Join CSEEES for an especially spooky film screening featuring Little Otik/Otesánek (2000, dir. Jan Švankmajer and Eva Švankmajerová). Light snacks will be provided, and be sure to stay after the screening for a discussion and commentary with Dr. Daniel Collins (Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures).
Looking forward to Wicker in October? Consider Little Otik a delightfully weird warm-up. While both films feature human-made creations that take on a life of their own, Little Otik delivers its story through Czech folklore, surreal humor, and just a touch of nightmare fuel.
This film is being shown in conjunction with SLAVIC 6501.
Summary
When a childless couple discovers a tree stump that resembles an infant, they become convinced it is the child they have always wanted and begin raising it as their own. But their fantasy takes a terrifying turn when the strange creature comes to life with an insatiable appetite. Blending dark humor, horror, and folklore, Little Otik reimagines a Czech fairy tale into a bizarre and unsettling story of obsession, parenthood, and monstrous desire.
Film is in Czech with English subtitles.