A new animated version of the classic Czech fairy tale The Proud Princess (Pyšná princezna), one of the most beloved staples of the Christmas season, is now playing in Czech cinemas. The original 1952 version is considered the most-seen film of all time in Czech cinemas, selling over 8.2 million tickets since its release more than 70 years ago, according to the Czech Union of Film Distributors.
Adapted from Božena Němcová’s tale Pride Punished (Potrestaná pýcha), the story follows King Miroslav, who falls for the proud Princess Krasomila after seeing her portrait. The new version is co-directed by Radek Beran and David Lisý, and pays homage to the original with modern storytelling and 3D animation.
2024’s The Proud Princess brings the story to life with vibrant visuals inspired by Czech landscapes and introduces fresh characters, including Bijou, a friendly dog, and a mischievous weasel named Sly. According to the directors, the film aims to honor the beloved original while adding layers for a contemporary audience.
“It’s a new retelling of a live-action film over sixty years old, brought to life with animated characters using the latest technology,” co-director Beran states through a press release.
“Combining a story we all know from childhood and that forms part of our memories with modern animation was a big challenge. At the same time, we were delighted to incorporate some iconic moments from the original film, like the log ride, the fencing dance in the rafters, the singing cobbler on the kingdom’s border, or the ‘my advisors have found…’ scene.”
Homages to the original The Proud Princess include the movie’s score, composed by Ondřej Brzobohatý and Ondřej Brousek. It features the song Bloom, Little Bud (Rozvíjej se poupátko), the classic melody by Dalibor C. Vačkář. “Its melody brings goosebumps and perfectly complements the film’s tone,” Brzobohatý notes.
Animating Proud Princess was an extensive project involving 45 animators and 101 artists. The film’s production took over five years, with fifteen months spent on animation alone. Designers meticulously crafted each scene to capture Czech landscapes and heritage, adding intricate detail to both natural settings and the story’s fantasy elements.
Prominent Czech actors voice the main characters, with Anna Fialová as Princess Krasomila, Marek Lambora as King Miroslav, and Aleš Procházka as the royal advisor Maxim. For directors Beran and Lisý, one of the biggest creative challenges was adapting Krasomila’s proud yet beautiful personality into animation.
“In some ways, adapting a well-known fairytale is easier because the storyline is already established. There’s a central plot and certain boundaries we follow,” adds Lisý.
“The story revolves around love, pride, and the journey of the prince and princess. But it’s also challenging to bring a unique vision to it and avoid making it just a remake. As an animated film, it requires a different approach than live-action, with more action, environments, and humor to appeal to children, while still offering something for adults.”
The Proud Princess is now screening in its original Czech version in Prague cinemas, but an English-subtitled version can be seen at Edison Filmhub on Saturday, Nov. 9 at noon. Keep an eye out for future English-friendly screenings in Prague.
