The works of legendary Czech animator and filmmaker Karel ZEMAN are being screened in Taiwan for the very first time as the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) and Czech Centre Taipei team up to present the special program “Karel Zeman: A Czech Animated Odyssey.” At the opening ceremony (Nov. 8), David STEINKE, Head of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office Taipei, and Markéta Lipold ZÁHUMENSKÁ, Director of Czech Centre Taipei, both delivered remarks before the screening of the opening film Journey to the Beginning of Time (1955), offering audiences and animation enthusiasts deeper insights into the “Czech magician of animation.”

➤The opening was held on November 8th, featuring special guests including David STEINKE (left), Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office, and Markéta Lipold ZÁHUMENSKÁ (center), Director of the Czech Centre Taipei. On the right is Arthur CHU, Chairperson of TFAI. (Courtesy of TFAI)

More than 70 years ago, long before the age of computer and AI-generated animation, Karel ZEMAN was already creating astonishing animated films entirely by hand. The opening film, Journey to the Beginning of Time, follows four boys on an extraordinary adventure into prehistoric times. As they row their boat past glaciers and witness dinosaurs locked in combat, the landscapes around them unfold like mesmerizing museum exhibits, as though they have stepped into the pages of an encyclopedia. ZEMAN combined live-action footage with stop-motion puppetry and physical and optical film techniques such as multiple exposure, ingeniously bringing prehistoric creatures and the young adventurers together in the same time and space. According to the Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei David STEINKE,  “When I was a 6-year-old boy, Journey to the Beginning of Time was already my favorite film. It really triggered my imagination. I wanted to be one of the four guys, who are on the boat drifting on the river of time to the beginning  of the history.”  STEINKE also invited the young audience who had brought dinosaur models to come up on stage to share with the public, showing the irreplaceable shared memory across generations.

➤David STEINKE, Representative of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office.
(Courtesy of TFAI)

“Karel ZEMAN: A Czech Animated Odyssey” will feature four films in total, including three 4K-restored animated classics: Journey to the Beginning of Time, the opening film; Invention for Destruction (1958), which mimics the texture of illustrated storybooks, making it feel as though the drawings themselves have come to life; and ZEMAN’s celebrated masterpiece The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1961), a fantastical love story between a modern astronaut and a medieval princess set against the romantic backdrop of the moon. The final selection of the program is the documentary Film Adventurer Karel Zeman (2015), in which renowned filmmakers from around the world reflect on how ZEMAN’s works have influenced their own creative journeys. Arthur CHU, Chairman of TFAI, added that “Czech culture has always left a deep impression on me. I first visited Prague in 1996, and the statues on the Charles Bridge and the local art of puppetry made me believe that Czech people grow up surrounded by a fairytale-like world of wonder. This unique sense of beauty and imagination naturally finds its way into their filmmaking.” ZEMAN pushed beyond the technological limits of his time, demonstrating unmatched patience and imagination that went on to influence generations of animators and filmmakers. Tim BURTON, director and executive producer of the hit series Wednesday, and Wes ANDERSON, beloved by cinephiles for his masterful visual composition, are among those deeply inspired by ZEMAN’s work.

➤CHU said that he was impressed by Prague’s architecture and sculpture.
 (Courtesy of TFAI)

The special program “Karel Zeman: A Czech Animated Odyssey” is presented with the full support of the Karel Zeman Museum in the Czech Republic, with the hope that Taiwanese audiences will gain a deeper appreciation of Czech film culture and ZEMAN’s artistic contributions to the history of world animation. Markéta ZÁHUMENSKÁ, Director Czech Centre Taipei, remarked: “For Czech people, ZEMAN is more than just a filmmaker. He represents something we grow up with. My parents watched his films, and so did I when I was small. I truly believe one day my children will watch his films. Therefore it is a great honor to have the opportunity to share this cinematic experience with audiences in Taiwan!”

The screenings will take place exclusively in November at TFAI’s Xinzhuang headquarters, where the first-floor lobby has been transformed into a re-creation of the iconic dinosaur scene in the film, making it the perfect backdrop for photos and social media check-ins. Brimming with imaginative storytelling and fantastical visuals, the program promises to dazzle viewers of all ages and offer animation fans a truly breathtaking experience on the big screen.

Karel Zeman: A Czech Animated Odyssey

Date: November 8-16, 2025

Venue: Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute

Ticket Information: https://tfaitw.pse.is/8ak44j