Private Project

Year of the Dragon

Year of the Dragon is the first documentary fairy tale in the world. This genre primarily works with archetypal characters that hide within each of us, with princesses, dragons, knights, witches, which we carry inside. It is the concept of oneself in another environment, world, or setup, yet it preserves certain experiences and the essence of our characters. This creates new, current mythologies that are characteristic and useful especially for the younger generation. The documentary fairy tale itself has an experimental character, but it builds upon the pillars of the ancient stories of our ancestors. The Year of the Dragon is a story that carries a simple idea, which is: “He who acts with good intent and is brave, fate will reward him.” It is an allegory for the life of the protagonist Adéla Gajdošová (also born under the sign of the Dragon) – in the film as Lotus – who must summon the courage to step onto her adventurous path, open herself to the world so that it can teach her something. From the frozen world that her courage and light are meant to save, a Messenger sets out after her. Will he find her? Will he deliver her the message and gift? When is she ready for it? The film manifests the uniqueness of each person's fate and the important role that trust in one's own destiny plays in whether we can act. Everyone can be a fairy tale.

  • Šimona Müllerová
    Director
  • Šimona Müllerová
    Writer
  • Annet Furdecká
    Producer
  • Adéla Gajdošová
    Key Cast
    "Lotus"
  • Albert Romanutti
    Key Cast
    "Messanger"
  • David Herzig
    Key Cast
    "The Sage"
  • Jana Pidrmanová
    Key Cast
    "Enchanted Sisters"
  • Pavlína Štorková
    Key Cast
    "Enchanted Sisters"
  • Zuza Müllerová
    Key Cast
    "Cold Lovers"
  • Tom Sean Pšenička
    Key Cast
    "Cold Lovers"
  • Zuzana Stivínová
    Key Cast
    "Eternal Love"
  • Lukáš Čermák
    Key Cast
    "Eternal Love"
  • Kateřina Císařová
    Key Cast
    "Unexpected Friend"
  • Viola Marečková
    Key Cast
    "Mini Princess"
  • Fred
    Key Cast
    "Golden Fish"
  • Eagle Lady Agáta
    Key Cast
    "Dragon"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Rok Draka
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Documentary Fairy Tale
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 6, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    150,000 CZK
  • Country of Origin:
    Czechia
  • Country of Filming:
    Czechia, Hong Kong
  • Language:
    Chinese, Czech, English, Slovak
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm & MiniDv
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU)
Director Biography - Šimona Müllerová

Šimona Müllerová (*1999) is a director, audiovisual artist, and storyteller. She studied photography at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the Department of Documentary Film at FAMU (Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague). Her work balances on the edge of reality, offering pathways out of it through fantastical imagery. Rather than observing the outer world, she explores various visions of inner realities and other intangible spaces. Music plays a central role in her films, and she also delves into the realm of music videos.

Filmography

Creature of the Sun (2023), documentary
(Best Experimental Film – FAMUFEST 2024, Best Original Soundtrack – Albori Soulplace Film Festival, Honorable Mention – Pinocchio International Film Festival.
Screened at: Ji.hlava IDFF 2023 – World Premiere, First Lights, Beijing International Short Film Festival, Peripheries Experimental Film & Video Festival, Proxy Act Festival – Berlin)

Holy Spine (2022), short experimental
(Premiere: Ji.hlava IDFF 2022, Czech Center New York 2022)

Tremendous Force, Glorious (2021), experimental documentary
(Premiere: Ji.hlava IDFF 2021)

Dear Deer (2021), short experimental
(Premiere: Ji.hlava IDFF 2021)

Letuchini (2021), short experimental
(Premiere: Ji.hlava IDFF 2021)

České moře (Bert & Friends) (2024), music video
(Nominated for Anděl Awards 2024)

Bruised Knees (Erika Rein & Isama Zing) (2024), music video

Night Rider (Bert & Friends) (2023), music video
(Nominated for Anděl Awards 2023)

Stripklub (Prezident Lourajder) (2021), music video

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Director Statement

Year of the Dragon captures emotional memory — and like every true fairy tale, it mirrors the desires and subconscious of the people of our time. I believe there is beauty in letting an archetype we carry within come to the surface, to resonate — and that is precisely what unfolds in our story.

Lotus, portrayed by Adéla Gajdošová, journeys through a world of imagination, full of shifting textures and forms. Along the way, she briefly encounters beings who reveal their own essence, their approach to the world, their many faces. Lotus moves gently and openly, and it is precisely this openness that invites others to open up in return — their worlds becoming ever more present and vivid. By the end, she may even transform from a little girl into an empress.

The central — and perhaps most important — message of the film is this: we don’t always know where we’re going, nor whether we’re on the “right” or “wrong” path. But what matters is to carry hope, love, and trust in the world. Often, when we feel lost or uncertain, it helps to remind ourselves that it's okay — that we are not alone. It happens to all of us. And the most beautiful moments are those when we can talk about it together.

We don’t need to always know, or have clarity about what we’re doing or living through. What matters is to keep alive our capacity to dream — and to tell each other stories about the worlds we imagine and how we see them. Everyone should have that possibility. Our film tells just one of those many possible stories.

“He who acts with good intent shall be rewarded by fate.”