Surviving Life (Theory and Practice)

This Czech comedy is introduced by the critically acclaimed animation film director himself to explain that the use of a mix of cut out animation from photographs and live-action segments, is because he couldn‘t raise enough money for a 'real' film.

It tells the story of a seemingly happily married man who starts to have very vivid dreams featuring a beautiful woman dressed in red. Instead of trying to get rid of these dreams, he wants to experience more of them, so he enlists the help of a psychoanalyst to try and explain what's happening. Their efforts are successful but he risks becoming addicted to his dreams and the alternate life he lives within them... We get the chance to see both Freud and Jung attend a real psychoanalysis session, where they can observe what became of the science they invented and their reactions to their work being ridiculed.

The film‘s complex narrative and unconventional imagery may not be everyone‘s cup of tea but 'Švankmajer is a grand master not just of innovative animation techniques but of life itself....... at the height of his filmmaking powers as director, artistic director and storyteller.' - Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter