Czech Animation: Cross-cultural Dialogs

Czech animation has a long tradition and international reputation. Jiří Trnka beat Walt Disney at the post-war Cannes Film Festival. Karel Zeman is a pioneer in creating fantasy films with animation. Surrealist films by Jan Švankmajer continue to shock the audience. Younger animators such as Barta, Klimt, and Pospíšilová have been developing new modes of expression after the fall of socialism. This course explores a variety of Czech animated films from the 1960’s to the 21st century and its cross-cultural dialog, especially with the Japanese anime. Readings in English and films with English subtitles.