Animated/Featured movie of Jan Svankmajer inspired by the Capek brothers' play Pictures from the Insects' Life and the Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis.

Czech film director Jan Švankmajer (photo by Petr Novák, Wikipedia) holds Special Crystal Globe for outstanding artistic contribution to the world cinemas in he has received at 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

A pub in a small town. Pub is closed, the chairs upturned on tables. On a coat-stand hang various insect costumes: a crêpe-paper skirt, cardboard butterfly-wings, and gleaming black and iridescent beetleshells. The six amateur thespians at the table are: the Director, Rose, William, Mr. Forrest, Nettle, Miss Jilly. Tramp is at home, laid up with sciatica. Mrs. Dung-Beetle and Mayfly have not yet turned up. During the rehearsal the amateur actors own life stories interweave with those of the Čapek's characters.

From the shooting: Director Jan Švankmajer with actress Kamila Magalová.

“The Insect Play is a misanthropic play. My screenplay only extends this misanthropy, as man is more like an insect and this civilization is more like an anthill. One should also remember the message of blind Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. ”

— Jan Švankmajer, director

AUTHORS & CREW

Screenplay: Jan Švankmajer
Director: Jan Švankmajer
DOP: Jan Růžička, Adam Oľha
Art Directors: Jan Švankmajer, Václav Švankmajer
Costume designer: Veronika Hrubá
Make-up artist: Tereza Prachařová
Editor: Jan Daňhel
Sound: Ivo Špalj
Producer: Jaromír Kallista (ATHANOR, CZ)
Co-producers: Zuzana Mistríková, Ľubica Orechovská (PubRes, SK)