Jan Bubeniček, Denisa Grimmová and Radek Loukota (chief operator) on set !

Denisa Grimmová
Director & designer

Denisa is an animated film director specialized in 2D and stop-motion. She has directed several successful short films and has worked as chief set designer, on the stop-motion feature film The King's Gardener, for which she was nominated for a Czech Lion.

Filmography :

Artistic Direction :
2011 – The gardener who wanted to be king

Director :
2010 – Czech Pexeso (mixed media)
2006 – On a park bench (puppets)
2003 – The Stork (2D)
2002 – The Hiccup (2D)

"What I like about this story is that it deals with problems common to all children, such as fear. Everyone experiences it at a different level or intensity, but everyone has to deal with it. Just like death and friendship, which are issues that we find from a very young age. Another very important theme is prejudice. Whizzy has always believed that foxes were bad and that she could never be friends with them. But in this parallel world that is Paradise, where we can no longer eat others, where we are free from our natural instincts, she discovers similarities with this fox. They both love the same things, and see many things in the same way. It's a film that says that sometimes it's important to shake up the established order, whether it's natural or not."

 

Jan Bubeníček
Director & technical designer

Jan studied in the workshop of Břetislav Pojar at the FAMU Film School in Prague. He also participated in the workshops of Skintoku Festival, Kobe Animation Festival, Kyoto University of Art and Design and Yamagata Film School as a trainer. His film Tri Fuové was selected for Kodak's New European Talents in Cannes.

Filmography : 

2016 – Smrtelné Historky (feature film)
2002 – Pirát (19’21, Stop motion) Best animation IFF Karlovy Vary, Best director Dahlonega IFF
2000 - Tri Fuové (8’53) - Kodak Cannes Selection
1998 – Lewis's Watch (8’58) - Anifest Special Mention

"It's also a film about love and self-actualization. Our little mouse, Whizzy, who struggles to find a lost love, his father who disappeared too soon because of a bad fox, must forget his fears. And in this adventure, she crosses the path of another fragile being, Whitebelly, a young fox in search of love too, and who will do everything to win his love and trust."

Festivals :

. César 2022 - Nomination in the Best Animated Film Category
. 2021 Czech Lion Awards - Czech Lion Award for the Best Animated Film and nomination for Best Music
. Shangai Film Festival : Best Animated Film
. Anifilm : Audience Award & Jury Special Mention
. Annecy International Animation Film Festival : Screening Event
. Edinburgh International Film Fest : Official Selection
. Animatou : Official Selection
. Karlovy Vary International Film Festival : Official Selection
. IFF Kids Kino : Official Selection
. Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur (FIFF) : Official Selection
. Kids Kino IFF (Pologne, 2021) – Special Mention
. Festival Voix d’Étoiles (France, 2021) – Best Male Voice & Best Sound
. Filem’On (Belgium, 2021)- Press Award
. European Film Award (Europe, 2021) – Nomination in the Best European Animated Film Category
. Filmfest Hamburg (Germany, 2021) – Michel Selection
. Alice Nella Città (Italy 2021) – Screening Event
. Zlín Film Festival (Czech Republic, 2021) – Special Mention
. Gijón International Film Fest (Spain, 2021) – Official Selection
. Lucas (Germany, 2021) – Best Feature Film 8+
. Schlingel (Germany, 2021) – Best Animated Film
. Listopad (Belarus, 2021) - Gold Listapadzik - Best Film
. PÖFF Tallinn (Estony, 2021)  - Just Film Competition – Best Children Movie
. Juniorfilm (Czech Republic, 2021) – Special Mention
. Fantoche (Switzerland) – Official Selection
. JEF Festival (Belgium, 2022) - Opening Feature Film
. Czech Film Critics Awards - Best Audiovisual Achievement
. FIFEM - Montréal International Children Film Fest (Canada, 2022) - Montréal Grand Prize and Public Awards
. Anima (Belgium, 2022) - Nomination in Young Audience Competition

Career and Selections In Development :

. MIFA Annecy 2014
. Eurimages Price at the Cinekid Forum 2014 in Amsterdam
. Cartoon Movie 2016 in Lyon
. Financing Forum in Malmo 2016
. Cartoon Connection in Montréal 2016
. Annecy goes to Cannes 2017
. Work In Progress Feature Annecy 2019
. Cartoon Movie 2020 in Bordeaux
. Annecy Festival 2020 in Annecy 
 

Synopsis : After an unfortunate accident, a young mouse with a strong character and a rather withdrawn fox find themselves in animal paradise. In this new world, they have to get rid of their natural instincts and follow a whole path towards a new life. Through this adventure, they become the best friends in the world and the rest of their journey will hold many surprises for them...

Stop-motion animation, 3D & SFX - 86' - France, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia - 2021

Directors : Denisa Grimmová & Jan Bubeníček

Scenario : Alice Nellis & Richard Malatinský
Based on the original artwork of Iva Procházková

Producers : Vladimír Lhoták (Fresh Films), Alexandre Charlet et Jonathan Hazan (Les Films du Cygne)
Co-producers : Grzegorz Wacławek et Piotr Szczepanowicz (Animoon), Marek Jeniček et Tomáš Janísek (CinemArt SK)

Design & Art Direction : Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubeníček & Jan Kurka
Composer : KrzysztofA.Janczak
Head decorator : Jan Kurka
Chief Operator : Radek Loukota

Chief Editor : Vladimír Barák
3D animation directors : Thibault Delahaye (Le Studio animation) & Mathieu Marin (InTheBox)
Special Effects Supervisor : Madjid Chamekh et Mathieu Marin (InTheBox)
Compositing Directors : Jan Kurka et Philippe Jarland

With the voices of Marie Nonnenmacher, Vincent de Bouard, Jérôme Pauwels, Antoine Tomé, Boris Relhinger, David Krüger, Marie Bouvier, Benoît Allemane, Alexis Tomassian, Antonia de Rendinger, Patricia Marmoras, Loïc Guinguand

Casting & Art Direction : Marie Bureau
Voice recordings : Pierre Aretino et Régis Debiold
Mixing : Régis Debiold
Studios : Titra Films et Innervision

Distribution : Gebeka Films (France), Cinemart (République Tchèque et Slovaquie)
Diffusion : Ceska televize (République Tchèque)
International Sales : Charades

With the support of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Grand-Est and PACA regions, in partnership with the CNC.
And Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma and Eurimages.

French release : 27th October 2022

To download the press kit of the film, it's here! 

The film had its World Premiere at the Annecy Festival as part of the Official Selection in the Event Screening.

The first articles and reviews are out!

"Funny and tender" - Le Point

"An ambitious project and a real visual pleasure!" - Screen Daily (USA)

"One of the attractions of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival" - France Bleu

"A fantastic tale for young and old" - France Info Culture

"A quest for love and courage" - Unidivers

"A very successful film and visually it's a blast!" - Cloneweb

"A successful tale about an improbable friendship" - Abus de Ciné

"A film full of poetry and humor" - Le Dauphiné

"A nice technical feat to approach with fantasy and delicacy the notions of tolerance, friendship and transmission" - Télé-Loisirs

"A metaphysical adventure and a lesson on tolerance" - Gauchazh

"The animation is charming and the characters are adorable... Stop motion at its finest !" - Rotoscopers (USA)

"A very intelligent film that scares the hell out of you!" - La Manie du Cinéma

"Adults can dive into this wonder with the same enthusiasm as a little one" - La Septième Obsession

"One of the best surprises of Annecy 2021" - C7nema (Brazil)

"Remarkable art direction and sets" - Animación para adultos (Spain)