THE LABYRINTH OF THE WORLD AND THE PARADISE OF THE HEART
TV series (24x5min.) or an animated feature-length film (90 min.) based on the most popular book written by John Amos Comenius 400 years ago.
Satirical baroque allegory of a Pilgrim (feat. Oldřich Kaiser) who sets off on a journey through the city of Labyrinth accompanied by two peculiar guides Searchall and Delusion (feat. Jiří Lábus) 400 year ago. The Pilgrim looks critically at various fields of human activity and profession trying to find his own happiness and a place he can belong to. His disappointments with the world eventually lead him to his own heart – Paradise of the heart, where he personally meets God himself. Thanks to this encounter he finds his inner peace and happiness which enables him to take up his calling in the world. He will become a teacher and conquers death.
Similar to the book model, this film also draws on the strong autobiographical moments of the life of John Amos Comenius who had to reconcile with many obstacles and dramatic life events during his lifetime: the loss of his wife, children, encounter of epidemic plague, destruction of his work and exile from his country. In the midst of all these harsh events Comenius remains to be a man of great faith and resiliance who finds his inner peace and happiness.
The story shows that our world and people haven't changed much over the course of 400 years. Pilgrim's faith in God enables him to overcome many difficult obstacles in life with peace and hope.
John Amos Comenius (1592–1670) undoubtedly belongs to the greatest historical figures of Czech as well as European history. He was literally a Renaissance man – a philosopher, a pedagogue, a reformer, a preacher, a writer and a thinker who lived in exciting baroque times at the dawn of modernity. Thanks to the years spent in exile, he left his deep mark not only in the Czech lands, but also in Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Holland and England. He was ranked 4th in the Czech Television's national survey about the greatest Czech in history. Comenius is still called the teacher of nations. Although he was hit by heavy blows of fate in his life, he managed to maintain a deep faith and hope in the end. A number of his works were of fundamental social and educational importance.
His book The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart has been his most popular bestseller, published in many translations around the world in 123 editions. In 2023 it is exactly 400 years since Comenius wrote this book.
Points of interest:
TV series The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart allows us to to understand the life and minds of people in baroque times while introducing more than 250 characters and 30 different professions, statuses and crafts. Although times may have changed, we get to understand, people are still the same today as they were 400 years ago.
TITLE
The Labyrinth of the World and The Paradise of the Heart
TECHNOLOGY
2D DCP, 2.1./ 5.1
LANGUAGE
Czech, ENGLISH SUBTITLES
DIRECTOR
Adam Parma
GENRE
adventure
STATUS
in distributon
LENGTH
TV series: 24 x 5 min., film: 90 min.
FEATURING
Jiří Lábus, Oldřich Kaiser
TYPE
TV series / feature film
TARGET AUDIENCE
12+
PRODUCTION
FILM21 s.r.o. a České studny z.s.
YEAR
2022
Czech wells ngo is engaged in searching national identity through a return to the values of the Czech Reformation and its important personalities. It publishes books, organizes cultural events, anniversary celebrations, educational programs for schools, etc. In recent years, the association has participated in the project John Hus Tracks (2015), Centennial Roots (2018) and TV series The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart (2020–2022).
FILM21 s.r.o. is an independent production company and animation studio, which focuses on original film and television work. The studio created a live action and animated web series Smokeman (2021),animated series Paper Town (2021) ,24-episode animated TV series (2020) and animated feature film Labyrinth of the World and Paradise of the Heart (2022). The studio further created animated sequences into the feature film Jackpot (Three Tigers, 2022). Thanks to participation in the ANOMALIA professional workshops and the support of the Cinematography Fund, FILM21 continues to develop animated feature film BONBONLAND and original feature film Witlandia.