Otesánek (2000)

Country of Origin: Czech Republic / UK / Japan
Year of Production: 2000
Running Times: 126 mins 8 secs (UK video (PAL))      131 mins 31 secs
Format: colour     35mm
Ratio: 1.33:1
Sound: Dolby EX 6.1

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Athanor / Illumination Films / FilmFour / Barrandov Biografia
Producers: Keith Griffiths, Jaromír Kallista, Jan Svankmajer
Production Manager: Vera Ferdová

SCRIPT
Script / Story: Jan Svankmajer

DIRECTION
Director: Jan Svankmajer
Assistant Directors: Martin Kublák, Tijn Po

ANIMATION
Animators: Bedrich Glaser, Martin Kublák

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Juraj Galvánek

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Marie Zemanová
Assistant Editor: Daniel Bird

MUSIC
Music: Carl Maria von Weber (from the opera Der Freischütz: Overture)

SOUND
Sound: Ivo Spalj
Assistant Sound Mixer: Pavel Stverák
Sound Effects Editors: Jitka Zvirocká, Karel Süssmilch, Marika Novotná, Olga Cechová, Zdenek Dusek
Sound Mixed At: Filmové Studio Barrandov

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Bozena Dosla, Alena Sedova
Costume Designer: Jan Svankmajer, Eva Svankmajerová

VISUAL EFFECTS
Computer Special Effects: Martin Stejskal

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designers: Jan Svankmajer, Eva Svankmajerová

CAST
Veronika Zilková (Bozena)
Jan Hartl (Karel)
Jaroslava Kretschmerová (Alzbetka's mother)
Pavel Nový (Alzbetka's father)
Kristina Adamcová (Alzbetka)
Dagmar Stríbrná (Pani spravcova)
Zdenek Kozák (Mr Zlabek)
Gustav Vondracek (Mladek)
Arnost Goldflam (gynaecologist)
Jitka Smutná (Bulankova)
Jirí Lábus (policeman at station)
Radek Holub (young postman)
Jan Jirán (Karel's co-worker)
Zdenek Palusga (uniformed policeman)
Frantisek Polata, Vaclav Jezek (plainclothes policemen)
Joseph Cahill
Tomás Hanák (voice of radio presenter)

PLOT SUMMARY

A childless couple adopt a tree root that resembles a child and name it Otik. But the root has a life all of its own and has a monstrous appetite for anything - or anyone - it can get its twig like hands on.

AVAILABILITY

Japan
Theatrical Distributors: Ren Corporation Ltd

UK
Theatrical Distributors: FilmFour Ltd
DVD Distributors: Cinema Club

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Zeitgeist Films

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Japan
Rating: PG-12

UK
Rating: 15

AWARDS

2001
Pilsen Film Festival, Czech Republic
Don Quixote Award - Special Mention (Jan Svankmajer) - winner
Golden Kingfisher (Jan Svankmajer) - winner (tied with Paralelní svety (2001))

2002
Czech Critics Awards, Czech Republic
Nejlepsí Hraný Film Roku (Jan Svankmajer) - winner

Czech Lions, Czech Republic
Nejlepsí výtvarné resení (Jan Svankmajer, Eva Svankmajerová) - winner
Nejlepsí film - winner
Nejlepsí filmový plakát (Eva Svankmajerová) - winner
Critics' Award (Jan Svankmajer) - nominated
Zenský herecký výkon v hlavní roli (Veronika Zilková) - nominated
Nejlepsí kostýmy (Eva Svankmajerová) - nominated
Nejlepsí rezie (Jan Svankmajer) - nominated
Nejlepsí scénár (Jan Svankmajer) - nominated
Nejlepsí scénár (Zdenek Sverák) - nominated
Nejlepsí zvuk (Ivo Spalj) - nominated
Zenský herecký výkon ve vedlejsí roli (Jaroslava Kretschmerová) - nominated

TIMELINE

2000
September
7: Italy - shown at the Venice Film Festival

2001
January
24: Czech Republic - shown at the Febio Film Festival
25: Czech Republic - theatrical release
27: Netherlands - shown at the International Film Festival Rotterdam

April
12: Slovakia - theatrical release

June
12: USA - shown at the Seattle International Film Festival

September
14: UK - trailer rated 15 by the BBFC (for theatrical release)
18: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

October
26: UK - theatrical release

November
3: Japan - theatrical release

December
19: USA - theatrical release in New York City, New York

2003
March
21: Portugal - shown at the Zero Em Comportamento Festival

July
11: UK - rated 15 by the BBFC (for video release)

POSTER TAGS

From the creator of 'Alice' and 'Faust' comes a most unsual baby...

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Little Otik - UK / US title

LINKS

WEB LINKS
Jan Svankmajer: Alchemist of the Surreal
Zeitgeist Films

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Cineforum vol.40 no.399 (November 2000) p.8 (Italy)
illustrated review (by Pier Maria Bocchi)

Ekran: Revija za Film in Televizijo vol.25 no.7/8 (2000) p.18 (Slovenia)
review (by Simon Popek)

Kino no.35 (February 2001) p.26 (Poland)
illustrated review (Makabryczna przesada by Jan Jaros)

Segnocinema: Rivista Cinematografica Bimestrale no.106 (November / December 2000) p.58 (Italy)
review (by Adelina Preziosi)

Sight and Sound vol.11 (October 2001) pp.26-28; 49-50 (UK)
illustrated article (Bringing up baby by Peter Hames); illustrated credits, synopsis, review (by Leslie Felperin)

Variety vol.381 (20 - 26 November 2000) pp.21-22 (USA)
credits, review (by Deborah Young)

KEYWORDS

babies, surrealism, trees

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009