. You can’t wait to see them on the screen. Anima-tors have the privilege of bringing some-thing – in our case puppets – to life. You see, they are waiting for human hands to touch them, they’re made for them. And it’s just as nice to be surrounded all the time by an ever growing number of both smaller and bigger decorations and tiny props that the puppets need to live their lives. Everything is tangible and real… just usually really tiny.
Will the viewers have a chance to see the puppets anywhere? Yes, during Anifilm, the puppets will be exhibited in the Třeboň Chateau gallery.
You are also going to introduce your upcoming feature film Tonda, Slávka and genius at the festival. Where did the story come from or is it your own original story? It’s Filip’s own original idea. However, we are co-writing the script with the writer Jana Šrámková. The script has definitely blos-somed. Jana exudes extraordinary charm and empathy. We meet, think of ideas and discuss them. We want the film to reflect the present a lot. The story is about the fear of the unknown, about prejudices and also about the fact that very few things are black and white... But there are a lot of jokes as well. We want to keep the adventure flowing all the time. And it’s all taking place during Christmas. It’s really exciting!
Are you going to work with puppets again? Of course!
What stage is the film in and when do you expect it to be finished? We are completing the first draft of the script and we have a pile of artwork and storyboards ready. If all goes well, we will meet here again at its premier in five years’ time. We were raised by Jan Balej, so you can count on us keeping our passion for puppet animation.
Photo: nutprodukce
Today’s offer is so rich, your kids may have
a hard time choosing. Let us give you a few
tips to make things a little easier. Older
children who read well enough to take on
subtitles can watch several feature films
competing in the international competition:
for example Long Way North, full of French
charm and adventure (10 a.m. at the Světo-
zor cinema), or The Boy and the Beast, a typi-
cal Japanese anime (12:30 a.m. at the J. K. Tyl
Theatre). But watch the footage – the film is
two hours long. Younger children can attend
screenings in Roháč (Czech Horizon I. and
the Little Eveninger Stories about Mum and
Dad are definitely worthwhile). And should
all else fail, the kids’ corner in the House of
Animation will save the day.
Festival dailyWednesday 4. 5. 2016Festival dailyWednesday 4. 5. 2016
Opening of Václav Mergl’s exhibitionAt 3 p.m. today, you can attend the opening
of a unique exhibition entitled Václav Mergl:
Sequence of Stopped Time in the House of
Štěpánek Netolický (Dům Štěpánka Netol-
ického) (89/I Masaryk Square). The opening
ceremony is open to public so you don’t
need an invitation to get in, just your festival
pass. What can you look forward to? The
exhibition will present not only Václav Mer-
gl’s films but also a selection of his collages,
drawings, paintings and various objects. The
exhibition was prepared by Anifilm’s Pro-
gramme Director Pavel Horáček in coopera-
tion with the Aleš South Bohemian Gallery.
The exhibition will be open daily from 10
a.m. to 6 p.m. (closing for a lunch break from
12 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
What’s on the kids menu?
Each year, Anifilm welcomes a variety of
personalities from all corners of the world of
animation. This year, you can meet the direc-
tors Igor Kovalyov, Georges Schwizgebel, Isabella Plućinska, Kaspar Jancis, Priit Tender and Matyáš Trnka, whose films are
competing in the international competition.
You can meet them at moderated discu-
ssions entitled “Coffee With the Filmmakers”
held on the ground floor of the House of
Animation (Thursday – Saturday at 1:30
p.m.). You can also meet Galina Miklínová, Katarína Kerekesová or the Italian sound
designer and curator Andrea Martignoni, not to mention all the stars sitting on the
international juries.
Filip Pošivač, Bára Valecká: Puppets hold a special charm for us
Czech animation did exceptionally well last year. One of the candidates for the Viewer’s award is an almost half-hour long puppet film Deep in Moss by the creative duo Filip Pošivač & Bára Valecká. The authors are also going to present their animated feature film in progress (Thursday 5th May, 3 p.m., the Puppet Theatre).
Photo: nutprodukce
What’s the story behind the creation of Deep in Moss? We came up with the idea for Deep in
Moss some five years ago while studying
animation at the Academy of Arts, Architec-
ture and Design in Prague. Originally, we
were really into writing some Little Eve-
ninger stories. We put some drafts together,
but it didn’t work out so we decided to make
our own author film. We were supported by
Jan Balej. It was he who took us in after we
graduated and made it possible for us to tell
the story of the two blackthorn fairies. The
support of nutprodukce and Pavla Janoušk-
ová Kubečková, who helped finance the pro-
ject, was just as crucial for our success. We
really wanted to make a puppet-animated
fairy tale that would allow us to express our
imagination with complete freedom, one
that we would be happy to show our kids.
The film took you several years to make. What was the most difficult part? Definitely the need to constantly deal
with the awareness of not having enough
money, while motivating all our colleagues,
families and ourselves, convincing everyone
that we were going to finish all the work suc-
cessfully and that it was all really worth the
time and effort. We were in the studio non-
stop, working on a very tight budget. A lot
of people helped us with the project pretty
much out of kindness and just for the joy of
being a part of it. This was great motivation,
so any stress and pessimism about where we
were heading and about possibly taking on
too much was washed away by our wonder-
ful colleagues and their support. We made
a great tightknit team. We are very grateful
to a lot of people.
Why did you choose puppet animation? Puppets just hold some special charm
for us. We see a huge dramatic potential in
them. They’re provocative. They are also
magical items with life hiding inside, only
waiting to be brought out. You’re in contact
with them during the whole filmmaking
process, touching them, talking to them. You
can’t wait to see them on the screen. Anima-
tors have the privilege of bringing some-
thing – in our case puppets – to life. You see,
they are waiting for human hands to touch
them, they’re made for them. And it’s just as
nice to be surrounded all the time by an ever
growing number of both smaller and bigger
decorations and tiny props that the puppets
need to live their lives. Everything is tangible
and real… just usually really tiny.
Will the viewers have a chance to see the puppets anywhere? Yes, during Anifilm, the puppets will be
exhibited in the Třeboň Chateau gallery.
You are also going to introduce your upcoming feature film Tonda, Slávka and genius at the festival. Where did the story come from or is it your own original story? It’s Filip’s own original idea. However, we
are co-writing the script with the writer Jana
Šrámková. The script has definitely blos-
somed. Jana exudes extraordinary charm
and empathy. We meet, think of ideas and
discuss them. We want the film to reflect
the present a lot. The story is about the fear
of the unknown, about prejudices and also
about the fact that very few things are black
and white... But there are a lot of jokes as
well. We want to keep the adventure flowing
all the time. And it’s all taking place during
Christmas. It’s really exciting!
Are you going to work with puppets again? Of course!
What stage is the film in and when do you expect it to be finished? We are completing the first draft of the
script and we have a pile of artwork and
storyboards ready. If all goes well, we will
meet here again at its premier in five years’
time. We were raised by Jan Balej, so you can
count on us keeping our passion for puppet
animation.