Himself (archive footage)
Lemonade Joe, The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, Dinner for Adele, The and the Golem - These and other Czech cinematography film hits have on thing in common: Jirí Brdecka. The Screenwriter, writer and cartoonist Brdecka was known in Czechoslovakia for his cooperation with Jirí Trnka, Jan Werich or Oldrich Lipský, and became a worldwide famous and respected director of animated films. But who was he in reality? Where did he seek inspiration and where did his rich inner world come from? How did he fight the non-free political regime and manage to show the world his free and timeless creation? Director Miroslav Janek gradually penetrates the interior of one of the most prominent personalities of Czech film and presents to the audience a miraculous world of animated paintings, graphics, oils, watercolors, frescoes and mosaics. On Christmas Eve in 2017, Jirí Brdecka would celebrate his 100th birthday.
Writer
In 1897, in a castle near the town of Werewolfville in the Carpithians, a slightly deranged Professor Orfanik experiments with his new inventions which include, even at this early date, television and a film camera. He is also an obsessed opera fan, keeps the body of his favorite diva preserved in a crypt in the castle. In order to keep away nosy visitors, the baron's mad-scientist assistant, invents all sorts of spooky phenomena in order to give the castle a creepy reputation.
Writer
Writer
One of a trilogy of animated shorts based on Moravian folk ballads.
Director
One of a trilogy of animated shorts based on Moravian folk ballads.
Writer
One of a trilogy of animated shorts based on Moravian folk ballads.
Director
One of a trilogy of animated shorts based on Moravian folk ballads.
Writer
One of a trilogy of animated shorts based on Moravian folk ballads.
Director
One of a trilogy of animated shorts based on Moravian folk ballads.
Writer
A meat-eating monarch marries a vegetarian princess.
Director
A meat-eating monarch marries a vegetarian princess.
Screenplay
A wonderful fairytale about looking for love, defeating evil and learning some valuable moral lessons on the way. The story begins with the young Prince Velen , who is left in charge of the castle and his three sisters. During the night he has a visitation and before he knows it, all his sisters are married off and gone away, and himself falls in love with beautiful Večernice.Now he is faced with the King's wraths and charged with a quest. The journey, however, hides obstacles and danger; not only treacherous merchants and robbers, but also a evil wizard Mrakomor...
Story
A wonderful fairytale about looking for love, defeating evil and learning some valuable moral lessons on the way. The story begins with the young Prince Velen , who is left in charge of the castle and his three sisters. During the night he has a visitation and before he knows it, all his sisters are married off and gone away, and himself falls in love with beautiful Večernice.Now he is faced with the King's wraths and charged with a quest. The journey, however, hides obstacles and danger; not only treacherous merchants and robbers, but also a evil wizard Mrakomor...
When famous detective Nick Carter visits Prague, he becomes involved in strange case of a missing dog and even stranger carnivorous plant. He becomes convinced that he is standing against his greatest enemy, the Gardener, who supposedly died years ago in a swamp...
Graphic Designer
When famous detective Nick Carter visits Prague, he becomes involved in strange case of a missing dog and even stranger carnivorous plant. He becomes convinced that he is standing against his greatest enemy, the Gardener, who supposedly died years ago in a swamp...
Story
When famous detective Nick Carter visits Prague, he becomes involved in strange case of a missing dog and even stranger carnivorous plant. He becomes convinced that he is standing against his greatest enemy, the Gardener, who supposedly died years ago in a swamp...
Screenplay
When famous detective Nick Carter visits Prague, he becomes involved in strange case of a missing dog and even stranger carnivorous plant. He becomes convinced that he is standing against his greatest enemy, the Gardener, who supposedly died years ago in a swamp...
Writer
Another one of Brdečka's variations on the topic of love, with unusual protagonists: a spider and a destitute poet who live in friendship in one room, until a girl turns up with whom the man falls in love. Overnight, the spider weaves a delicate pair of stockings for her, but earns no gratitude.
