POLISH FILMS AT THE 59TH KRAKOW FILM FESTIVAL
An integral part of the KrakowFilm Festival are the screenings of the most important Polish documentaryfilms, short feature films and animations. Polish productions can be found in all three competition sections, as well as almost all non-competitive sectionsof the festival. The program also includes celebratory special events thatshowcase classic Polish documentaries.
Polish films in the international competitions
59. Krakow Film Festival will be opened on 26h Maywith a screening of “The Wind. A Documentary Thriller” directed by Michał Bielawski. The documentaryshowcasing the destructive force of the halny wind and the way it disrupts thelives of local inhabitants is one of the two Polish films, that will compete inthe international full length documentary competition. The second one is “Of Animals and Men” directed by Łukasz Czajka, a dramatic story, filled withfascinating archive materials, of a married couple the Żabinscy, who gaveshelter to almost 300 refugees from the ghetto during the occupation until thebreak of the Warsaw Uprising.
Polish productions will also be showcased in the international short film competition.Short documentaries, feature films and animations will compete for the awards ofthe Golden and Silver Dragon. The documentary “The Tough” by MarcinPolar will take viewers inside the recently discovered cave in the Tatras,allowing them to explore it with their own eyes, while the film“Connected” by Aleksandra Maciejczyk will allow us to empathize withthe situation of Krzysztof, who must watch the world through his wife’s eyes.Among the feature films in the international competition we can watch HelenaOborska’s “Bitten”, a mysterious story with the phenomenal MaryKomasa in the leading role and “It’s Good Like That” directed byMarcin Sauter – a contemplative journey of Nikodem, played by Adam Woronowicz,traveling through Spitsbergen tundra.
The Polish animations will be represented this year by “Portrait of Suzanne” byIzabela Plucińska – a grotesque story of a man whose foot turns into Suzanne’sformer lover, made in the plasticine animation technique for which the artistis most recognized for, “Vitae Azilia” by Joanna Wapniewska, a film fullof emotions and passions about a lost, but still vital relationship between twopeople and “ACID RAIN”, an animated record of the journey of Youngand Skinny to the ever more weird regions of the city and consciousness.
Polish competition of the 59th Krakow FilmFestival
– This willbe a young artists’ competition. In their documentaries they once again directthe lens on to their close ones, although it also happens that they reach tothe history of our country, to tell a story with their camera that is dramatic,individual, but important for us all. Even in miniatures, they search forinspiration in the lives of their grandparents. And as always, the animation triesto look at our world from a distance, from the perspective of the universe – theDirector of the Festival Krzysztof Gierat comments on the selection.
Documentariesin the Polish competition are both very intimate pictures of the family, as in “And We’ll Be Happy Again” by Krzysztof Wołżański or “The Last Voyage” by Stanisław Cousse, and portraits of unusual characters: Helena ,who has been working for 30 years in the center for lepers in “No direction home” by Paweł Wysoczański or artist Andrzej Strumiłło in thedocumentary “Summa” by Andrej Kuciła. The competition also includes filmsusing unusual archives and animations, such as Piotr Jaworski’s “The Antarctic Syndrome” about Dr. Terelak’s experiment, exploring the limitsof the human psyche under Antarctic isolation. As usual, there will be filmsabout the search for love (“Love 404” by Agata Baumgart) ordetermination to make your dreams come true (“Strawberry Boys”, directed by Michał Toczek).
– The subject of the family returnsto the Krakow Film Festival. It is here not for the first time, but this year itclearly appears in a quite interesting, perhaps even surprising variant: thestory in which the grandparents of the main characters are entangled in.History turns out to be still alive, it is not a closed chapter, because itsenergy and consequences are passed on to next generations. In this group I wouldpay attention to such titles as “On strike!”, ” Ricochets” or “Never good”– says Dagmara Romanowska, KFF selector.
