![2009 [13th] Japan Media Arts Festival Award-winning Works](/english/festival/images/h1_jusyousakuhin-en2009.gif "2009 [13th] Japan Media Arts Festival Award-winning Works")
|
| © BIO ILLUSION s.r.o. |
The creator’s latest work depicts an imaginary world of junk which lies in an attic forgotten by humans. Pomnenka is a sweet, popular female doll, but she is tomboyish enough to fight a bad guy, and is targeted by the chief villain, Hlava. This is how the story starts. When their peaceful everyday life is threatened, Pomnenka’s funny friends embark on a desperate adventure....
Jiri BARTA
Born in Prague in 1948, Jiri BARTA has inherited the spirit of the founder of Czech puppet animation, Jiri TRUNKA, and his followers. At the same time he has been taking on new challenges. Having been described as “the last philosopher of Czech animation,” he leads the present field of puppet animation.
My Japanese co-producers (AT ARMZ company) submitted my film to the Japan Media Arts Festival but in fact I didn’t know that. Suddenly in autumn I got a welcome message about my award and the first information about your contest. I think your festival, which merges different kinds of art production (art, entertainment, animation, manga) has no analog in our country. Maybe not even in Europe. I usually take part in film festivals that are aimed at animation or feature films.
My films are not for a big audience but I think I have my fans.
Director Jiri BARTA finally released his biggest work ever after a lapse of 24 dark years during which he was unable to make his great life’s work, Golem, despite his desire to do so.
While freely exploiting different animation techniques, such as paper animation and live-action material with an emphasis on 3D animation of the cute characters, the collision and friction between its worldview replete with a kind of closed-off creativity that is uniquely Czech in nature, and the conventional adventure story that has its eye on the worldwide entertainment market, develops in a way that exceeds our imagination so that it becomes incomparably stimulating and exciting.
The nightmarish imaginative power that has been a continuous feature of the country over many years does not allow of any foreign imitators. It should not be forgotten that in order to communicate this thought accurately, assured animation techniques have been highly developed and passed down to subsequent generations. In addition, we should not overlook the growth of productions that weave stories evolving from unique and complacent expressions.
What makes you create a work?
In the Attic is my latest animated project. After a long and vain effort to find a producer for my expensive film Golem, I decided to do something lighter and more funny for children and their parents. I succeeded in convincing a Czech producer, Bio Illusion, who invited other partners in Slovakia and Japan to provide me with financial support.
What tools do you use the most at present?
I usually use combined techniques in my film projects − puppet animation, cartoon and special effects (computers).
What do you place greatest value on in your work?
Animation is a field of fantasy and imagination. So I like to use this curious language of communication.
What personal concept runs through your creative activities?
Not to jump in the main stream (3D computers) but to develop the heritage of Czech animated films.
When you create a work, in what way do you think of a presentation using technologies or media as a means to communicate?
Techniques and art design of my animated films usually follow a topic and a script. This is the main problem (before I start to do anything) to use a certain shape which suits my chosen subject. I am not an artist of one style which fluently communicates with an audience. I search for new ways.
Could you name a person, a work, or an event that has most influenced you?
What kind of work would you like to create in the future?
After finishing my current project (documentary, archive, and animation), I would like to start the Japanese tale of Urashima Taro and maybe my dream project, Golem (if my age and health will allow me).
What is the meaning or importance of creating for you?