Director
Another one of Brdečka's variations on the topic of love, with unusual protagonists: a spider and a destitute poet who live in friendship in one room, until a girl turns up with whom the man falls in love. Overnight, the spider weaves a delicate pair of stockings for her, but earns no gratitude.
Writer
A combined film, or rather personal profile, in which the naive paintings of quirky comedian and self-taught painter Josef Hlinomaze are brought to life, accompanied by the protagonist's humorous commentary.
Director
A combined film, or rather personal profile, in which the naive paintings of quirky comedian and self-taught painter Josef Hlinomaze are brought to life, accompanied by the protagonist's humorous commentary.
Art Designer
An agitprop piece lampooning a perceived blemish on contemporary society — short notices in shop windows offering a pithy explanation of why the shop is closed.
Writer
An agitprop piece lampooning a perceived blemish on contemporary society — short notices in shop windows offering a pithy explanation of why the shop is closed.
Director
An agitprop piece lampooning a perceived blemish on contemporary society — short notices in shop windows offering a pithy explanation of why the shop is closed.
Writer
This original adaptation of Oscar Wilde's sad, socially conscious fairy tale, The Happy Prince, hinges on the conflict between fact and dream, reality and poetry. The contrast is reinforced by the film's visuals, confronting modern art with Gustave Doré's old engravings.
Director
This original adaptation of Oscar Wilde's sad, socially conscious fairy tale, The Happy Prince, hinges on the conflict between fact and dream, reality and poetry. The contrast is reinforced by the film's visuals, confronting modern art with Gustave Doré's old engravings.
Writer
This story of a Soviet soldier who was killed during the liberation of Prague in May 1945 combines Zdenek Seydl's animated drawings with documentary footage by war correspondents.
Director
This story of a Soviet soldier who was killed during the liberation of Prague in May 1945 combines Zdenek Seydl's animated drawings with documentary footage by war correspondents.
Screenplay
Adapting a 1930s song, Brdečka presents a ballad of true love between a miner and his sweetheart in a tale that ends in tragedy.
Director
Adapting a 1930s song, Brdečka presents a ballad of true love between a miner and his sweetheart in a tale that ends in tragedy.
Writer
Another well-known children's story. Jiří Brdečka made it on commission for his friend, Italian producer Max Massimino-Garnier, as part of a European animated fairy tale project.
Director
Another well-known children's story. Jiří Brdečka made it on commission for his friend, Italian producer Max Massimino-Garnier, as part of a European animated fairy tale project.
Screenplay
An experimental study in black and white tracing the stages of human life through the transformation of a man’s face.
Director
An experimental study in black and white tracing the stages of human life through the transformation of a man’s face.
Dramaturgy
Dramaturgy
Slacker Maurice Fadinar wasted his whole inheritance and the only way out of this situation, as it seems, to marry Helen Nonankur - daughter of a wealthy farmer. At the last meeting with his mistress in a nearby forest Fadinar's horse eats straw hat which belongs to a married lady, spending time in the company of young and hot Lieutenant Emil. Emil literally puts a knife to Maurice throat - or the lady will get back the exact same hat immediately, or he will arrange such a scandal that no wedding will not happen ...
Writer
A picture based on an old folk song tells us a horrifying story about a soldier returning home after twenty years. His parents do not recognize him, they rob and kill him.
Director
A picture based on an old folk song tells us a horrifying story about a soldier returning home after twenty years. His parents do not recognize him, they rob and kill him.
Writer
A fanciful apocryphal tale about the famous Greek scholar, who is determined not to have his mind taken off educating young Alexander the Great, until Cupid makes him succumb to the temptations of a light-hearted young woman.
Director
A fanciful apocryphal tale about the famous Greek scholar, who is determined not to have his mind taken off educating young Alexander the Great, until Cupid makes him succumb to the temptations of a light-hearted young woman.
