How Czech Animation Managed the Pandemic Year 2020 And What Lies Ahead This Year
Last year, the Covid-19 pandemic hit all creative industries, and animation was no exception. Many domestic and foreign festivals, where premieres take place and distribution cooperation is negotiated, have been cancelled or moved to the online environment. How did Czech animation creators cope with the limitations and new challenges? As early as in March, the Association of Czech Animation Film responded to the crisis with a statement, proposing steps to strengthen the segment of domestic production of animated content, especially of series, so that the Czech Republic can disengage economically from the dominant focus on live action film, thus boosting a significant sector of creative industries which may largely exist and work online. “Production of animated films takes years, so animation is a good field for overcoming shorter periods of crisis. Even during a pandemic, most production can be organized remotely. In a way, the field brings some economic and social stability. The negative consequences of the current pandemic situation will probably show in the future from today’s impossibility to prepare new co-production projects, which are highly important for animation,” ASAF Deputy Chairman Michal Podhradský explains. Czech animation in cinemas Although last year did not bring any domestic animated feature, […] ...
Animation Espresso offers a new way to pitch projects
On Tuesday 6 October 2020, the first annual pitching of Czech animated films took place in Liberec, held by the Association of Czech Animation Film as part of the international industry event CEE Animation Forum. Viewers were presented with a total of 23 projects at various stages of development. The development of animated films is one of the most important phases in the creation of a project, as it has a fundamental impact on its future quality, financing, and realisation. Animation Espresso is the first step on the path to high quality development. During the short presentation, the jury had the opportunity to judge the potential of the projects, their strengths and weaknesses, and the best approach for their future presentation. This activity focused only on Czech projects. At Animation Espresso, the type of project and its current phase of development are immaterial. It is designed for short films, feature films, and series – from the initial idea and artistic concept through to projects that are about to be made. Animation Espresso was developed as a tool which can help define the parameters of a project and provide creators with experience in presenting projects, so films made by students were […] ...
CEE Animation Forum 2020 as Virtual Pitching and B2B Event in October
The CEE Animation Forum, the largest industry and pitching platform for animated projects in development in the CEE region is going to be held online from 6 to 8 October 2020. The CEE Animation Forum is the leading pitching, financing and co-production event focusing on the animation industry, usually held annually in the Czech Republic in parallel to the International Festival of Animated Films Anifim. Due to the ongoing global situation, the event will take place online this year. Even with some adjustments to the new format, the focus remains on the pitching of animated projects in development. As in previous years, the new compilation of debuting filmmakers CEE Animation Talents will be introduced. A special emphasis is placed on 1:1 industry meetings, implementing a new online meeting platform. Pitching competition 28 films in development will participate in the pitching competition in 4 categories: short films, series / TV specials, feature films and a new section of XR projects for the first time in the 8-year tradition of the event. During recent months, all the pitching teams received coaching on how to prepare an online video pitch, provided by Matthieu Darras and Bonnie Williams. The international jury will consist of […] ...
Czech animation once again strongly represented at Annecy
This summer, for the first time, the most important animated film festival of the year, traditionally held in the French town of Annecy, will take place completely online. Originally scheduled for June 15–20, the festival has been extended to run an additional 10 days, through June 30. This year’s selection, followed by the global animation community, includes four works from the Czech Republic: a new episode of the TV series Hungry Bear Tales: Truffles!; the short works Carrousel, Way of Sylvie, and the video clip P/\ST: Distress. On the industry side, the Mifa market program will present two projects: I Want to Know! and Hello, Summer! Returning to Annecy is Even Mice Belong in Heaven. Article by Pavel Horáček for CZECH FILM magazine / Summer 2020 Hungry Bear Tales has already been broadcast by France Télévisions, and the latest episode, Truffles!, competing in the TV Films category, may have an advantage in the land of “le coq gaulois”. The series is the work of seasoned director duo Alexandra Májová and Kateřina Karhánková, the latter of whom competed in Annecy with both of her previous films, The New Species (2013) and Fruits of Clouds (2017). Hungry Bear Tales was created under the banner of Czech company Bionaut and producer Barbora Příkaská, who has long worked with both artists. She says […] ...
How Did Czech Animation Do in 2019 And What Does It Have in Store for the Audience This Year?
Last year was a breakthrough one, especially for the youngest generation of filmmakers – they were successful at the most important international festivals and at the American Film Academy, so one could say that a “new wave” of animators was born in the Czech Republic. Czech animation in Czech cinemas A total of five animated feature films were produced in 2019, four of which were screened in cinemas, the fifth one’s distribution premiere is planned for early 2020 (The Impossible Voyage). Several of these were sequels to popular films or television and comics series (The Great Adventure of the Lucky Four, Pat and Mat: Handymen’s Adventures, TvMiniUni: The Question Thief). Cinema releases also included the coproduction Fritzi – A Revolutionary Tale, which familiarizes children with the fall of the Iron Curtain. More and more often, short film reels for children and adults are shown in Czech cinemas. In 2019 Three Voices was presented to the audience, a set of three puppet student works created simultaneously at three Czech art schools – FAMU, UMPRUM and University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The organizers of Anifilm festival compiled two short film reels for cinemas: Ready, Get Set, Go! (Ke startu připravit) or […] ...
