Budulínek is a classic Czech fairytale about a little boy and a wicked fox. It is an incredibly popular story for children in the Czech Republic and in other Eastern European and Slavic countries. In this post, we will be featuring an English translation of this beloved classic fairytale, so you too can enjoy it....
Jojo Rabbit is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi, based on Christine Leunens’s 2008 book Caging Skies. Jojo Rabbit was filmed in various locations around the Czech Republic. To be more specific, Barrandov Studio, Chcebuz, Dolní Berkovice, Kytín, Petschek Palace (Petschkův palác), Prague, Úštěk, and Žatec. Roman Griffin Davis portrays the...
During the First Republic, when shopping at the grocery store, children would receive a short fairy-tale pamphlet as part of selecting specific merchandise. These were usually printed on double-sheets with color illustrations. Usually the first page contained a picture with the name of the fairy tale, the inner part then had the text and an...
A wonderful new book was brought to my attention and I believe it’s perfect for those who want to teach kids Czech. Not only is the story fun and the illustrations adorable, but there is an awesome science behind it that you”ll be happy to learn about today. This book a part of a groundbreaking...
Today we are time traveling to Texas to meet Joseph Kaspar, the Texas accordionist of Czech descent. In this interview which took place on August 9, 1987, Al Lowman sat down with Joseph Kaspar at the Folk Like Festival in Texas. Here is what we can learn from this unique and very special Czech musician....
Despite her tragically brief life, Vítězslava Kaprálová, who died at the age of twenty-five, is now considered the most important female Czech woman composer of the 20th century. Her prolific output, abundant with fresh and bold ideas, passion, tenderness and youthful energy are once again coming to light. Muse (and mistress) of Bohuslav Martinů and...
The Bambini di Praga, also known as the Children’s Choir was founded in 1973 in Prague, (then known as) Czechoslovakia. The Bambini di Praga choir (BDP) was one of the top ensembles in Czech choral art. This select group of young singers, predominantly girls aged 12 to 20, was capable of meeting all artistic challenges...
Also known as The Sorrows of Lenka, The Proud Stallion, The Stress of Youth, Suffering, the Czech film Trápení is an engaging drama by director Karel Kachyna about the growing pains of a young teenage girl (Jorga Kotrbova) and the hardships of a noble steed mistreated by a cruel neighboring farmer. She is having a...
As you know, the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution is coming up on November 17th. Just in time, we wanted to introduce the English-speaking community to Central Europe’s versions of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Ray LaMontagne and Elliot Smith through Steel Strings and Iron Curtains. In this extraordinary project, a group of...
The first major manifestations of dissatisfaction began in August of 1988. The demonstrations continued until end of totalitarian regime. In January of 1989, memorial demonstrations were held to commemorate Jan Palach’s self-immolation. Water cannons and special intervention units were sent to the streets. The reaction of the communist regime prompted more people to attend further...
Princezna ze mlejna (English: The Watermill Princess) is a Czech fairytale film which tells the story of a young man named Jindřich, who dreams of finding and freeing an enchanted princess. The movie begins in a sun-drenched village in Southern Bohemia, surrounded by shady woods and silvery ponds. It is in this gentle village where...
Dancers with the precision, athleticism and enthusiasm of Lúčnica, a Czechoslovak folk ballet, do not come along every day. This is an almost continually fascinating group of expertly trained and excellently choreographed dancers presenting a show unlike any other. I learned about them from an old program I received from their tour in 1976. At...
Are you interesting true WWII story about the Czech Resistance and a young woman’s role? If so, you will enjoy … And Give My Love to the Swallows, where you will learn about a woman from the past, one whom few remember and the young generation probably does not know at all. Resistance fighter Marie...
Czech and Slovak cinema is finally beginning to make an appearance on the world stage. Among the most successful Czech films made after the fall of communism are: Kolya, Divided We Fall, Cosy Dens, Loners, I Served the King of England and Walking Too Fast. The first Czech CGI animated movie was The GOAT Store...
