PLAYTOPIA

A playful exploration of power, money, hierarchy, and inequality through the eyes of children from all walks of life. Playtopia combines the real and the imagined in a documentary film with whimsical and magical elements.

Playtopia 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?

IN PRODUCTION

CZ/RO

Script, director: Bára Jíchová Tyson
Script advisor: David Barker
Producer: Alice Tabery, Kristina Husová
Coproducer: Bára Tyson Jichová (Incomplete Pictures), Radu Stancu and Cristina Hanes (deFilm), Christian Popp (TAG Film)

Supported by: MEDIA – Creative Europe, Czech Film Fund, CNC, Avanpost
Participated at: ExOriente training program 2022/2023, DOK Co-Pro Market 2022, East Doc Forum 2023, Producers On The Move 2023, IDFAcademy 2023

The development of PLAYTOPIA was supported by the European Union’s National Recovery Plan program.

Thanks to the support of this program, the director, producer, dramaturgist, and art director were able to successfully finalise the new treatment, develop dramaturgical notes, and create accompanying visuals.