settima

fantasy

Тіні забутих предків [Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors] (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Feb

6

St. Dorothea of Caesarea

Тіні забутих предків (1965)

The childhood lovers to be newlyweds. During the wedding ceremony, the bride suddenly breaks out in smile. DPs: Yuri Ilyenko & Viktor Bestayev.

A wedding on the day of Dorothea of Caesarea, patron saint of horticulture, brewers, brides, florists, gardeners, midwives, newlyweds, and love.

Případ pro začínajícího kata [Case for a Rookie Hangman] (Pavel Juráček, 1970)

Jan

30

doors

Případ pro začínajícího kata (1970)

In a completely dark room, a large silhouette of a man can be seen rushing through a brightly lit doorway. Other, impossible doors at odd heights show several people observing the man. Still via DVDBeaver. DP: Jan Kališ.

A gateway or door for Janus, god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and ending.

 

A man named Gulliver (Lubomír Kostelka) accidentally runs over a rabbit, who is dressed to the nines and carries a pocket watch. Slowly, the man finds himself in a sort of Wonderland.

Macario (Roberto Gavaldón, 1960)

Jan

22

National Poverty in America Awareness Month

Macario (1960)

Macario (Ignacio López Tarso) passes a Día de los Muertos altar, stacked high with candles, human skulls and bones, and cempasúchil (marigolds), whose fragrant and colour lead the Dead back to their family on this revered day. DP: Gabriel Figueroa.

Poverty (National Poverty in America Awareness Month).

 

Macario, poor and hungry, wishes to eat a whole turkey all by himself on Día de los Muertos. When he finally has the opportunity, he is interrupted three times: by the Devil, by God, and by Death. With one of them, he shares his meal.

Valkoinen peura [The White Reindeer] (Erik Blomberg, 1952)

Dec

21

Yule

Valkoinen peura (1952)

Pirita (Mirjami Kuosmanen) in Gákti in front of a prism-like structure with a reindeer skull on top. Antlers stick out in the snow around her. DP: Erik Blomberg.

Pagans for Yule. The reindeer plays an important part in Sámi #animism (1/2).

Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (Richard Winer + Barry Mahon, 1972)

Dec

20

Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (1972)

A bunch of screaming children on top of a red firetruck stand right behind the driver, a stoic person in a pink bunny costume. DPs: William Tobin & Richard Winer.

“What is that? What is that I hear? Where's it coming from? I hear a siren, but I don't see any fire, I don't see any smoke. Whenever there's a siren, it means there's a fire, but I don't see any smoke. That siren. Where is it coming from? Where's that sound coming from?”

– Santa Claus

Die Puppe [The Doll] (Ernst Lubitsch, 1919)

Dec

16

Stupid Toy Day

Die Puppe (1919)

The doll (Ossi Oswalda) mischievously sticks out her tongue. DPs: Theodor Sparkuhl & Kurt Waschneck .

A ridiculous toy for Stupid Toy Day.

“She must have one complex mechanism!”

– Lancelot

Sedmi kontinent [Sedmý kontinent / The Seventh Continent] (Dušan Vukotić, 1966)

Dec

13

Francis Drake's circumnavigation

Sedmi kontinent (1966)

The first two children to set sail, with Iris Vrus on the right, and possibly Tomislav Pasarić on the left. DP: Karol Krška.

A voyage of discovery on the start of Francis Drake's circumnavigation. Children, ignored by their ever-busy parents, set sail to the Seventh Continent.

Tajemství hradu v Karpatech [The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians] (Oldřich Lipský, 1981)

Oct

27

1897

Tajemství hradu v Karpatech (1981)

A calendar – undeniably designed by the great Jan Švankmajer – with the date October 27, 1897, set on the day of – or referencing a saint – Sabina. Screenshot via DVDBeaver. DP: Viktor Růžička.

– You surely know that my financial support is unlimited.

– Yes. Long live your false cheque factories!

Les créatures [The Creatures] (Agnès Varda, 1966)

Aug

29

Les créatures (1966)

Mylène (Catherine Deneuve) and Edgar (Michel Piccoli) Piccoli playing checkers at a small table. DPs: Willy Kurant, William Lubtchansky & Jean Orjollet.

“Everything is rotten. Decadence is everywhere. Why fight it?”

Sinong lumikha ng yoyo? Sinong lumikha ng moon buggy? [Who Invented the Yoyo? Who Invented the Moon Buggy?] (Kidlat Tahimik, 1979)

Jul

20

1969

Sinong lumikha ng yoyo? Sinong lumikha ng moon buggy? (1979)

A Bavarian onion dome with the date July 20, 1969 superimposed over it. DP: Kidlat Tahimik.

“Fantastic! You are a first class dilettante!”

– Kidlat's proud parents