– Equally often the family isportrayed in the process of trauma or adaptation to the new situation.Sometimes it is a child’s partner that is not accepted by their parents or amove to another city. At other times the topic is loss and the emptiness thatis left behind – the death that destroys everything. At other times it is somesort of an anxiety that cannot be named, yet creeps in and disrupts a seeminglyhappy life. “Roots”, “Camouflage”, “View to thewall”, “Vacancy”, “It’s Good Like That”, “MyHeart” are all productions that put the family at the center of theirinterests – adds Dagmara Romanowska.
– In the Polish competition we will alsosee many animated novelties, freshly completed films that will have theirpremiere screenings in Krakow. A lot of films are great debuts, which is a goodsign of the ever-growing strength and potential of our animation. At the sametime, the incredible variety of competition films will surely satisfy the mostsophisticated appetites of animation lovers – says Robert Sowa, the selector ofthe Krakow Film Festival.
One shouldn’t miss the animations saturated with the atmosphere of anxiety such asGrzegorz Koncewicz’s The Idol, and Mateusz Jarmulski’s The Hunt as well as films commenting on contemporary society like Piotr Milczarek’s “Rain” or”Story” by Jola Bańkowska and the funny, crazy and even surrealstories like “Kaprysia” Betina Bożek or “Metro” by Natalia Krawczuk.
Panorama of the Polish document
– In thePanorama of the Polish document section, we are bragging with what is the bestand the most original in Polish production. It is, next to the competition, themost powerful presentation of our documentary thought, which is admired and even envied at international festival. Itis here, in Krakow that international careers often start – the Director of the Festival, Krzysztof Gierat, encourages.
Thanks to this section, viewers from Krakow will take a journey to Łódź thanks to Ewa Podgórska’s film “Diagnosis”, get to know the story of a neighboringcommunity and a couple of Warsaw tenement owners regained in thereprivatization in “Zlota Street”, a documentary by Tomasz Knittel,and take part in an expedition to K2 thanks “The Last Mountain” byDariusz Załuski.
This year,the panorama of the Polish documentaries also showcases the portraits of cinemamasters like Witold Sobociński and Bogdan Dziworski, stories of people whowitnessed WWII cruelty as children, a story of a seafood farmer in the JapaneseSea and the search for the mysterious Tereska from David Seymour’s photography.
Polish films in non-competitive sections of the festival and special screenings
Polish films can be found in almost every section of this year’s festival. In the “Stories from the world” section, the Polish-Australian production “Polish Missionaries” by Simon Target will be presented. Target travels by kayak to inaccessible corners of Papua New Guinea, where Polishmissionaries and missionaries help the local community build a better future.
In the “Laureates of Festivals” section we can find Paweł Ziemilski’s “In Touch”, awarded at IDFA festival, presenting the village of Stare Juchy, fromwhere most of the residents emigrated to Iceland. The second winner of theAmsterdam festival, which will be shown in Krakow, is a short documentary “I Dance for You” by Katarzyna Lesisz. This section will also featureMałgorzata Bosek-Serafińska’s “Year” animation, awarded at the Etiuda& Anima festival, dedicated to the memory of Marek Serafiński. It’s a diarymade up of paper everyday waste like labels, price tags, tickets, etc. andcigarette packages burned by an addict.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Documentary and Feature Film Studios and Educational Film Studios, special screenings of the Polish documentary classicsby Bogdan Dziworski, Kazimierz Karabasz, Władysław Ślesicki, Jerzy Hoffman, Edward Skórzewski and Krzysztof Kieślowski will take place. The screenings willtake place in an extraordinary setting – the interior of the Barbican, amedieval fortification in the center of Krakow.