Story
Prague - mystical city. It was here in the Middle Ages, alchemists and magicians gathered. Rumor has it that the house of Prague hide secret obtain the philosopher's stone, and complex multi-level labyrinth of underground tunnels and cellars keep many unsolved mysteries and untold treasures. Prague just full of ghosts and phantoms. Let us slightly lift the veil that hides the secrets and little to satisfy your curiosity, get acquainted with some legends of Prague.
Screenplay
Prague - mystical city. It was here in the Middle Ages, alchemists and magicians gathered. Rumor has it that the house of Prague hide secret obtain the philosopher's stone, and complex multi-level labyrinth of underground tunnels and cellars keep many unsolved mysteries and untold treasures. Prague just full of ghosts and phantoms. Let us slightly lift the veil that hides the secrets and little to satisfy your curiosity, get acquainted with some legends of Prague.
Director
Prague - mystical city. It was here in the Middle Ages, alchemists and magicians gathered. Rumor has it that the house of Prague hide secret obtain the philosopher's stone, and complex multi-level labyrinth of underground tunnels and cellars keep many unsolved mysteries and untold treasures. Prague just full of ghosts and phantoms. Let us slightly lift the veil that hides the secrets and little to satisfy your curiosity, get acquainted with some legends of Prague.
Short Story
Writer
Orpheus reconsidered, starting from animations of mosaic images. Eventually, there is lava.
Director
Orpheus reconsidered, starting from animations of mosaic images. Eventually, there is lava.
Screenplay
An animated Gothic tale based on Gérard de Nerval’s short story about a young man crossed in love, who asks the wizard Gonin for help and suffers the consequences.
Director
An animated Gothic tale based on Gérard de Nerval’s short story about a young man crossed in love, who asks the wizard Gonin for help and suffers the consequences.
Writer
An ironic anecdote about a fortune-teller perplexed by her customer who laughs at her reading of his palm. According to her, the man is to become a helpless servant. The surprise ending reveals the reason why the customer laughed.
Director
An ironic anecdote about a fortune-teller perplexed by her customer who laughs at her reading of his palm. According to her, the man is to become a helpless servant. The surprise ending reveals the reason why the customer laughed.
Writer
This tongue-in-cheek variation on the popular theme of the mysterious smile on Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting narrates the Maestro's difficulties in trying to make his apathetic bourgeois model smile. In the end, the handsome youth Andrea comes to the rescue.
Director
This tongue-in-cheek variation on the popular theme of the mysterious smile on Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting narrates the Maestro's difficulties in trying to make his apathetic bourgeois model smile. In the end, the handsome youth Andrea comes to the rescue.
Writer
A hunter goes out to the forest, followed by his lady love. Things do not go well, as documented in song.
Director
A hunter goes out to the forest, followed by his lady love. Things do not go well, as documented in song.
Screenplay
This melancholy piece about the metamorphoses of love and the eternal dissatisfaction of human beings with what they have was inspired by the lyrics of the French song "Plaisir d'amour."
Director
This melancholy piece about the metamorphoses of love and the eternal dissatisfaction of human beings with what they have was inspired by the lyrics of the French song "Plaisir d'amour."
Story
This melancholy piece about the metamorphoses of love and the eternal dissatisfaction of human beings with what they have was inspired by the lyrics of the French song "Plaisir d'amour."
Writer
An absurd slapstick piece about a man immersed in his own dreams, refusing to accept everyday reality. He finds everyone obnoxious, children and lovers not excepted, and decides to fly off to the planet of his dreams. He turns into a spaceship and manages to land on "his" star — only to find a world as grey and noisy as on Earth.
Director
An absurd slapstick piece about a man immersed in his own dreams, refusing to accept everyday reality. He finds everyone obnoxious, children and lovers not excepted, and decides to fly off to the planet of his dreams. He turns into a spaceship and manages to land on "his" star — only to find a world as grey and noisy as on Earth.
