The fantastical world of E.T.A. Hoffmann is the inspiration for ZACHES, loosely based on his 1819 tale, Little Zaches, Called Cinnobar. A contemporary bookstore, a kind of clandestine clubhouse for a clutch of the author’s most zealous fans, is the jumping-off point for a film fantasy in which a well-intentioned fairy intervenes in the life of a ragged dwarf to the detriment of the futures and fortunes of everyone who crosses his path. Director Koulev, an animator and painter, conjures up a sumptuous adult fairytale filled with special effects, eye-popping sets, and more than a touch of the supernatural.