During thisedition of the Krakow Film Festival, the 15th anniversary of the death of Maciej Szumowski, a Krakow journalist and filmmaker, the legendary editor-in-chief of “Gazeta Krakowska”, will be celebrated. In the program “Around Szumowski” in addition to films by Maciej Szumowski, theworks of his children – Małgorzata Szumowska and Wojciech Szumowski will alsobe presented.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
International documentary competition
O zwierzętach i ludziach / Of Animals and Men, reż./dir. Łukasz Czajka (PL), 2019, D, 55ʼ
Wiatr.Thriller dokumentalny / The Wind. A Documentary Thriller,reż./dir. Michał Bielawski (PL, SK), 2019, D, 75ʼ
International short film competition
ACID RAIN, reż./dir. Tomek Popakul (PL), 2019, A, 27ʼ
Harda / The Tough, reż./dir. Marcin Polar (PL), 2019, D, 14’
Połączeni / Connected, reż./dir. Aleksandra Maciejczyk (PL), 2018, D, 18ʼ
Portret Suzanne / Portrait of Suzanne, reż./dir. Izabela Plucińska (PL, DE, FR), 2019, A, 15ʼ
Tak jest dobrze / It’s Good Like That, reż./dir. Marcin Sauter (PL), 2019, F, 23ʼ
Ukąszenie / Bitten, reż./dir. Helena Oborska (PL), 2019, F, 24ʼ
Vitae Azilia, reż./dir. Joanna Wapniewska (PL), 2019, A, 7ʼ
POLISH COMPETITION:
Documentary films:
19.91, reż./dir. Emilia Śniegoska (PL), 2019, D, 25ʼ
Cienie imperium / Shadows of the Empire, reż./dir. Karol Starnawski (PL), 2018, D, 76ʼ
Czysta sztuka / Pure Art, reż./dir. Maksim Shved (PL, BY), 2019, D, 52’
Dziś, jutro… wczoraj / Today, Tomorrow… Yesterday, reż./dir. Diana Kadłubowska, Krzysztof Kadłubowski (PL), 2019, D, 52’
Fuck, it’s Biology, reż./dir. Veronica Andersson (PL), 2019, D, 29’, D, 29’
Harda / The Tough, reż./dir. Marcin Polar (PL), 2019, D, 14’
Historia krótkiego trwania, Story of Short Duration / reż./dir. Michał Ciechomski (PL), 2019, D, 14’
I znów będziemy szczęśliwi / And We’ll Be Happy Again, reż./dir. Krzysztof Wołżański (PL), 2019, D, 22’
Jeszcze porozmawiamy / We Will Talk Again, reż./dir. Mateusz Buława (PL), 2019, D, 21’
Listy do Artura / Letters to A., reż./dir. Wiktoria Szymańska (PL, SUI), 2019, D, 56ʼ
Love 404, reż./dir. Agata Baumgart (PL), 2018, D, 17ʼ
Mój kraj taki piękny / My Country So Beautiful, reż./dir. Grzegorz Paprzycki (PL), 2019, D, 29ʼ
No Direction Home, reż./dir. Paweł Wysoczański (PL), 2019, D, 79ʼ
Oko boga / Eye of God, reż./dir. Igor Kawecki (PL), 2019, D, 17ʼ
Ostatni rejs / The Last Voyage, reż./dir. Stanisław Cuske (PL), 2019, D, 19ʼ
O zwierzętach i ludziach / Of Animals and Men, reż./dir. Łukasz Czajka (PL), 2019, D, 55ʼ
Połączeni / Connected, reż./dir. Aleksandra Maciejczyk (PL), 2018, D, 18ʼ
Strawberry Boys, reż./dir. Michał Toczek (PL), 2018, D, 20ʼ
