For more than half a century animated film remained confined to the realm of children’s films. Neither Winsor McCay, nor Hans Richter, Victor Eggeling, Alexandre Alexeieff or Len Lye could change the general opinion (or prejudice?) or the (foolish?) minds of film critics. It was not before the end of WWII that the climate began to change: Jiří Trnka and Stephen Bosustow laid the groundbreaking foundations, Norman McLaren was given international acclaim, Zagreb animation school emerges, then come Polish animators, followed by innovators from all over the world, reduced animation earns the status equal to classical animation and the rest is history.
But these pioneers never forgot the importance of childhood: Despite the seriousness and perplexity of the issues tackled and resolved by these giants of “adult” cartoon, collage or puppet animation, they each dedicated a certain part of their work to the youngest, and the most demanding audience. And it‘s a pleasure to see how children from all over the world are now exposed to the works of authors such as Vukotić, Mimica, Muster, Petričić, Ćirić...
Thus an important balance was created. There is a part of each one of us that refuses to grow up. It’s a precious gem that will never go gray and wrinkled. It’s this little fragment that makes our lives a bit better – and makes the whole world seem a bit les ‘grown-up’…
Ranko Munitić
STRAŠILO / THE SCARECROW
Vatroslav Mimica (Zagreb film)
Jugoslavija/Yugoslavia, 1957, 35mm, 10’
Osamljeno strašilo želi ptice za prijateljice, one pa ga ignorirajo. Njegov pogum spremeni ptičjo perspektivo …
A lonely scarecrow wants the birds to be his friends, but they ignore him. His courage changes the birds’ perspective…
MALI VLAK / A SMALL TRAIN
Dragutin Vunak (Zagreb film)
Jugoslavija/Yugoslavia, 1959, 35mm, 11’
Velika železniška postaja. Semaforji, vlaki, vse je narejeno avtomatsko, točno in hitro. Toda nekje prek polja gre vijugasta proga malega vlaka, ki želi prehiteti sodobne in hitre vlake. Poda se po krajši poti, prek polj, čez vodo, skozi zapuščen tunel … in pride prvi na cilj!
A big railroad station. Traffic lights, trains, everything is automatic, punctual and fast. But somewhere across the field there is a twisty railroad track of a small train, which is trying to overtake the modern and the fast train. It takes a shortcut, through water, across the fields, through an abandoned tunnel… and finishes first!
ZIMSKA ZGODBA / THE WINTER STORY
Miki Muster (Viba film)
Jugoslavija/Yugoslavia, 1962, 6’
Črni mačkon preganja vrabca. Ta ga pretenta in kaznuje s pomočjo prijatelja snežaka.
A black tomcat chases a sparrow. The sparrow tricks him and punishes him with the help of his friend the snowman.
OBISK IZ VESOLJA / POSJET IZ SVEMIRA / A VISIT FROM THE SPACE
Zlatko Grgić (Zagreb film)
Jugoslavija/Yugoslavia, 1964, 35mm, 11’
Pripoved o deklici, ki se sreča z nezemljanom. Fantastika v filmu izvira iz pristne otroške domišljije.
A story about a girl who meets an alien. The fantastic elements in the film are based on genuine children’s imagination.
KRAVA NA LUNI / KRAVA NA MJESECU / THE COW ON THE MOON
Dušan Vukotić (Zagreb film)
Jugoslavija/Yugoslavia, 1959, 35mm, 10’
Deklica ukani fantka, da ju je raketa, ki jo je sestavila, odpeljala na luno.
A young girl tricks a boy into thinking that the rocket ship she has built has taken them to the moon. The film is meant for children, with a redundant story and a superfluous point, yet it is full of allusions, which are dear to the adults.