Novel
A satire of the Great American Way, with Lemonade Joe a "clean living" gunfighter who drinks only Kola-Loca Lemonade and convinces everyone else in town (with his gun skills) that all "real men" drink ONLY lemonade!
Lyricist
A satire of the Great American Way, with Lemonade Joe a "clean living" gunfighter who drinks only Kola-Loca Lemonade and convinces everyone else in town (with his gun skills) that all "real men" drink ONLY lemonade!
Theatre Play
A satire of the Great American Way, with Lemonade Joe a "clean living" gunfighter who drinks only Kola-Loca Lemonade and convinces everyone else in town (with his gun skills) that all "real men" drink ONLY lemonade!
Costume Design
A satire of the Great American Way, with Lemonade Joe a "clean living" gunfighter who drinks only Kola-Loca Lemonade and convinces everyone else in town (with his gun skills) that all "real men" drink ONLY lemonade!
Screenplay
A satire of the Great American Way, with Lemonade Joe a "clean living" gunfighter who drinks only Kola-Loca Lemonade and convinces everyone else in town (with his gun skills) that all "real men" drink ONLY lemonade!
Writer
The poetical story, based on a late Gothic song about the serene and fulfilling relationship of two lovers, is expressed through the minimalist animation of Ludmila Jiříncová's paintings.
Director
The poetical story, based on a late Gothic song about the serene and fulfilling relationship of two lovers, is expressed through the minimalist animation of Ludmila Jiříncová's paintings.
Writer
A satirical agitprop piece on dieting. The protagonist is a man trying to slim down in various ways; his attempts are radical but inconsistent, and therefore doomed. In the end, he consults a dietician.
Director
A satirical agitprop piece on dieting. The protagonist is a man trying to slim down in various ways; his attempts are radical but inconsistent, and therefore doomed. In the end, he consults a dietician.
Screenplay
Some people with a strange cat arrive in a small village. The cat wears glasses, and when someone takes them off, she can color people, according to their nature and mood. The grown-ups of the village consider the cat to be dangerous, but the kids just love her…
Dramaturgy
During his work assignment in Tamani Kingdom, Czech worker Lojza saves a local man from dying in the desert. Two years later, it turns out the saved man was also the Taman king; and he has decided to name Lojza, a communist, his royal heir.
Screenplay
At school the dunce draws a Picasso style chicken on the black board. The chicken comes to life, runs away, and finds itself in the teacher's garden. The teacher thinks he has discovered a new species and christens it with his own name.
Director
At school the dunce draws a Picasso style chicken on the black board. The chicken comes to life, runs away, and finds itself in the teacher's garden. The teacher thinks he has discovered a new species and christens it with his own name.
Screenplay
The 20th century's first man lands on the moon and discovers - that Baron Munchausen has already beaten him to it, along with Cyrano and characters from Jules Verne's lunar-landing novel. The Baron spirits the young cosmonaut by horse-drawn ship back to an ancient "Earth", where they insult a sultan, rescue a princess, fall in love with the princess, and then as a trio have further experiences in a world of pastel colors, ornate dreamlike settings, and the inevitable angry disrupters of peacefulness and love.
Writer
A short animated film based on the American folk song about a logger in the habit of stirring his coffee with his thumb.
Director
A short animated film based on the American folk song about a logger in the habit of stirring his coffee with his thumb.
The young Marta has made a break in her medical education to fully invest in her career as a model. We follow her for a day in her life, almost completely without hearing her voice. It is seldom that Marta gets the space to speak, instead she is mostly subject to the voice of others.
Writer
Reason and Emotion, personified as two gardeners, are opponents in a landscaping contest (French formal garden vs. English landscape park), but inevitably end up cooperating.
Director
Reason and Emotion, personified as two gardeners, are opponents in a landscaping contest (French formal garden vs. English landscape park), but inevitably end up cooperating.
