3rd Polish Film Festival in Moscow

The opening gala of the 3rd “Wisła” Polish Film Festival in Russia was held at Moscow’s Khudozhestvenny cinema and attended by many official guests. The Russian side was represented by: Mikhail Shvydkoi, advisor to the President of Russia for foreign cultural co-operation; Alexander Golutva, deputy minister of culture; Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko, deputy minister of foreign affairs; Sergei Anatolyevich Zernov, director of the Cinema Department at the Russian Ministry of Culture; Andrey Evgenievich Porvatov, advisor of the Cultural Department of the City of Moscow; Anna Pendrakovskaya, general director of Moscow Kino; and Lidia Sergeyevna Bragina, head of Festfilm Studio. Poland was represented by Jerzy Bahr, Polish Ambassador to Russia; Dariusz Górczyński, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Piotr Skulski, head of EAR and organizer of the festival.

The “Wisła” Polish Film Festival is dedicated to the memory of Andrzej Kremer, deputy minister of foreign affairs, who was among the victims of the tragic plane crash in Smolensk on April 10.

The festival’s opening film 33 sceny z życia (33 Scenes from Life) by Małgorzata Szumowska was very well received by the audience.

The second day of the festival will bring a screening of Mniejsze zło (The Lesser of Two Evils) by Janusz Morgenstern. Other upcoming events include screenings in the “Poland – Russia. A New Look” series, and several recent Polish features, including Dom zły (Dark House) by Wojciech Smarzowski, Wszystko co kocham (All That I Love) by Jacek Borcuch, and U Pana Boga za miedzą (God’s Little Village) by Jacek Bromski. There will also be the first in a series of panel discussions entitled “Debate – Polish People’s Republic and Soviet Union from the Polish and Russian perspective 20 years later: Dom zły (Dark House) by Wojciech Smarzowski vs. Gruz 200 (Cargo 200) by Aleksey Balabanov”. Panel speakers include: Wojciech Smarzowski, director of Dark House; actor Marian Dziędziel; Piotr Chuchro of the Museum of Polish History; film critic Tadeusz Sobolewski; and Victor Matizen, head of the Russian Chamber of Film Critics.

Further details about the festival available at www.festiwalwisla.pl (Polish and Russian only).

Translated by Karolina Kołtun