Let's talk about cancer!
Being a bald kid with cancer is weird. Toby knows this, because every time his friends video chat with him, they look at him like he was a ghost. Today, he has to go to the hospital again. But this time, he needs to stay for a few weeks. In the hospital, he meets kids going through the same treatment as him. Toby does not like how everyone from the outside world looks at his new friends in the hospital, especially the beautiful Ema. So he decides to create and post the ultimate video-diary on the internet to connect the kids in the hospital with the healthy kids outside. The only way to fight this stigma is to talk about it with as many people as possible!
Director’s statement
The matter of cancer is a global issue, which is significant regardless of gender, age, race, or religion. The author of the project, Eliška Podzimková, is a former cancer patient herself. She was diagnosed at sixteen and now, ten years after the treatment she is still actively taking part in projects related to the topic.
The aim of the Baldies project is to bust the myths about cancer and present a positive point of view and attitude, which is important for treatment. At the beginning of the treatment process, the whole family with the child find themselves in a completely different situation. “I remember the moment when my psychologist drew everything on a piece of paper and explained what was going on inside my body. It was important for me to understand at least a little bit about what was happening and why, for instance, why my hair falling is out and why can I not go out,” recalls the author of the project, Eliška Podzimková.
Director
Eliska Podzimkova
Eliška Podzimková is a Czech animator, illustrator, photographer and an artist, now living in Prague. In 2014, she graduated from the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček in Písek. She received recognition in the USA, partially thanks to her instagram profile @AnimateNY (now @eliskap). She fulfilled her dream to live and create in her favourite city – New York. Instagram quite literally changed her life and brought cooperation, of which the small town girl hand’t even dreamed. She has worked on Jamie Oliver chef show’s opening credits, the front page of the New York Metro magazine, illustrated photos for the American Vogue and various articles in worldwide media. She is now back in the Czech Republic working on interesting projects with various Czech artists. Currently, she is preparing an animated web series Baldies for child cancer patients because, being a former cancer patient herself, she knows how important an optimistic approach to treatment is and this animated series could help. Her newest project is a Little Prince edition, which Eliška illustrated and photographed in Iceland, and a related interactive exhibition, which will be touring the Czech Republic in 2020.
produkce@cofilm.cz
Producer
Jiri Sadek
Jiri Sadek graduated from the High School of Applied Arts in Prague, Film and Theatre set design. After that, he studied at the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondricek, where he became a bachelor in Directing. Jiri debuted with his horror feature The Noonday Witch (co-produced by HBO). He produced and directed the full-length documentary Following about YouTube phenomenon, widely released in cinemas. Jiri also works for HBO, Walt Disney, Pixar and Netflix as dubbing director.
Filmography:
- The Noonday Witch
- Following
produkce@cofilm.cz
Country of production
Czech Republic
Target audience
8-10, oncology patients
Animation technique
Hybrid (live-action + 2D)
Production company
COFILMCo-production company
Bejuba!
Estimated budget
EUR 740,000
Funding secured
EUR 40,000 / Czech Republic
Looking for
Financing
