Jiri Barta | Offscreen
Festival guest:
Czech stop motion film maker Jiří Barta (°1948) has grown to become one of the leading figures in animation since his start in 1978. Inspired by a range of different artists like Gaudí, Kafka, Poe, Fritz Lang, the Brothers Quay and Jan Švankmajer, his films imagine a rich and gothic universe drenched in his signature black humour. In 1985 he received international recognition for his medium-length film “Krysař - The Pied Piper”. Uniquely stylised as an interpretation of German Expressionism populated with cubist characters, Barta's version of the classic folktale is imbued with a personal anti-materialist critique. Having always been dependent on government support, it became increasingly hard for him to finance his work after the Velvet Revolution of 1989. In 2009, thanks to the backing of an international co-production, he could finally complete a feature film with the remarkably charming “Toys in the Attic”.
Jiří Barta will personally present his films at the festival.
In collaboration with the Centre tchèque de Bruxelles and the NFA (Národní Filmový Archiv)
Toys in the Attic
An old suitcase in a dusty attic is the home of an eclectic collection of toys. When the beautiful doll Buttercup is abducted, her friends organise a search party and go on an adventure that’s filled with danger and intrigue. A stop motion gem that is bound to captivate the minds of both young and old.
Krysar - The Pied Piper
Barta gives a dark twist to the classic folktale of ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’: a corrupt and materialistic city distorted into an expressionistic tableau populated by cubist characters. This one-of-a-kind stop motion fairy tale adaptation is hailed as one of the masterpieces of puppet animation.
Masterclass Jiri Barta
Jirí Barta will give a masterclass (in English) for film students and professionals.
Offscreen photostream
