The Christmas Dream
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1944Production year
1944Runtime
11 minCategory
filmGenre
fairytaleTypology
animatedtheatrical distributionshortOriginal title
Vánoční senCzech title
Vánoční senEnglish title
The Christmas DreamProtectorate parallel title
Ein WeihnachtstraumSummary
A story about the funny pranks of a rag boy puppet, which came to life in a Christmas-Eve dream of a little girl.
Synopsis
A girl finds new toys under the Christmas tree and loses all interest in her previously favourite rag puppet. She goes to bed in the evening. The boy puppet comes to life in her dream and tries to regain the heart of his friend. He prevents a rag giraffe from toppling the Christmas tree. The giraffe and other new toys want to chase the rag boy away. He successfully escapes them, climbs up on a piano and jiggles on the keys. He then performs an impressive figure-skating show on the polished top of the piano. The girl loves his frolicking. A fan on the shelf accidentally turns on, disturbs the sea waves in the painting on the wall and takes the painted ship to the horizon. The girl cheerily hops on the bed in the wind. But the wind is too strong for the rag boy and he cannot resist it long. Before he falls, he tries to catch at the laced cover on the table. The girl takes the boy puppet to her arms at the last moment. He is saved from falling, but more importantly is again in the arms of his little friend.
Note
Before of the end of the war the film was approved by German censorship on 22 December 1944 and was distributed by the Degeto Film Berlin company. After the war the film was distributed in Czechoslovakia with Czech opening titles. The negative of a film of same name, directed by Hermína Týrlová in the Zlín studios in 1944, was burnt shortly after its completion during the fire in the laboratories. When the negative of the Christmas Dream was destroyed and Hermína Týrlová was ill, the management of the studios asked Karel Zeman to film it again in collaboration with director Bořivoj Zeman (see Marie Benešová: Hermína Týrlová. Praha 1982, p. 39).
Photos
Cast
Jana Hrdličková
holčička
Eduard Dubský
otec holčičky
Crew and creators
Director
Bořivoj Zeman (hraná část), Karel Zeman (loutková část)
Screenstory
Screenplay
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Production Designer
Art Director
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Cooperation
Music
Music Composed by
Production info
Original Title
Vánoční sen
Czech Title
Vánoční sen
English Title
The Christmas Dream
Protectorate Parallel Title
Ein Weihnachtstraum
Category
film
Typology
animatedtheatrical distribution
Genre
fairytale
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1944
Production Year
1944
Production specifications
date of censorship 07/1945 (konec povolení k promítání červenec 1950)
Premiere
premiere 23 November 1945 /suitable for youths/ (kino Sevastopol /2 týdny/, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Laboratories
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
short film
Duration in minutes
11 min
Original length in metres
300 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Animation technique
cut-out, puppet, combined (technique), feature
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
without dialogue
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 1. mezinárodní filmový festival Cannes
1946
Cannes / France