Writer
Czechoslovakian cartoon version of Little Red Riding Hood. Here, Red Riding Hood's family finds a way to take care of the wolf.
Director
Czechoslovakian cartoon version of Little Red Riding Hood. Here, Red Riding Hood's family finds a way to take care of the wolf.
Writer
The film tries to persuade young viewers that they should only watch TV after having completed their duties; it shows them (and their parents) what the world would look like if everyone watched TV instead of working.
Director
The film tries to persuade young viewers that they should only watch TV after having completed their duties; it shows them (and their parents) what the world would look like if everyone watched TV instead of working.
Writer
After the flying machines of "How Man Learned to Fly," this next popular science installment by Jiří Brdečka focuses on the history of submarines and deep sea exploration, denouncing the arms industry along the way, as the politics of the day required.
Director
After the flying machines of "How Man Learned to Fly," this next popular science installment by Jiří Brdečka focuses on the history of submarines and deep sea exploration, denouncing the arms industry along the way, as the politics of the day required.
Screenplay
Writer
This animated precursor to music videos was made on commission for the American company Rembrandt Films. It illustrates an American folk song of the Old West.
Director
This animated precursor to music videos was made on commission for the American company Rembrandt Films. It illustrates an American folk song of the Old West.
Screenplay
Screenplay
The cartoon film sets out to justify the existence of UNESCO as an instrument for world peace.
Writer
This anti-war piece presents an exaggerated, satirical overview of the evolution of weapons from a prehistoric club to the atomic bomb.
Director
This anti-war piece presents an exaggerated, satirical overview of the evolution of weapons from a prehistoric club to the atomic bomb.
Screenplay
チェコアニメ界が生んだ世界的映像作家、カレル・ゼマンがジュール・ヴェルヌの原作を映画化した空想科学冒険活劇。偉大な発明家・ロック教授とその助手・ハルトは、教授が発明した爆弾を狙う大富豪・ダルティガス伯爵の企みによって誘拐されてしまう。
Screenplay
The title of this highly-regarded Czech drama translates as Wolf Trap. Set in the 1920s, the story revolves around an ambitious young provincial politician (Miroslav Dolozai) who enters into a marriage of convenience with a smotheringly possessive -- and much older -- woman (Jirina Sejbavola). Hoping to temporarily escape his overbearing wife's clutches, the husband strikes up a friendship with her young ward (Jana Brejchova). The relationship blossoms into a deep abiding love, but the jellyfish husband can't bring himself to declare his ardor to the girl. Even after the death of the wife, the husband hasn't the intestinal fortitude to admit his passion, and the results are bleak indeed for the unfortunate ward. Director Jiri Weiss does a masterful job staging his story of frustration and denial against a backdrop of post-WWI bourgeois banality.
Writer
A short, humorous history of aviation based on Kamil Lhoták's book "Balloons, Wings, Propellers."
Director
A short, humorous history of aviation based on Kamil Lhoták's book "Balloons, Wings, Propellers."
Screenplay
Story
Lost Children (Czech: Ztracenci) is a Czechoslovak war film directed by Miloš Makovec. It was entered into the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.
Screenplay
Lost Children (Czech: Ztracenci) is a Czechoslovak war film directed by Miloš Makovec. It was entered into the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.
Lyricist
Writer
Dialogue
A selfish self-centered widowed ruler, barely tolerated by his subjects and called appropriately enough, 'King Myself, First' asks his three daughters to name the measure of their love for him. When one of them says, "more than salt", he banishes her from the kingdom. Not understanding what she meant the King assumes love can only be measured by precious metals or one's own talent, the 'correct' answers from his other two daughters. The arrogance of the King leads him to gather all the salt in the kingdom and destroy it. Of course, this backfires as he slowly learns the universal value of the substance, and of course, the essence of his daughter's reply. With the help of the wise and magical old 'herb woman', the King also learns what it means to be a true and wise ruler.
