A prolific artist, beloved book illustrator and author before making his first movie, Czech animation master Jiří Trnka (1912-1969) had an enormous impact on the development of animation in his country, and he inspired the careers of an entire generation of filmmakers around the globe. With 18 short and six feature-length animated films, Trnka was rivaled only by Walt Disney Studios in output. Revered as the pioneer of a remarkable new genre of animation that utilized puppets, Trnka conveyed the drama and psychology of his characters through his figures’ body language, expressive lighting and camera movement.

Premiering at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York, Comeback Company’s 2018 touring program offers the United States’ first complete retrospective of the works of Jiří Trnka. Join us for four nights of highlights from this essential series, including such dazzling shorts as the surreal “Cybernetic Grandma” and anti-totalitarian allegory “The Hand,” and such fantastical features as BAJAJA and Trnka’s takes on Hans Christian Andersen (THE EMPEROR’S NIGHTINGALE) and William Shakespeare (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM).

Read an appreciation of Trnka's work on our blog, by local puppet animators at Screen Novelties.

Series compiled by Grant Moninger and Irena Kovarova. Program notes by Andy Lauer (courtesy of the Film Society of Lincoln Center) and Irena Kovarova.