33rd Polish Film Festival Gdynia - a boom in Polish cinematography

Last year over 8 million viewers saw Polish films; in the first six months of this year viewership topped 5 million.

There is a chance the number of films produced this year will be a record. A total of 33 titles were entered in this year’s main competition at the Festival in Gdynia, including Tulpan, Beladonna, and Spring 1941 (Wiosna 1941), and more than 20 films are at the post-production stage.

Over 10 medium-length films were accomplished and co-financed within the framework of the programme of the Polish Film Institute (PISF).

The growing number of films is increasing attendance in cinemas. Last year Polish films were seen by over 8 million viewers in cinemas.

The 33rd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia promises to be exceptionally interesting. Out of the initial selection of 33 titles, 16 candidates qualified for the main competition. All but one of them received funds from PISF which totalled PLN 22 million, and six of the films were debuts. Some of the films have already received high marks from viewers and critics.

Films that will take part in the competition: 0-1-0 by Piotr Łazarkiewicz; 33 Scenes from Life (33 Sceny z życia) by Małgorzata Szumowska, awarded with Golden Leopard in Locarno; The Offsiders (Boisko bezdomnych) by Kasia Adamik; Four Nights with Anna (Cztery noce z Anną) by Jerzy Skolimowski who has come back as a director after 17 years; Drowsiness (Senność) by 2004 Golden Lions recipient Magdalena Piekorz; and the latest film by Krzysztof Zanussi, A Warm Heart (Serce na dłoni).

Cinema hits will also fight for Golden Lions: Ranczo Wilkowyje by Wojciech Adamczyk and Lejdis by Tomasz Konecki, as well as other films that were received warmly at Era New Horizons International Film Festival: The Karamazov Brothers (Karmazovi) by Petr Zelenka, debut Infallible System (Niezawodny system) by Izabela Szylko, Droga do Raju by Gerwazy Reguła, Drzazgi by Maciej Pieprzyca, Before Twilight (Jeszcze nie wieczór) a debut by Jacek Bławut, Mr. Kuka’s Advice (Lekcje Pana Kuki) by Dariusz Gajewski, Little Moscow (Mała Moskwa) by Waldemar Krzystek, and Scratch (Rysa) by Michał Rosa.

Films will be analysed by a jury chaired by Robert Gliński and composed of novelist Janusz Anderman, producer Rudolf Bierman, artist photographer Ryszard Horowitz, director and cinematographer Sławomir Idziak, composer Edward Pałłasz, editor Ewa Różewicz, actress Dorota Segda, and cinematographer Jerzy Zieliński.

At this year’s displays of Polish Cinema Panorama, eight films will be shown, among them The Old Man and the Dog (Stary człowiek i pies) by Witold Leszczyński.

Petr Zelenka recently announced that Poland is becoming a paradise for filmmakers. In fact, 23 films were produced this year; they are in post-production stage and thus could not be submitted for competition in Gdynia.

Among them are: General Nil by Ryszard Bugajski, Popieluszko. Freedom is Within Us (Popiełuszko. Wolność jest w nas) by Rafał Wieczyński, Mniejsze zło by Janusz Morgenstern, Within the Whirlwind (Wichry Kołymy) by Marleen Gorris, Snow White and Russian Red (Wojna polsko-ruska) by Xawery Żuławski, Afonia i pszczoły by Jan Jakub Kolski, and How Much Does the Trojan Horse Weigh? (Ile waży koń trojański?) by Juliusz Machulski.

Translated by Monika Miziniak | Edited by Patricia Koza