This stop-motion feature tells the story of the founding of the ancient land of the Czechs. It is a compendium of legend, lore, and fact, imbued with Jiří Trnka’s strange and beautiful magic.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Revered as the pioneer of a remarkable genre of animation that utilizes puppets and stop-motion photography, the Czech filmmaker JiříTrnka conveys the drama and psychology of his characters through his figures’ body language, expressive lighting, and camera movement. We are proud to present a selection of the master’s best films.

The touring retrospective THE PUPPET MASTER: THE FILMS OF JIŘÍ TRNKA is produced by Comeback Company, originated at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Curated by Irena Kovarova. Films provided by the Czech National Film Archive