… and the Luther Animation team that includes professionals from Pannónia Film Studio, Kecskemétfim, and the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary is preparing for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation with an animation series portraying the life of Martin Luther and the era of the Reformation. The original idea comes from animation director Zsolt Richly whose works (among others The Rabbit with Checkered Ears) have been very popular among several generations in Hungary. The idea of a Luther animation film was followed by thorough research and collection of data at the key locations in the life and work of the reformer. Production of the ten-episode series begun under the direction of Zsolt Richly.
The series was primarily designed for the age 12 plus but the complexity and varied possibilities of its interpretation also provide adults with valuable information and a lasting experience. The visual style combines woodcut and cartoon in order to bring the Medieval era closer to our modern world. Similarly, the preparation for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, though focusing on events and traditions of the past, follows with interest the effects they have on the present and future of the Church.
The Luther animation series displays the life of the former monk, later theologian and reformer Martin Luther whose work and theology established the basis for the renewal of the Church. Lutheran churches following his thoughts and principles exist today all over the world. The ten-episode series presents his childhood, the early years in the monastery and the years of conflict with the Pope and the Catholic Church, up until the birth of Reformation. The episodes not only feature the life of the reformer, they also display the most important historical events and the characteristics of the German Church and society in the 16th century.
Zsolt Richly was born in 1941 in Sopron, Western Hungary. In 1959, he graduated from the Berzsenyi Dániel High School and started his studies at the University of Applied Arts in Budapest where he earned his master’s degree as an animation designer and director in 1966. He worked for Pannónia Film Studio for 34 years making animation films, TV series and also a feature-length animation. In addition, he painted backgrounds for the cartoons of the famous animation directors Gyula Macskássy and Marcell Jankovics. From 1988 on Richly taughtm animation classes at his old university (renamed Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design) and since 2008 has been an honorary member of the university. Richly has illustrated several books and staged numerous exhibitions of his works. His wife is a teacher; they have two sons and four grandchildren.
János Lackfi, born in 1971 in Budapest, is a writer, poet, translator and editor. He studied Hungarian and French literature at the Eötvös Loránd University and started a PhD programme in the history of modern Hungarian literature. He has published many volumes of poems, novels, literary translations and popular books for children. He taught at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University between 1996 and 2013. In 1999 he became the editor of the world literature journal Nagyvilág and between 2000 and 2005 he edited Dokk, an online literary website. In 2012 he published a satirical volume of essays on the identity of Hungarians (Milyenek a magyarok? – What are Hungarians like?), which became a great success, followed by a second and a third part. Currently living in Zsámbék, Hungary, Lackfi is the father of six children and has three grandchildren.
… and the Luther Animation team that includes professionals from Pannónia Film Studio, Kecskemétfim, and the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest.
The animation series, featuring the life and work of the German reformer Martin Luther, consists of ten episodes, 13 minutes each. The full series was released during the Reformation remembrance year 2017. Although there is a dramatic storyline throughout the episodes, it is suitable for educational use as well. The animation series can be used for religious studies and history lessons, confirmation classes and for any adolescent and adult audience within and beyond the church.
Along with the Hungarian version, international versions have been produced in English, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Finnish and Lithunian, further language versions are currently under production. It became clear during the screening of the pilot-film that subtitles cannot ensure simultaneous comprehension of the dialogue and the visual world. Although subtitles are popular in many countries, we decided to have the animation dubbed for the reasons mentioned above. The international versions are produced in cooperation with our church and media partners worldwide.