Summa, reż./dir. Andrej Kuciła (PL), 2018, D, 50ʼ
Syndrom zimowników / The Antarctic Syndrome, reż./dir. Piotr Jaworski (PL), 2019, D, 73ʼ
Wiatr. Thriller dokumentalny / The Wind. A Documentary Thriller, reż./dir. Michał Bielawski (PL, SK), 2019, D, 75ʼ
Animated films:
ACID RAIN, reż./dir. Tomek Popakul (PL), 2019, A, 27ʼ
Cyborgia / Cyborgy, reż./dir. Adam Żądło (PL), 2018, A, 8’
Deszcz / Rain, reż./dir. Piotr Milczarek (PL), 2018, A, 5ʼ
Duszyczka / The Little Soul, reż./dir. Barbara Rupik (PL), 2019, A, 9’
Idol, reż./dir. Grzegorz Koncewicz, Marek Serafiński (PL), 2018, A, 13’
Kaprysia / Tha Land of Whim, reż./dir. Betina Bożek (PL), 2019, A, 8ʼ
Łowy / The Hunt, reż./dir. Mateusz Jarmulski (PL), 2018, A, 9ʼ
Metro, reż./dir. Natalia Krawczuk (PL), 2019, A, 11ʼ
Portret Suzanne / Portrait of Suzanne, reż./dir. Izabela Plucińska (PL, DE, FR), 2019, A, 15ʼ
Re-Cycle, reż./dir. Mateusz Lenart (PL), 2019, A, 6ʼ
Red Light Train, reż./dir. Alicja Kot (PL), 2019, A, 10ʼ
Story, reż./dir. Jola Bańkowska (PL), 2019, A, 5ʼ
Vitae Azilia, reż./dir. Joanna Wapniewska (PL), 2019, A, 7ʼ
Short feature films:
Czarny charakter / Roots, reż./dir. Kuba Gryżewski (PL), 2019, F, 14’
Kamuflaż / Camouflage, reż./dir. Aleksandra Świerk (PL), 2018, F, 19ʼ
Moje serce / My Heart, reż./dir. Damian Kocur (PL), 2019, F, 30ʼ
Na strajk! / On Straik!, reż./dir. Stanisław Horodecki (PL), 2019, F, 26ʼ
Nie zmieniaj tematu / Don’t Change the Topic, reż./dir. Hubert Patynowski (PL), 2019, F, 30ʼ
Nigdy dobrze / Never Good, reż./dir. Paweł Powolny (PL), 2019, F, 17ʼ
Okno z widokiem na ścianę / View to the Wall, reż./dir. Kobas Laksa (PL), 2019, F, 29ʼ
Przejście graniczne / Border Crossing, reż./dir. Agnieszka Chmura (PL), 2019, F, 15ʼ
Pustostan / Vacancy, reż./dir. Agata Trzebuchowska (PL), 2019, F, 29ʼ
Rykoszety / Ricochets, reż./dir. Jakub Radej (PL), 2019, F, 30ʼ
Tak jest dobrze / It’s Good Like That, reż./dir. Marcin Sauter (PL), 2019, F, 23ʼ
Ukąszenie / Bitten, reż./dir. Helena Oborska (PL), 2019, F, 24ʼ
POLISH DOCUMENTARY PANORAMA:
Diagnosis, reż./dir. Ewa Podgórska (PL), 2018, D, 78ʼ
Dziwor / Weirdy, reż./dir. Paweł Dyllus (PL), 2019, D, 29ʼ
Fateicz i morze / Fatei and the Sea, reż./dir. Alina Rudnitskaya i Siergiej Vinokurov (RUS, PL, FIN), 2019, D, 76ʼ
Niepamiętnik / I remember, reż./dir. Kamila Józefowicz (PL), 2019, D, 69ʼ
Ostatnia Góra / The Last Mountain, reż./dir. Dariusz Załuski (PL), 2018, D, 83ʼ
Ostatni Swing / The Last Swing, reż./dir. Tomasz Garncarek (PL), 2019, D, 67ʼ
Szukając Tereski / Searching for Tereska, reż./dir. Kama Veymont (PL), 2019, D, 65ʼ
Złota / Zlota Street, reż./dir. Tomasz Knittel(PL), 2019, D, 84ʼ