When iconic Czech filmmaker and animator Jan Svankmajer launched a crowdfunding campaign for his latest effort, Insects (Hmyz), it was with the news that this would be the final film of Svankmajer's illustrious career. And if that ultimately proves to be true then he is going out in true Svankmajer form, blending styles and techniques including quite a lot of experimental animation to create something utterly unique and very, very weird.
A local pub in a small town. It’s Monday and the bar is closed, chairs are turned up on the tables. The pub is empty except for six amateur actors sitting in a corner. They've met to rehearse “The Insect Play” by the Čapek Brothers. On a raised platform across the room we see a stage, set for Act II of the play. As the rehearsal progresses, the characters of the play are born and die with no regard to time. The actors slowly become one with them and some of them experience frightening transformations...
The play within a film structure here give Svankmajer ample room to indulge his more theatrical tendencies and the results are pretty remarkable as demonstrated by the freshly released trailer. Take a look below!