Slovak Folktale Animation project (in progress) 

Animated interpretation of a Slovak folk tale, made with the participation of residents of Kosice, Slovakia. Kaoru Furuko locally sources materials such as plants, food, and traditional fabrics, and orchestrates her findings into stop-motion.

Teaser trailer : Dlhý, Široký, a Bystrozraký

About the project

Kaoru Furuko’s work is inspired by the traditional folk tales of the country she resides in at that moment. So far, these countries have been Vietnam, Sweden, India, Lithuania – and now Slovakia. Using locally sourced found and collected materials from the area of her interest, she lets the objects she uses for animation determine the spirit of the film. During the production, she recomposes the materials and observations she has collected to create a new whole. Kaoru feels that she’s both led by and conducting the objects she finds. Her unique approach results in a fresh, playful style of animation without boundaries.

As part of the process of turning the fairy tales into animated films “in situ”, Kaoru often works with local artists and residents. For her Košice film, she has been co-operating with children from local schools and at the city’s children’s and youth library (through drawing workshops, creating props for the film), local writers and artists (on developing the script and storyboard), and with a local musician, who is composing music for the film.

Studio : Súkromná Stredná Umelecká škola Filmová  and Sopa/ Photo : Tomáš Tikoo Bachura and MIriam Ivernoff 

 For more news and updates please check our production blog or instagram (in English and Japanese) 

Workshops and other activities during the residency

Puppet making workshop at local library and school. The childrens creations were used in the teaser trailer.

2016    Origami animation workshop for kids, “World Children Day” held by Embassy of Japan in the Slovak Republic, International House of Art for Children Bibiana (Bratislava, Slovakia)
2015    Pecha Kucha Night Kosice #37 (Košice, Slovakia)  
2015    Animation Workshop for kids, Tabačka Kulturfabrik (Košice, Slovakia)    
2014    Two-day animation puppet making workshop, Kasárne Kulturpark (Košice, Slovakia)
2014    Two-day animation workshop, ZUŠ Kováčska (Košice, Slovakia)

2015    Outdoor screening – Kino Usmev, Kosice, Slovakia, 

2015    “Tryptokos”, Šopa Gallery (Košice, Slovakia)  
2015    “Kaoru Animation”, Bielanoc, Kino Usmev (Košice, Slovakia) 

Multimedia live performance in collaboration with Beata Kolbašovská 
-16, May, 2015 ,  TABAČKE KULTURFABRIK  
-23, May, 2015,  KLUB 

Multimedia live performance in collaboration with Marek Kundlak

2015    FESTIVAL UMENÍ KONFRONTÁCIE, November (Nitra, Slovakia) 
2015    Multimediálny koncertný “Slavapolis” (Bratislava, Slovakia

The team

Producer 
– Lukáš Berberich (Cinefil) 
– Zuzana Kotiková (K.A.I.R)

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Director – Kaoru Furuko

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Animation 
– Kaoru Furuko 
– Šimon Mészáros

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Music – Igor Kupec

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Sound designer – Christian Wellbo

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Art – Kaoru, Šimon and Igor

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Animal puppet makers 
– Students from Základná škola Gemerská, Košice
– Students from ZUŠ Kováčska 43, Košice

Dramaturgy – Juliana Sokolová

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Lighting 
– Robo Farkaš 
– Šimon Mészáros

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Screening organizer 
– Alexandra Mireková
– Robo Farkaš

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Special thanks for participating in our project and warm support: 
– City of Košice
–Súkromná Stredná Umelecká škola Filmová
– SPOTS
– Železiar 
– ÚĽUV
– HUMNO Private Etnographic Museum 
– LitPark – Knižnica pre mládež mesta Košice, Kasárne Kulturpark 
– pani Viera Krišicová 
– Mgr. Andrea Marinová 
– Danka Bodnárová 
– pani Natália Malíková 
– Jana Belišová 
– Základná škola Gemerská, Košice
– ZUŠ Kováčska 43, Košice
– Góvinda Košice
– Marek Kundlak
– Barbora Spišáková 
– Martina Dudríková
– Fredrik Ashton

This project is funded by
-Cinefil
-K.A.I.R
-City of Kosice
-The Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic
-EU Japan Fest

 For more news and updates please check our production blog or instagram (in English and Japanese) 

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