Films of 4 Elements for Kids

Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson, US, 2012, 90 min.
The story of this quirky comedy takes place on the romantic shore of the 1960s New England. Sam and Suzy, a couple of twelve-year-olds, are both a bit of misfits. They fall in love at the first sight and decide to flee into the wilderness. Their disappearance turns the calm town upside down. A strong visual experience is guaranteed not only by the fantastic children actors’ performances, but also by those of Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Frances McDormand.

Boy & the World
Alê Abreu, BR, 2013, 80 min.
A little boy and his mother live in the countryside. He misses his father who has left home in pursuit of a job. The boy hops on a train and embarks on an adventurous quest to find him. On his journey, he learns about the issues of the modern industrial world, and observes the lives of adults through the innocent eyes of a child. The film has been nominated for 2016 Oscars.

Donkeyskin
Jacques Demy, FR, 1970, 100 min.
A classical fairy-tale and somewhat surrealist musical film from 1970, starring Catherine Deneuve and Jean Marais. The dying Queen makes her husband promise to only marry a woman whose beauty and attributes exceed hers. It so happens that the only woman meeting these requirements is her own daughter. The Princess tries to escape, wearing a skin of a donkey.

A sequence of animated films from the National Film Archive
44 min.
(aimed at children aged between 3 and 8)

Animals and Bandits
Jiří Trnka, 1946
A cartoon fairy-tale about the adventures of animals who manage to scare a group of bandits in the woods.

Fairy Tale on a String
Hermína Týrlová, 1986
A story of frolicky children’s pants, apron, and rompers, drying out on a string.

Car Romance
Ludvík Kadleček, 1990
A grotesque story about three cars, love at the first sight, and a fight resulting from jealousy.

The Golden Fish
Jiří Trnka, 1951
A fairy-tale about a golden fish, a fisherman, and his greedy wife.

A Story of Beads
Hermína Týrlová, 1968
A story from a submarine world of colourful fish and shells.

Jumping Over Puddles Again
Karel Kachyňa, CS, 1970, 87 min.
A Moravian town at the turn of the century: the young son of a horse trainer dreams about taming noble riding horses. Even after he is stricken by polio, he refuses to give up on his desire. An effective adaptation of Alan Marshal’s Australian novel has transferred the story to a wholly different setting and era while retaining its strong humanistic message.

Mystery of the Puzzle
Petr Kotek, CZ, 1993, 97 min.
An effective film adaptation of Jaroslav Foglar’s most popular book about a club of Fast Arrows. A group of teenage boys is searching the fictitious mysterious urban quarter Stínadlá for a fabled hedgehog in a cage and an invention it is supposed to contain, while revealing secrets from the past.