Ani-Masters: Pioneers of Czech Animation (Samizdat)

<b>This screening will have a brief in-person welcome to the festival and a pre-recorded introduction from Pavel Horáček, programme director of Anifilm, the largest animation film festival in Czechia.</b> Samizdat Eastern European Film Festival is back in Edinburgh for the second time, with a return of its ever-popular animations event, this year created in collaboration with guest curator Heather Bradshaw from the Glasgow Short Film Festival (GSFF). <i>Ani-masters: Pioneers in Czech Animation</i> explores the rich and imaginative landscape of Czech animation – one of the most renowned film traditions globally, known for its craftsmanship, social and political subversiveness, and often surreal storytelling. Diverging from the broader curatorial approach of past editions, the latest instalment of our animations programme provides a sweeping overview of this astonishing creativity and innovation. Tracing the wide variety of forms and themes that characterise Czech animation’s ‘Golden Age’, it shows how Czech animators continually pushed the boundaries of the medium to engage with questions of art, politics, and the human condition. In running order: <b><i>Fantaisie Érotique</b></i> (1936, 2mins, Irena Dodalová and Karel Dodal) <b><i>Springman and the SS (Pérák a SS)</b></i> (1946, 10mins, Jiří Trnka and Jiří Brdečka) <b><i>Inspiration (Inspirace)</b></i> (1949, 11mins, Karel Zeman) <b><i>Blue Apron (Modrá zástěrka)</b></i> (1965, 8mins, Hermína Týrlová) <b><i>Laokoon</b></i> (1970, 11mins, Václav Mergl) <b><i>The Face (Tvář)</b></i> (1973, 3mins, Jiří Brdečka) <b><i>Disc Jockey (Diskžokej)</b></i> (1980, 9mins, Jiří Barta) <b><i>Turris Babel</b></i> (1989, 18mins, Jan Mimra) <b><i>Darkness, Light, Darkness (Tma, světlo, tma)</b></i> (1989, 8mins, Jan Švankmajer) <i>Access notes: flashing colours and lights, loud noises</i>PT1H20MN/C 12A2025-11-09
Irena Dodalová and Karel Dodal (<i>Fantaisie Érotique</i>); Jiří Trnka and Jiří Brdečka (<i>Springman and the SS (Pérák a SS)</i>); Karel Zeman (<i>Inspiration (Inspirace)</i>); Hermína Týrlová (<i>Blue Apron (Modrá zástěrka)</i>); Václav Mergl (<i>Laokoon</i>); Jiří Brdečka (<i>The Face (Tvář)</i>); Jiří Barta (<i>Disc Jockey (Diskžokej)</i>); Jan Mimra (<i>Turris Babel</i>); Jan Švankmajer (<i>Darkness
Light
Darkness (Tma
světlo
tma)</i>);
Ani-Masters: Pioneers of Czech Animation (Samizdat)"Ani-Masters: Pioneers of Czech Animation (Samizdat)"

Showtimes

November 9, 6:30 pm

Filmhouse Cinema