Jan Balej is a Czech animation artist, film director and art designer. Balej graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in 1992.
Jan Balej's animated film One Night in One City (2007) from the Czech Republic. Very little dialogue throughout, but instead a rich world of sounds and music which more than match the detailed animation and curious vignettes that create the film.
The sequel to the successful film Fimfárum by Jan Werich. Four brand new stories “for clever children and clever adults” from the popular book written by Jan Werich. Břetislav Pojar introduces the story of little Tom Thumb full of twists and adventure. Aurel Klimt brings to life three brothers, The Hunchbacks of Damascus, re-creating the atmosphere of the Middle East and variety of the oriental storytelling. Vlasta Pospíšilová’s Three Sisters and One Ring shows a rural Decameron-like manual on how to enchant one’s loved ones with a mere ring and Jan Balej lets his characters Marek and Kouba re-live an ancient fairy-tale about greed, devils and natural phenomena in his The Sea, Uncle, Why is it Salty?
Deep underneath the sea surface, accompanied by a fish orchestra, the voice of the ocean is telling a story of Little -- the Sea King's daughter. They left the plundered waters of their home to live among humans. They now lead a strenuous life in a somber fish shop in the heart of the harbor district where one day, Little comes to meet a handsome, confident and somewhat fresh young man -- H.H. From this moment on, the life of Little is to take a sea change.