The First Gardener

- The search for food and shelter of a lonely girl in a dystopian and broken world quickly turns into a journey of self-discovery and transformation as she notices that she is part of the unwelcoming world she struggles with. -

A lonely girl runs away from her unloving home and begins her search for food and shelter in an unwelcoming and dystopian world. During her search she faces nothing but rejection and indifference from its self-centered inhabitants which live isolated from each other. In her fearful interactions with the world she realizes that she is part of the problem and that in order to connect she has to overcome her own fears. Only this way she will be able to open up her heart and give the world that which she herself seeks.

(This is a student film.)

  • Jan Čapar
    Director
  • Jan Čapar
    Writer
  • Jan Čapar
    Producer
  • Jan Čapar
    Camera
  • Jan Čapar
    Animation
  • Jan Čapar
    Editing
  • Jan Čapar
    Sounddesign
  • Jansen Čapar
    Puppet building
  • Maike Nagel
    Costume design
  • Senta Gehrig
    Concept art
  • Jansen Čapar
    Setdesign
  • Jan Čapar
    Setdesign
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Der erste Gärtner
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 48 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    No Dialogue
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences
Director Biography - Jan Čapar

Born in Germany

High school diploma 2014

Studied at 'Ludwigsburg Educational University' 2016

Studied film at 'Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences' 2017

Debut short film (animation) 'Fox Child' 2021

'Fox Child' was nominated for the 'Hessian Film- and Cinema Prize' 2021

Gradutation film (animation) 'The First Gardener' was chosen by 'HessenFilm' for the special film subsidy of Hessia 2021

Successfully finished the film studies at 'Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences' 2022

'Fox Child' was screend at the 'HessenTalents' at Berlinale 2022

Work as freelance (stop motion animation) filmmaker 2022 & 2023

Lateral entry in the 'animation directing' studies at the 'Animation Institute' of 'Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg' 2023

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The First Gardener is a somber yet luminous story. The First Gardener is a quiet story. A story in which fine details carry important meaning, in which atmosphere speaks to the viewer rather than words. A story that is deliberately simple and yet profound. A story in which fear, separation and old structures hold the protagonists in their grip and have to be dissolved and replaced by new ones. Not through violence, struggle or resistance. But through love. Through hope. And through togetherness. Our togetherness and solidarity, our affection and love for each other and our diversity are our greatest strengths as humanity and it is precisely these aspects of live that I want to pay attention to with this story. It's a story about love amidst layers of fear and about how this love can grow and prevail, like a delicate flower that will eventually break through even the thickest layers of concrete.