Secret of the Old Attic

This 1984 Czechoslovak-Yugoslavian children’s film tells the story of the holiday-time adventures of two boys, Prague native Pepík and Zagreb native Mira. Visiting the sunny Croatian island of Hvar, Pepík experiences far more than his first encounter with the ocean. It turns out that Mira’s great grandfather was an inventor, and the attic conceals his anti-gravity device. The small town also sees additional shenanigans by way of a crooked gang, which decides it wants to get its hands on the precious invention. The gang kidnaps both boys, as well as Pepík’s sister Božena. But the young heroes manage to overpower the crooks and once again enjoy their summer holidays... Directed by Vladimir Tadej at Film Studio Gottwaldov (today Zlín), Tajemství staré půdy (The Secret of the Old Attic) offers simple entertainment, inspired by the children’s book Nic bez Boženy (Nothing Without Božena) from author Mladen Bjažić. Among its predominantly Yugoslavian cast, we find Czech actor Miloš Kopecký in the role of the gang leader.