50th Krakow Film Festival. Polish films awarded!

On the 6th June the oldest film feast in Poland- 50th Krakow Film Festival - came to an end. During the jubilee gala lots of young polish filmmakers received the awards, among them: Karolina Bielawska, Julia Ruszkiewicz, Bartek Kulas and Igor Chojna. For the first time in many years the highest distincion in the international competition – The Golden Dragon – went to the polish film „Out of reach” directed by Jakub Stożek.

Within this year’s jubilee edition of Krakow Film Festival the films were selected and awarded in three main competitions: documentary competition, international short film competition and national competition.

The jury of national competition chaired by Maciej Drygas decided to award Karolina Bielawska and Julia Ruszkiewicz with the Golden Hobby-horse. Their film - „Warsaw available” – shows the story of three girls brought up in the countryside who have now moved to the capital city in search of a job, wider possibilities and better life. The Silver Hobby-horses went to Igor Chojna for documentary „A Screening at the Tatry Cinema”, Bartek Kulas for an animation „Millhaven” and Kuba Czekaj for a fiction short film „Don’t be afraid of the dark room”. The jury appreciated the artistic value of two films – „Esterhazy” directed by Izabela Plucińska and „Out of reach” by Jakub Stożek – both of which gained honourable mentions.

The jury of international short film competition chaired by Krzysztof Zanussi awarded Jakub Stożek’s film „Out of reach” – which tells the story of two teenage, self-reliant sisters that are trying to make any contact with the mother they hardly knew.

As it comes for the documentary competition the special mention went to Grzegorz Zariczny for his amusing „Dog hill”. The audience – that has been voting during all festival days - decided to award Marcin Koszałka and his „Declaration of immortality”- a poignant story about inability of accepting effluxion of time and a strong craving of immortality. Not only People’s Choice award went to Marcin Koszałka, as his films had been appreciated also by the Student Jury that honoured „Let’s run away from Her” in the documentary competition and „Declaration of immortality”in the national competition.

Furthermore a few of beyond the statutory awards were handed, among them The President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers Award that went to Marcin Koszałka for his „Declaration of immortality”, The President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers Award for the Best Film Editing for Wojciech Jagiełło for his contribution to „Getting on” and The Maciej Szumowski Award founded by Kino Polska for the sensitivity and understanding towards social matters that went to Grzegorz Zariczny and his „Dog hill”. Special mention and The Bronisław Chromy Sculpture for the best short and documentary films producer went to Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing.

Detailed information can be found at the festival’s webpage.