Story
A selfish self-centered widowed ruler, barely tolerated by his subjects and called appropriately enough, 'King Myself, First' asks his three daughters to name the measure of their love for him. When one of them says, "more than salt", he banishes her from the kingdom. Not understanding what she meant the King assumes love can only be measured by precious metals or one's own talent, the 'correct' answers from his other two daughters. The arrogance of the King leads him to gather all the salt in the kingdom and destroy it. Of course, this backfires as he slowly learns the universal value of the substance, and of course, the essence of his daughter's reply. With the help of the wise and magical old 'herb woman', the King also learns what it means to be a true and wise ruler.
Screenplay
A selfish self-centered widowed ruler, barely tolerated by his subjects and called appropriately enough, 'King Myself, First' asks his three daughters to name the measure of their love for him. When one of them says, "more than salt", he banishes her from the kingdom. Not understanding what she meant the King assumes love can only be measured by precious metals or one's own talent, the 'correct' answers from his other two daughters. The arrogance of the King leads him to gather all the salt in the kingdom and destroy it. Of course, this backfires as he slowly learns the universal value of the substance, and of course, the essence of his daughter's reply. With the help of the wise and magical old 'herb woman', the King also learns what it means to be a true and wise ruler.
Screenplay
Screenplay
Lyricist
Screenplay
Lyricist
Screenplay
Screenplay
A monumental piece of art bringing the heroes of the ancient Czech myths back to life. The picture consists of seven parts: Cech the Forefather, Bivoj, Libuse, Premysl, Girls War, Horymir, Lucka War.
Story
A monumental piece of art bringing the heroes of the ancient Czech myths back to life. The picture consists of seven parts: Cech the Forefather, Bivoj, Libuse, Premysl, Girls War, Horymir, Lucka War.
Screenplay
Story
Screenplay
Screenplay
The Emperor's mismanagement of his country is provoking some in his court to plot to overthrow him. He feels successful, at least, when he discovers the legendary Golem, which he believes can protect him and even cure his imaginary illnesses but, when he disappears while on a bender, his kindly baker, who looks just like him, is mistaken for him, and begins to put things in order. However, the conspirators, not to be outdone, determine to bring the Golem back to life to do their bidding.
Story
The Emperor's mismanagement of his country is provoking some in his court to plot to overthrow him. He feels successful, at least, when he discovers the legendary Golem, which he believes can protect him and even cure his imaginary illnesses but, when he disappears while on a bender, his kindly baker, who looks just like him, is mistaken for him, and begins to put things in order. However, the conspirators, not to be outdone, determine to bring the Golem back to life to do their bidding.
Screenplay
Screenplay
Screenplay
Story
Screenplay
Adaptation of a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, about an emperor who prefers the tinkling of a bejeweled mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale. When the Emperor is near death, the nightingale's song restores his health.
Screenplay
Story
An animated singing western short in which a cowboy takes on the villain to save his beloved.
Screenplay
Screenplay
A young aristocrat is madly in love with an inventor, but her parents arrange her marriage to an old army general.
Screenplay
Director
A young aristocrat is madly in love with an inventor, but her parents arrange her marriage to an old army general.
Costume Design
Screenplay
Trnka reached new heights of modernist abstraction with this innovative, surrealist mini-masterwork, which critic Jean-Pierre Coursodon praised as the Citizen Kane of animation.
Story
Trnka reached new heights of modernist abstraction with this innovative, surrealist mini-masterwork, which critic Jean-Pierre Coursodon praised as the Citizen Kane of animation.
Screenplay
The first animated picture made by Jiří Trnka for adults. It is a comic story of a legendary chimney-cleaner who, with the help of a spring from an old lounge-chair, became the terror of the Prague occupation SS troops in World War II. —kratkyfilm.cz
Screenplay
