Anifilm

online catalogue

Short Films by Zdenka Deitchová

The Water Sprite's Tragedy

Josef Kábrt | Czechoslovakia | 1958 | 4 min

Several brilliant artists took part in making one of the first Czech music videos. Jaroslav Ježek composed the music and duo Jiří Voskovec and Jan Werich came up with the lyrics. Furthermore, Jan Werich also performs the song about a water sprite in modern times. A combination of lively animation and Kábrt’s artistic style, which was very daring for that time, created a humorous and timeless film.

The Water Sprite's Tragedy

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

Munro

Gene Deitch | Czechoslovakia, United States | 1960 | 8 min

The protagonist of this legendary Academy Award-winning film is a wayward boy who is drafted into the US Army by mistake. He keeps telling the adults “I am only four years old,” but no one notices his age. Thanks to the meeting of the director and his future wife and the Bratři v triku collective, the Oscar was in a way awarded to Czech animation.

Munro

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

Rocky Bill and Insolent Hares

Václav Bedřich | Czechoslovakia | 1964 | 10 min

An episode of Bedřich’s popular trilogy of western slapsticks inspired by stories by Dal Stivens. This time, resourceful and intrepid Rocky Bill and his loyal cows and dog must face importunate hares. Whatever Bill tries, he always ends up as a laughing stock to the hares. Will he manage to hunt one of the scamps with the bent barrel of his rifle?

Rocky Bill and Insolent Hares

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

Restaurant

Jaroslava Havettová | Czechoslovakia | 1986 | 9 min

This allegorical slapstick with fantastic elements depicts a hero who deals with a rather trivial problem. He would like to order something to eat and drink in a fancy restaurant. But it seems that all the waiters have some more important business. Our hero is starving and begins to hallucinate. When he overcomes the worst of the hallucinations, it seems that he won’t get his food anyway.

Restaurant

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

The Dream World

Gene Deitch | Czechoslovakia | 1971 | 9 min

Unlike their film The Giants that was banned, The Dream World by the authorial duo Deitch-Hlavatý is virtually unknown. With its unchained artistic style, the film flirts with the themes of ecology and the dehumanisation of modern society, but on the other hand, it doesn’t lack kind irony. Although this unjustly forgotten film may seem technologically demanding, its crew was composed of only the two authors and Zdeňka Deitchová.

The Dream World

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

Bartakiáda

Oldřich Haberle | Czechoslovakia | 1986 | 9 min

As a line producer, Zdeňka Deitchová was in charge of the unique film Bartakiáda. It is unfortunately the only stand-alone film built on the brilliant humour and visual style of cartoonist Miroslav Barták. In a peculiar way, it tells the story of one of Barták’s typical heroes who experiences utterly absurd things on a Friday 13th.

Bartakiáda

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

Why UNESCO?

Jiří Trnka | Czechoslovakia | 1958 | 10 min

Zdeňka Najmanová’s (later Deitchová) first film in the role of producer was an animated film commissioned by UNESCO, of which Czechoslovakia was a founding member. In a humanist story, Jiří Trnka outlines the benefits that the organisation can bring to the world. The motifs of tearing down walls and overcoming prejudice remain topical even after half a century.

Why UNESCO?

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema

The Foolish Frog

Gene Deitch | Czechoslovakia | 1971 | 8 min

The last film of this block is another music video of sorts. The main role is played by the voice and singing of Waldemar Matuška in different registers. It guides us through a Dadaistic spectacle in which people, animals, houses and water are controlled by a simple tune about a foolish frog. We can blame a farmer who wandered into a shop with this tune. Inspired by the song The Foolish Frog by American folk-singer Pete Seeger.

The Foolish Frog

We 8/5/2019
17.30-18.28
Světozor Cinema

Sa 11/5/2019
15.00-15.58
Světozor Cinema