Feature-length animated film The Last Whale Singer has been supported with EUR 400 000 for production. A story of Vincent, the humpback in his teenage years who comes across all sorts of adventures on his long journey across the a fabulously mythological ocean in order to save it from destruction, is directed by Reza Memari and produced by the Czech studio PFX.

Nine promising short films feature among the other projects supported for production – and 3 of them target adult audiences. Dagon by Prokop Wilhelm (produced by Analog Vision which was granted EUR 180 000) is a mystery thriller project, I Have a Cow (supported with EUR 28 000) and Humanity (granted the amount of EUR 16 000) are comedy stories providing moral lessons. While I Have a Cow directed by Filip Diviak (Sounds Between the Crowns) and produced by Bára Příkaská of Bionaut, tells a story of a man who takes home a calf after a tourist trip to a slaughterhouse, Humanity by Tereza Kovandová is a provocative message about the ills of social coexistence laced with black humour, produced by Kristina Škodová of Cinepoint.

The theme of two other projects supported in this call is a holiday trip – although each of the two films tells the story of completely different characters. Directors Kateřina Karhánková (Hungry Bear Tales) and Marek Náprstek and once again Bára Příkaská of Bionaut have been granted the amount of EUR 208 000 for the production of Animalies – a trip of handicapped animals to a camp in the wilderness. On the other hand, Martin Smatana (The Kite) and Veronika Zacharová (The House) focus on their childhood and convey the memories of holidays by the sea in Hello Summer, which is produced by the director Smatana himself and Czech company MAUR film.

Projects Dinofables (supported with EUR 190 400) and About a Bark Beetle (O lýkožroutovi) are aimed primarily at children's audiences. A joint project of scriptwriter Pavel Gotthard, director Klára Jůzová and producer Martin Jůza (Krutart), medium-length Dinofables, conveys the evolution of life on earth in a fun and educational way. Student film About a Bark Beetle (O lýkožroutovi), directed by Eva Matějovičová and produced by COFILM, is a story about little insects who learn to write, and was supported with EUR 18 000.

The upcoming short film Hun Tun (supported with EUR 62 000) by director Magdalena Hejzlarová and producer Karolina Davidová of 13ka combines animation and documentary filmmaking by exploring the complex problems of sleep disorders, which the director suffered from for several years. Another anidoc, supported in this call, is Hidden to Your Eyes by Maria Procházková. The popular science film, produced by Hausboot which was granted EUR 52 000, is primarily intended as an educational piece for galleries is developed in cooperation with National Gallery in Prague.

The Council of the Czech Film Fund also supported one project for development in this call. Kateřina Karhánková’s Bears At the Pole is a special Christmas sequel to the successful series Hungry Bear Tales about two bears with a sweet tooth who don’t mind getting into trouble. Bionaut was granted EUR 36 000 for the development of the film.