12th Kinoteka Polish Film Festival
The twelfth edition of the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival runs from April 24 through May 30 in London. The festival is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
New Polish Cinema
The festival lineup features Polish documentaries Abu Haraz by Maciej Drygas and Ojciec i syn w podróży (Father and Son on a Journey) by Marcel Łoziński. Audiences will also have an opportunity to see a number of feature films, including AmbaSSada (The EmbaSSy) by Juliusz Machulski, Nieulotne (Lasting) by Jacek Borcuch, Miłość (Loving) by Sławomir Fabicki, Dziewczyna z szafy (The Girl from the Wardrobe) by Bodo Kox, Chce się żyć (Life Feels Good) by Maciej Pieprzyca, Facet (nie)potrzebny od zaraz by Weronika Migoń, Bilet na Księżyc (One Way Ticket to the Moon) by Jacek Bromski, Drogówka (The Traffic Department) by Wojciech Smarzowski, Aleksander by Anka and Wilhelm Sasnal, and Psie Pole (Field of Dogs) by Lech Majewski.
Screenings of Films by Andrzej Wajda
The festival team has also organized a special screening of Andrzej Wajda’s Wałęsa. Człowiek z nadziei (Wałęsa. Man of Hope), followed by a discussion on Poland’s transformation and its impact on the film industry. The section on classics of Polish cinema classics will include Człowiek z marmuru (Man of Marble).
Cinema of Desire: a Retrospective of Films by Walerian Borowczyk
This year’s Kinoteka audiences will also have an opportunity to see the reconstructed films of Polish painter, sculptor and film director Walerian Borowczyk. This will mark the first major retrospective of films by Borowczyk to ever screen in the United Kingdom. The retrospective will run from May 1 through May 27 and include a two-day run of Borowczyk’s short films. The first day will feature screening of films the director hand-picked himself for his 1965 exhibition at Le Ranelagh in Paris; these films include Renaissance (1963), Był raz Sobie… (Once Upon a Time; 1957), Encyclopedie de Grand-Maman (1962), Dom (House; 1958), Szkoła (School; 1958), Le concert (The Concert; 1962), Sztandar młodych (Banner of Youth; 1957), Strip-Tease (1957), Les Astronautes (The Astronauts; 1959), Nagrodzone uczucie (Unrequited Feelings; 1957), and Les Jeux Anges (The Game of Angels; 1964).
Master Class with Tomasz Opasiński
The Walerian Borowczyk retrospective will be accompanied by a number of side events. One of these will be a master class with graphic artist and illustrator Tomasz Opasiński. The master class will be divided into two sessions, during which participants will focus on the development of the visual design of Walerian Borowczyk’s films, learn how to succeed as a poster designer, and explore the contribution a designer can make to the audience’s understanding and perception of cinema.
Gala Screenings
The Kinoteka festival will also feature special gala screenings of two of last year’s most acclaimed Polish films: Ida by Paweł Pawlikowski and Papusza by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze. Both films will be accompanied by Q&A sessions.
Allan Starski BAFTA Masterclass
Academy Award winning production designer Allan Starski, who has collaborated with Roman Polański, Andrzej Wajda and Steven Spielberg among many others, will discuss his work on Polish and international film productions.
Producers’ Workshop
During a three-day workshop, ten selected producers will also have an opportunity to work on their skills in pitching, marketing, distribution and film financing. The workshop will feature lectures, case studies and master classes with acclaimed film professionals, including Gavin Humphries and Olivier Kaemfer.
Support from the Polish Film Institute
The 12th Kinoteka Polish Film Festival is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
The complete festival lineup is available at: kinoteka.org.uk.
Magdalena Wylężałek
Translated by Karolina Kołtun