STUDENT FILM DAUGHTER TO COMPETE FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMY AWARD – THE OSCAR
On 13th January 2020, the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the nominations in all 24 competition categories, from which the winners will be announced on 9th February at the awards ceremony in the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The animated puppet drama Daughter by Daria Kashcheeva, student of the Department of Animated Film at FAMU, which was co-produced with MAUR film, was selected as one of the last five finalists in the Best Animated Short Film category! Daughter is thus the only Czech animated film that has in recent decades managed to compete for an Oscar. The director has already won many awards, the most prestigious being the Student Oscar for the best foreign animated film, which was awarded to her last September by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her film also won in the world-wide competition of 1615 best film-school movies. Its world premiere took place in the biggest festival of animated film in the world, in French Annecy, where it was awarded the highest award, Le Cristal d’Annecy, for best student film. Since its premiere Daughter has entered more than 80 festivals all over the world, including major festivals […] ...
Two Czech Animated Shorts Made Their Way to the Sundance Film Festival
Two animated short films supported by the Czech Film Fund will compete at Sundance — the most prestigious independent film festival. It is another accolade in the collection of major achievements for Daughter and SH_T HAPPENS. Both films were included in the Short Film Competition. The festival will take place on 23 January to 2 February 2020 in Utah, USA. “I was delighted to learn that our school and Czech animation is represented by two films at Sundance. I am very happy that Czech animated film is riding on such a good wave now and I can be a part of it. It gives me a feeling of encouragement,” said Daughter director Daria Kashcheeva. This animated puppet drama comes from the university FAMU (Department of Animated Film), co-produced with MAUR film company. “Sundance is great news for us that came in the middle of a working night and boosted our morale by at least 300 percent. We are very excited to have an American premiere at their biggest and one of the most popular festivals in the world. Every year we follow the selection at the festival and we are pleased that Sundance has been dedicating a lot of space to […] ...
CEE Animation Forum Opens Call for Animated Projects and Launches New VR Category
CEE Animation Forum (5–8 May, Liberec, Czech Republic) is a co-production pitching, B2B and networking event with the intention to boost the projects´ international circulation potential, visibility and their access to a wider European market. For its 2020 edition, the organisers have expanded the number of categories open to animated projects in development. The deadline for submission 10 January 2020. The CALL is open in four categories: Short Films (maximum length 20 minutes; all stages of development except for concept stage), Series and TV Specials (web and TV series of any format and single films, minimum length 20 minutes; all stages of development except for concept stage), Feature Films (minimum length 60 minutes; in development or in production), VR Immersive Media (VR, AR, 360 and other immersive formats; in development or in production). The new VR Competition is open to all original works in development and production that use VR technology and explore new kinds of storytelling, regardless of format or device, including 360° films and videos, immersive experiences and installations – whether interactive or not –, VR Theatre, and Room-scale VR projects. Only producers or other project rights holders can submit projects. The producer and director of the submitted […] ...
Three Czech Animated Projects Selected for CEE Animation Workshop
CEE Animation Workshop is a year-long project development and production skills advancement programme for professionals. For the second edition, filmmakers from low production capacity countries could apply with animated projects of any format (short, TV, features, hybrid) in development. The call was also open to a limited number of participants without projects, representatives of industry and public institutions. The selected projects are as follows: Love, Dad Original title: Váš táta Producer: Karolina Davidova (Czech Republic) Second participant: Diana Cam Van Nguyen, director (Czech Republic, Vietnam) Company: 13ka Format: short film Animation technique: stop motion Logline: A dad and his girl. Set apart by prison bars, bound by letters of love. Animalies Original title: Postižky Producer: Barbora Příkaská (Czech Republic) Second participant: Kateřina Karhánková, director (Czech Republic) Company: Bionaut Format: TV series Animation technique: 2D Logline: Have you ever been in the woods and come across a blind deer with white antlers instead of a white cane, a deaf centipede that communicates in sign language, or height-challenged rebel wolf who gets enraged if someone baby-talks him (which is always happening because he’s soooo cute)? An animated series for kids in which animals with and without disabilities get into absurd […] ...
Grown-up Czech animation for grown-up audiences
Acclaimed director Michaela Pavlátová is currently working on a feature-length animated film for adults, My Sunny Maad, produced by Petr Oukropec and Kateřina Černá, of the production company Negativ. Article by Eliška Děcká for Czech Film Magazine / Fall 2019 The story of My Sunny Maad is based on the critically well-received and popular book Freshta (2012, Stork Press, UK) by Petra Procházková, a Czech investigative and war reporter with a wealth of personal experience of the realities of Afghanistan and everyday family life there. At the center of her novel Procházková set the partly autobiographical character of Herra, a foreigner who comes to Afghanistan to live with her beloved husband and his family. The original screenplay was adapted from Procházková’s book by Ivan Arsenjev. However, a variety of production problems, not least among them the impossibility of shooting in contemporary Afghanistan, meant that the production company, which has enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership with Pavlátová, from the feature films Faithless Games (2003) and Night Owls (2008) to animated short Tramvaj (2012, winner of the Annecy festival the same year) began to think in terms of a feature-length animated production. At the time, Negativ had only one feature […] ...
