Fearless

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1988

Production year

1988

Premiere

1 August 1989

Runtime

80 min

Category

film

Genre

fairytale

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Nebojsa

Czech title

Nebojsa

English title

Fearless

Working title

Nebojácný Ondra / Odvážnému štěstí přeje

Summary

Slovak director Július Matula drew inspiration from Pavol Dobšinský’s stories to create this children’s film, co-produced by Gottwaldov Film Studio (now Zlín) and Koliba Film Studio in Bratislava. Young lumberjack Ondra sets out from his home village on a quest to find fear – something he has never felt in his life. On his many adventures, he is accompanied by a former bandit, talkative and cowardly Ferko (played by Ondřej Vetchý, as one of the many Czech actors in this simple story). Slovak actor Ján Kroner stars as Ondra, while compatriot Zuzana Skopálová plays the princess. Polish actress Katarzyna Figura stars as the Black Lady.

Synopsis

In an abandoned lumberjack's lodge, a grandfather tells some children about a kingdom where roses blossomed until all happiness was taken away by a black carriage. The storytelling is interrupted by lightning which strikes a nearby tree. A stampeding horse is stopped in the backyard by the oldest son Ondra, who everybody calls Fearless for his courage. Advised by the grandfather, he sets off to see the world in order to learn fear. He travels on foot, with only his axe. A carrier gives him a short lift, and when they are attacked by highwaymen, Ondra copes with them and the only one who does not run away is the gabby and lazy Ferko who joins the lumberjack's son. But unlike Ondra who is grateful for every food people give him, Ferko constantly grumbles and runs away from troubling situations. Ondra spends a night in a haunted mill and breaks its spell. Magical cards advise him to always walk with sun behind his back. On the distressful way through snow, forest, morass and desert, a black carriage and an ugly crone, as well as the face of a beautiful girl, appear to him. Ondra must save the languid Ferko from time to time. Then the two find some tight-lipped, awkward dancers in a haunted castle. They are at the destination of their journey. A girl in a mask warns them that they should not turn back, should not be surprised by and should not ask about anything. Ferko, however, cannot resist a chest full of gold and turns into stone after touching it. Ondra persists and overcomes an evil force three times. The gown of the girl from the painting changes colour until white. Ondra refuses a sorcerer's suggestion to give up the princess. He even overcomes his change into stone which breaks the beat of his heart. The dancers come to life and Ferko with them. The princess in the wedding gown falls to Ondra's arms. A white brougham brings dad the lumberjack. Ondra replies to his question that yes, he indeed learned to fear - for his princess.

Note

The film was distributed in both Czech and Slovak language version.

Cast

Ján Kroner

Voice by Zdeněk Podhůrský
dřevorubec Ondra zvaný Nebojsa

Ondřej Vetchý

loupežník Ferko

Václav Knop

čaroděj

Karol Machata

Voice by Karel Urbánek
Ondrův otec

Ján Mildner

Voice by Jiří Holý
dědeček

Ivan Krivosudský

Voice by Josef Velda
krčmář

Štefan Kožka

Voice by Vlastimil Zavřel
náčelník pobudů

Katarzyna Figura

Voice by Sylvia Turbová
Černá paní

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Milan Zavřel

Assistant Director

Roman Lauterkranc

Based on

Pavol Dobšinský (Nebojsa – pohádka)

Director of Photography

Ján Ďuriš

Second Unit Photography

Ján Magdolen

Production Designer

Juraj Červík ml.

Art Director

Juraj Červík

Set Designer

Stanislav Možný

Costume Designer

Miloš Pietor

Make-Up Artist

Jozef Škopek

Sound Designer

Pavol Sásik

Special Effects

Petr Rychetský (pyrotechnik)

Unit Production Manager

Alena Pekařová, Ján Loučičan, Mária Strakáčová, Marcela Švedová

Consultant

Ján Hrabina, Marián Uhrovčík

Cooperation

Vladimír Vavrek (fotograf), Kvetoslava Adámková, Iveta Bucherová, Ladislav Dudáš, Jiří Gajdoš, Ján Galát, Ivona Hlavatá, Ľudovít Horváth, Vincentína Jančulová, Peter Kafka, Pavol Kalina, Lýdia Kašperová, Stanislav Kocián, Emília Kovačičová, Monika Kubíčková, Marián Majzl, Stanislav Martan, Ernest Mucha, Dana Novotná, Zdeněk Novotný (3), Ján Plaček, Vladimír Sekáč, Rafael Skurka, Miroslav Škultéty, Emil Tardík, Michal Vrteľ

Music

Music Composed by

Svatopluk Havelka

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens)

Choreographer

Dagmar Puobišová

Songs

K růžičce kdo s láskou přichází

Song Composer Svatopluk Havelka
Writer of Lyrics Josef Brukner
Singer Irena TroupováOndřej Havelka

Production info

Original Title

Nebojsa

Czech Title

Nebojsa

English Title

Fearless

Working Title

Nebojácný Ondra / Odvážnému štěstí přeje

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

fairytale

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1988

Production Year

1988

Production specifications

start of filming 27 April 1988
end of filming 23 August 1988
projection approval 1 December 1988
the first film copy approved 5 January 1989 (česká verze)

Premiere

premiere 1 August 1989 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

2. tvůrčí skupina, Ivan Húšťava (vedoucí 2. tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

80 min

Original length in metres

2 340 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 40. filmový festival pracujících – léto ´89

1989
58 českých měst / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 29. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1989
Zlín / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Exhibition: 21. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov

1989
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 3. filmový festival mladých Velké Poříčí u Hronova

1989
Velké Poříčí u Hronova / Czechoslovakia