A thrilling story of a mute girl trapped inside a castle with eternal corridors, and her only way out is by facing her deepest fears.
That Castle, a story based on a Slovak national folktale, is a story about the fear, anxiety and guilt that we all carry within us and with which we sometimes fight all our lives. It is a story about overcoming invincible obstacles that we build ourselves. It is a story about the inner strength of the individual and overcoming oneself. And, last but not least, it is a story about the power of humanity, faith and goodness, which is hidden in every spirit, no matter what is seen at the first glance.
Director’s statement
I encountered this beautiful folktale during my residency time in Slovakia, and I was stunned. Since then, I have been continuously examining and discussing all the factors and messages that are hidden in this story, making it so special and touching, with the local artists, writers and musicians. There is a depth to the story that most folktales fail to reach; emotionally painting life as a woman. As a female director, I want to express this feeling in the animation and spread part of this beautiful tale to the world through audiovisual interpretation.
Director
Kaoru Furuko
Kaoru Furuko is a director, animator and video artist. She is passionate about visualizing stories and music into moving images, and giving life to objects to let them speak. She obtained her master’s degree in storytelling from the Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm, Sweden. She devoted some time to pursuing the possibilities of stop-motion techniques by making experimental animated footages in a project course at The Royal Academy of Arts, Stockholm, Sweden. In 2019, she was selected among “Japanese Motion Graphic Creators 100”.
contact@kaorufuruko.com
Producer
Zuzana Jankovicova
Zuzana Jankovicova is a young producer mainly focusing on feature films with the background of young dynamic production company Super film, s.r.o. working in short and mid-length animation, TV series and films, based in Bratislava, Slovakia.
zuzana@superfilm.me
Country of production
Slovakia
Target audience
Teenagers, young adults
Animation technique
2D (vector based), stop-motion, combination of several techniques
Production company
Super filmEstimated budget
EUR 120,000
Funding secured
Audiovisual Fund, Slovakia EUR 13,000
Looking for
Co-producer