The Czech Horizon Grant Supported by the PPF Foundation announced the results of the third pitching session at Anifilm

The presentation of seven projects of animated short films in preparation and the announcement of the results of the second session of the Czech Horizon Grant Supported by the PPF Foundation took place at the International Festival of Animated Films Anifilm on 7 May.

The Czech Horizon Grant Supported by the PPF Foundation has entered its third year. The aim is to support the production of professional Czech animated shorts. The short format makes it possible to test new approaches and technologies. The creators also often work with bolder or more serious topics than is typical for feature films and series. The total amount of the grant is CZK 1,000,000 and it is realised with the support of the PPF Foundation and organised by the Citizen’s Association for the Support of Animated Films, the organiser of the International Festival of Animated Films Anifilm.

The presentations of production and creative teams of the seven short film projects was held before an audience and a five-member jury composed of Jana Tomas Sedláčková, a member of the board of the PPF Foundation; independent film producer Kamila Dohnalová; director, writer, animator and illustrator Alexandra Májová; director, writer and educator Jiří Barta; and director, animator and writer Martin Duda. The jury decided about the recipients of the support from the Czech Horizon Grant Supported by the PPF Foundation.

The support was given to four projects. The highest grant of CZK 400,000 will help finish the film Last Shift by Martin Búřil. The jury stated: ‘We appreciate this visually rich project that approaches science fiction and the usually oppressive apocalyptic topic with cynical humour that is crucial for the project.’

The film Molepire by Marek Čermák received a grant of CZK 300,000. The jury statement: ‘We appreciate the project that presents to preschool children in a poetic manner the importance of interspecies friendship set in the lively area of historic Prague. We see the potential in developing the main character and its motivation.’

The animated project by Andrea Szelesová called Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe! was given CZK 200,000. The jury stated that: ‘We appreciate the very topical theme of self-acceptance and tolerance portrayed through characters and backgrounds from the Greek mythology.’

The fourth supported project is Party by director Anna Mastníková. She received a grant in the amount of CZK 100,000 for the realisation of her project. The jury explained their decision followingly: ‘We were captivated by the visual beauty and tenderness of the project that has huge, as yet unfulfilled, potential. We believe that also thanks to this grant the project can be further developed in cooperation with a writer and a dramaturge and realised with a producer.’

‘I’m very happy that on behalf of the PPF Foundation I could present the Czech Horizon Grant awards. For us at the PPF Foundation, this collaboration is of a huge importance as Anifilm represents Czech animated films in the international contexts, and through the Czech Horizon Grant we are able to support Czech short animated short films. I truly believe that this support will move in the right direction and that Czech animated short films will be shown around the world and will inspire us here in the Czech Republic,’ Kristina Hotová at the PPF Foundation commented on this year’s results. We wish all supported filmmakers the best of luck with finishing their projects and we are looking forward to seeing them at the future editions of Anifilm.

Vítězné projekty:

En, ten, týky! – režisérka: Andrea Szelesová, producentka: Kristina Husová
Krupír – režisér: Marek Čermák, producentky: Hana Blaha Šilarová, Karolína Dvorská Fránková
Poslední šichta – režisér: Martin Búřil, producentka: Anneta Furdecká
Večírek – režisérka: Anna Mastníková, producentka: Anna Mastníková