A four-member delegation joined the audience for a post-screening discussion following the Czech-Slovak-Slovenian-French stop-motion film Tales from the Magic Garden. The creators shared insights into puppet movement, animation techniques, and just how long it takes to bring an animated film to life. “If everything goes smoothly, an animator might shoot about four seconds per day,” noted producer Martin Vandas, adding that before filming begins, the team must first create all the puppets and props, secure financing, and write the screenplay. “I emailed Arnošt Goldflam in October 2015 to say I wanted to make a film based on his book Of Unwanted Things and People,” Vandas recalled.
Co-director David Súkup spoke about how stop-motion animation has evolved since the days of Czech animation legend Jiří Trnka. “The internal skeletons of the puppets are still more or less the same, but the materials have improved. We also use computer animation in post-production, which lets us add rods to hold puppets in place. Those rods can then be digitally removed.”
Arnošt Goldflam, the author of the original book and the voice of the grandfather character (who closely resembles him), was also in attendance. He expressed satisfaction with the adaptation. “I always try to step back from the original and watch the film as a separate story. To see if I believe in it or not. And this time, I did. I liked it,” he told the audience.
The film, which follows three siblings sharing fairy tales in memory of their recently departed grandmother, will open in Czech cinemas on All Souls’ Day. It had its world premiere at the Berlinale. “That was an amazing experience,” Vandas said. “At the end, the children stood and clapped along to the rhythm of the credits music. Then a little girl asked if she could buy the grandfather puppet. We explained it was quite expensive, which made her sad. Arnošt felt sorry for her and told her she could touch it – and that moment sparked a wave. Suddenly, three hundred kids wanted to touch the puppets and take photos. Our screening ended up causing a delay that pushed the next Berlinale screening back by thirty minutes.” At the screening in Karlovy Vary’s Čas Cinema, the filmmakers brought several puppets along and invited children from the audience to see them up close.
