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Czech HistoryJiří Trnka: an artist who turned puppets into film stars
It would be hard to meet a Czech whose childhood was not touched (perhaps
unconsciously) by the art of Jiří Trnka, a painter, puppeteer, illustrator
and above all, the founding father of Czech animated film. His poetic
drawings brought immortality to books that would otherwise be long
forgotten. And his animated films bestowed dozens of puppets and drawings
with life. More
Current AffairsCreator of world-famous Krtek (Little Mole) dies at 90
The Czech illustrator and animator Zdeněk Miler has died at the age of 90.
The artist was best known for the creation of Krtek (or Little Mole), a
cartoon character loved by generations of Czech children that first
appeared in the 1950s. Earlier in 2011, a plush toy of the animated
character even went to space on one of the last space shuttle flights. More
ArtsAuthor Jaroslav Rudiš discusses Alois Nebel – original graphic novel and animated film focussing on the fog of history and troubled European past
In this week’s Arts, I speak to Jaroslav Rudiš, the author of an
influential graphic novel (trilogy, actually) that delves into the fog of
history and troubled Central European past. The story of Alois Nebel – a
slightly mad railwayman working in a remote border region – it has been
made into a new film that premiered last week in the Czech Republic after
being featured in festivals in Venice and Toronto. More
ArtsSurviving Life - Master Švankmajer returns to the screen with a ‘psychoanalytical comedy’
It is only every five years or so that the renowned Czech animator Jan
Švankmajer brings out a new film, and the wait is now over. “Surviving
Life” draws on many of Švankmajer’s traditional themes and styles
while exploring them through an experimental medium, once again confirming
why he is the most acclaimed Czech art house director at home and abroad. More
One on OneMiroslav Trejtnar on teaching the Czech art of puppetry to international students
For the tenth year in a row, a small workshop in the Prague neighbourhood
of Vršovice is hosting a group of students from the US, India, Australia
and other countries who come to learn how to make traditional Czech
marionettes. The man who runs the courses and who teaches his international
students everything they need to know about puppets is Miroslav Trejtnar,
our guest in this edition of One on One. When I visited his workshops, the
course was halfway trough and the students had just begun carving their
puppets, which as Mr Trejtnar says it’s one of the most exiting stages of
the programme. More
Current AffairsFestival of animated film kicks off in Třeboň
On Tuesday the Anifilm festival got underway in the picturesque south
Bohemian town of Třeboň, offering both adults and children some of the
very best in animated cinema. Last year Anifilm picked up were the earlier
AniFest left off, and this year offers offer 200 shorter length as well as
longer films for viewers. Earlier Jan Velinger spoke to the festival’s
director Aida Abbas and asked her about the opening day: More
ArtsStudio Bratři v triku - the cradle of Czech animation
The studio Bratři v triku, or “Brothers in T-Shirts”, has been the
major producer of Czech animated film since the 1940s. Virtually every
talent in Czech cartooning has gone through the studio, and it has won
essentially every national and international award available to animators.
But most importantly perhaps, the work of the studio has influenced
generation after generation of Eastern Europeans and audiences elsewhere in
the world as well. In this week’s Arts, Christian Falvey takes a peek
into the cradle of Czech animation. More
ArtsCreator of world famous Krtek (Little Mole) turns 90
The great Czech illustrator and animator Zdeněk Miler – creator of the
famous Krtek or Krteček (Little Mole) enjoyed by children and parents
worldwide – turned 90 years old this week. On the occasion of Mr
Miler’s birthday (incidentally his famous character is now 55) the
Vltavín Gallery in Prague opened a new exhibition honouring his work.
Called Zdeněk Miler dětem, the show above all is for children and
features drawings, watercolours and original paintings on transparencies
(called cells) which were used in the animation process to bring the Mole
and friends to life. More
ArtsSurviving Life - Master Švankmajer returns to the screen with a ‘psychoanalytical comedy’
It is only every five years or so that the renowned Czech animator Jan
Švankmajer brings out a new film, and the wait is now over. “Surviving
Life” draws on many of Švankmajer’s traditional themes and styles
while exploring them through an experimental medium, once again confirming
why he is the most acclaimed Czech art house director at home and abroad. More
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