PLAYTOPIA / in development (90min)

directed and co-produced by Bara Jichova Tyson

produced by Alice Tabery, Kristina Skodova / Cinepoint (CZ), Radu Stancu and Cristina Hanes/ deFilm (Romania)

Consulting producers Christian Popp / TAG Film (France) and Danielle Varga / Walking Productions (USA)

Supported by MEDIA – Creative Europe, Czech Film Fund, Czech Ministry of Culture, Audiovisual Producers’ Association, CNC Romania. Participated in Cannes Docs Marché du Film (2024), IDFA Academy (2023), Producers On The Move at Cannes Film Festival (2023), East Doc Forum (2023), Ex Oriente Film Workshop (2022-2023), and DOK Co-Pro Market at DOK Leipzig (2022).

PLAYTOPIA, a feature hybrid documentary film, tells the story of a filmmaker and mother delving into the minds of 8 children from varied backgrounds, seeking to understand their perceptions of our world and its future. Set in a timeless sci-fi workspace, they discover 'The Playtopia Machine', a magical device that unlocks their imaginations. Through this, they construct 'The Good Life' and 'The Bad Life' - contrasting realms reflecting their innate understanding of society’s values. The film combines live collage sequences, children's debates, footage of their real lives, and a suitcase of miniature objects to document their thoughts on power, money, love, and hierarchy. Playtopia questions whether we are preparing our children for a future that aligns with their best interests. Are we engineering our kids to succeed in a world that might ultimately destroy their future?