When a frustrated worker in an underground civilization dreams of life on the untouched surface, he embarks on a quest that blurs the lines between reality and illusion.
Our protagonist is a disillusioned worker in an artificial plant factory in an underground civilisation, yearning for life on the surface. Summoning the courage to leave, he propels himself through the ceiling to the wilderness above. Initially captivated by his surroundings, he soon gets bored and requests a cigarette from a plant he sees (in his world, plants produce cigarettes), but the plant instructs him to embark on a quest to seek the ingredients bestowed upon him by anthropomorphic natural entities in exchange for assistance. Eventually he completes the quest and lights the cigarette, only to find it disappointing. The plant reveals that she and the forest creatures he encountered are figments of his imagination as she dies in his hands. He returns home as he witnesses harm he’s done to those he believed he was helping. Commiting suicide in the hole he entered through, he is saved and returned to the factory by one of the artificial plants as he comes in terms with his life.
Country of production
Czech Republic
Target audience
Young adults, adults, 16-30
Animation technique
2D (vector based), drawing
Production company
Academy of Arts, Architecture & Design in PragueEstimated budget
30 294 EUR
Funding secured
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Stage of the project
script development (existing treatment)
Looking for
Co-producer, distributor, animator(s)
