Στα 1930, ένα ορφανό αγόρι ζει κρυμμένο μέσα στις στοές ενός σιδηροδρομικού σταθμού στο Παρίσι. Όταν ο Ουγκό συναντά μια χαλασμένη μηχανή, ένα εκκεντρικό κορίτσι κι έναν ψυχρό γέρο ιδιοκτήτη καταστήματος παιχνιδιών μπλέκεται σε μια μαγική, μυστηριώδη περιπέτεια που θα μπορούσε να θέσει σε κίνδυνο όλα του τα μυστικά.

Documentary presented by Professor Simon Schaffer which charts the amazing and untold story of automata - extraordinary clockwork machines designed hundreds of years ago to mimic and recreate life. The film brings the past to life in vivid detail as we see how and why these masterpieces were built. Travelling around Europe, Simon uncovers the history of these machines and shows us some of the most spectacular examples, from an entire working automaton city to a small boy who can be programmed to write and even a device that can play chess. All the machines Simon visits show a level of technical sophistication and ambition that still amazes today.

Who invented time, who invented the clock? Why 1 hour, why 60 minutes, why 60 seconds? Since prehistoric times, man has sought to measure time, to organize social and religious life, to plan food supply... Today we can surf the Internet, geolocate, pay by credit card… All our daily lives depend on time and the synchronization of clocks. The history of the invention of time and of the ways and instruments to measure it is a long story…

A documentary about Prague's Old Town Astronomical Clock. In addition to the technical and artistic description, it also focuses on its history and legendary origin.