Last year, the Covid-19 pandemic hit all creative industries, and animation was no exception. Many domestic and foreign festivals, where premieres take place and distribution cooperation is negotiated, have been canceled or moved to the online environment. How did Czech animation creators cope with
As early as in March, the Association of Czech Animation Film responded to the crisis with a statement, proposing steps to strengthen the segment of domestic production of animated content, especially of series, so that the Czech Republic can disengage economically from the dominant focus on the live-action film, thus boosting a significant sector of creative industries which may largely exist and work online.
“Production of animated films takes years, so the animation is a good field for overcoming shorter periods of crisis. Even during a pandemic, most production can be organized remotely. In a way, the field brings some economic and social stability. The negative consequences of the current pandemic situation will probably show in the future from today’s impossibility to prepare new co-production projects, which are highly important for animation,” ASAF Deputy Chairman Michal Podhradský explains.
Czech animation in cinemas
Although last year did not bring any domestic animated feature, this year and the following years should bring some great new releases to Czech cinemas.
At the moment, the only officially announced animated premiere of this year is the long-awaited feature film by Denisa Grimmová and Jan Bubeníček Even Mice Belong in Heaven based on a book of the same name by Iva Procházková. Mice should arrive at Czech cinemas in October. The producers Fresh Films & Hausboot (CZ), Les Films du Cygne (FR), Animoon (PL), and Cinemart (SK) are behind the Czech-French-Polish-Slovak co-production.
Full article here.