Puppet animator Jiří Trnka is in many ways the perfect filmmaker to illustrate Shakespeare’s tale of magic and love deep within the wooded domain of the fairies. Baroque and luminous.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Revered as the pioneer of a remarkable genre of animation that utilizes puppets and stop-motion photography, the Czech filmmaker Jiří Trnka conveys the drama and psychology of his characters through his figures’ body language, expressive lighting, and camera movement. We are proud to present a selection of the master’s best films.

The touring retrospective THE PUPPET MASTER: THE FILMS OF JIŘÍ TRNKA is produced by Comeback Company, originated at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Curated by Irena Kovarova. Films provided by the Czech National Film Archive