L'Année Tchèque

Beautiful example of Trnka's animation for children, but not only for them. Unfortunately, I have some resistance to the rural environment as it is presented here, and it slightly spoils the whole impression for me. I particularly liked the first story, "Masopust" (Carnival), which literally enchanted me with its musical aspect. It really got to me. (17/02/2015)

This is admittedly a good film and can be described as the first full-length Czech puppet film, but not having a proper copy available and there are some things missing from the versions aired on TV. (10/08/2015)

The Czech Year was a modern project and an extraordinary artistic creation in its time, but after many decades, I have to say that I look at it with respect but without any emotional impact. I simply recognize it as a great classic, but at the same time, I feel that today's younger generation will not find it appealing. The Czech Year has simply become outdated in terms of its pace and visual concept. The current generation lives differently, and this world of folklore is as distant to them as a museum exhibition of old folk customs from the 19th century. I'm giving it 3 stars for the puppets and the knowledge that this film belongs to the golden treasury of Czech cinema, despite my distance from it. Otherwise, the Prague Philharmonic Children's Choir, Václav Trojan's music, and the somewhat outdated animation give me a dusty impression, which only contributes to an overall impression of 55%. (18/09/2011)