Watch Perinbaba

Perinbaba is the latest version of a very old fairy tale. In this telling there is an all-powerful fairy queen who sits above the world and watches over all of mankind. She ensures that the seasons happen in their place and in their time. One day, overwhelmed by all that surrounds her, she adopts a young boy as her assistant. He was part of a travelling circus which was completely wiped out by an avalanche. This young boy owes his life to the fairy queen and quickly becomes invaluable to the fairy queen.

Back on the human plane, there is a young girl by the name of Elizabeth who is being persecuted by her stepmother and two sisters. The young assistant to the fairy queen decides to take it upon himself to help the young girl out of her horrible situation. In order to do this he has to become mortal and return to earth. Once he becomes mortal he is vulnerable to Death. Death has taken on the form of an old hag and is after the young assistant. The assistant is unaware of the fact that Death is stalking him, but the fairy queen is not. The fairy queen sets out to help the young assistant accomplish his goal of freeing the young girl from her wicked stepmother and sisters. She also helps to protect him from the workings of Death as it seeks to claim him. The young boy's apparent fearlessness towards Death, the connection that he has with Elizabeth and the fairy queen's concern for the safety of her assistant make for an entrancing story.

This 1985 film version was shot in Czechoslovakia and West Germany and was directed by Juraj Jakubisko. It is 95 minutes in length and is considered a classic for children and adults. Perinbaba is a fantasy that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family.