News
Three Polish productions with awards at the IN THE PALACE festival
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „Ondine” by Tomasz Śliwiński, „The Dress” by Tadeusz Łysiak and „May the World Not Carry You” by Rozalia Ogonowska won awards in three competition sections of IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival in Bulgaria.
Organized since 2003 in Bulgaria, IN THE PALACE is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in Europe, dedicated to short films, new media and digital art. The event qualifies for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards as well as the Student Film Academy Awards.
22.03.2021
Five Czech Lions for the „Charlatan”
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, „Charlatan” has been chosen by the jury of the Czech Film and Television Academy as the Best Feature Film of 2020. Its director, Agnieszka Holland also won the Czech Lion award for Best Director and Ivan Trojan who was named Best Actor.
„Charlatan” received Czech Lion also for the best cinematography and sound. Film was nominated in 15 categories: actor roles, screenplay, editing, stage design, costume design, makeup and music composed by Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz. Film by Agnieszka Holland is a Czech candidate for the Oscar and one of the 15 films on the shortlist in the International Feature Film category.
19.03.2021
„Quo vadis, Aida?” with two nominations for the BAFTA Awards
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute co-production of nine countries, including Poland „Quo vadis, Aida?” by Jasmila Žbanić is nominated for the awards of the British Film and Television Academy – BAFTA in two categories: film not in the English language and director. The awards are scheduled for April 11.
„Quo vadis, Aida?” is a drama directed by Jasmila Žbanić, which tells the story of the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. Apart from Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Turkey participated in the production of the image. The Polish producer is Ewa Puszczyńska (Extreme Emotions), and the author of the music is Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz.
17.03.2021
Oscar nominations for „Quo vadis, Aida?” and Dariusz Wolski
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „Quo vadis, Aida?” by Jasmila Žbanić is nominated for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards in the International Feature Film category. Its Polish producer is Ewa Puszczyńska (Extreme Emotions). Among nominated for the best cinematography is also Dariusz Wolski for the film „News of the World”. The 93nd Academy Awards ceremony, will be on April 26, 2021.
„Quo vadis, Aida?” – a co-production of nine countries, including Poland – is the candidate of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The drama, directed by Jasmila Žbanić, tells the story of the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. Apart from Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Turkey participated in the production of the image. Małgorzata Karpiuk was responsible for the costumes, Jarosław Kamiński for the editing and the author of the music is Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz.
16.03.2021
„Quo vadis, Aida?” on the shortlist for the BAFTA Awards
Co-production of nine countries, including Poland, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute – „Quo vadis, Aida?” by Jasmila Žbanić is on the shortlist of candidates for the awards of the British Film and Television Academy – BAFTA in two categories: film not in the English language and director. The nominations will be announced on March 3, and the awards are scheduled for April 11.
„Quo vadis, Aida?” is a drama directed by Jasmila Žbanić, which tells the story of the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. Apart from Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Turkey participated in the production of the image. The Polish producer is Ewa Puszczyńska (Extreme Emotions), and the author of the music is Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz.
22.02.2021
Polish films awarded at the festival in Trieste
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „Sweat” by Magnus von Horn received Cineuropa Award at the 32 nd Trieste Film Festival. The best in shorts was„Beyond is the day” directed by Damian Kocur.
The winner of Silver Lions at the last Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, took also part in the festivals in Göteborg (the Church of Sweden’s Angelos Award for Magnus von Horn) and Rotterdam. In 2020, „Sweat” won the main award in the International Feature Film Competition (Gold Hugo) at the 56th Chicago International Film Festival, appears in the official selection of the 73rd Cannes festival and received a special TIFF Industry Selects label in Toronto. Film by Magnus von Horna, instead of Silver Lions, received also five individual prizes at the 45th Polish Film Festival, which were awarded for directing (Magnus von Horn), cinematography (Michał Dymek), editing (Agnieszka Glińska), main female role (Magdalena Koleśnik) and supporting female role (Aleksandra Konieczna).
16.02.2021
„Beyond is the day” awarded at the festival in Clermont-Ferrand
Short film „Beyond is the day” directed by Damian Kocur was awarded with the Best European Film Award at the 43rd Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France. It places the title on the list of films eligible for the nomination for the European Film Award for Best Short Film.
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is the biggest festival for shorts all over the world. „Beyond is the day” was the only Polish title that was selected out of 7000 movies to start in the International Competition. Jury consisting of Bertrand Faivre, Bérangère Mc Neese, Pascale Faure, Anthony Nti and Hefang Wei praised the humanistic and universal tone of the film.
16.02.2021
„Charlatan” and „Quo vadis, Aida?” will compete for Oscar nominations
„Charlatan” by Agnieszka Holland and „Quo vadis, Aida?” by Jasmila Žbanić, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, are on the shortlist of candidates for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. „Kill it and leave this town” by Mariusz Wilczyński has the chance to be nominated in the Best Animated Feature Film category, in which the shortlist is not announced. Oscars nominations will be announced on March 15.
„Charlatan” is a Czech-Polish-Irish-Slovak co-production that represents the Czech Republic in the Oscar race. It is a drama based on facts about the famous Czech healer – Jan Mikolášek. He was a self-taught medical practitioner who, thanks to his horticultural profession, got to know the world of plants and their healing properties. He was famous all over the Czech Republic for his skills, and among his patients were the president of pre-war Czechoslovakia Tomas Masaryk, as well as the communist prime minister and president of the country, Antonín Zápotocký, after whose death the authorities decided to throw the healer into prison.
16.02.2021
Ewa Puszczyńska and Radosław Śmigulski on the Variety 500 list
Film producer Ewa Puszczyńska and Director of the Polish Film Institute Radosław Śmigulski were included in the prestigious list of the most influential people in the media industry, published for the fourth time by the American magazine Variety. Most of the world’s leaders in this industry come from the USA, Great Britain, China, France and Italy.
All the distinguished people from the media industry can be seen here: https://variety.com/variety-500/
18.01.2021
Polish productions in Contenders International
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, the films „Never Gonna Snow Again” by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert and „Kill It and Leave This Town” by Mariusz Wilczyński took part in Contenders International along with 20 other films from different countries. The event was organized by Deadline.
Contenders is one of the most important and prestigious events that kicks off the awards season in the United States and is an important part of any Oscar campaign. Contenders International, which is held for the first time, was a presentation of selected foreign titles that are competing for the American Academy Awards.
13.01.2021
Panel with filmmakers of „Never Gonna Snow Again”
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „Never Gonna Snow Again” was presented during Deadline Virtual Screening Series. After that there was a discussion with filmmakers: Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert. Their movie is Poland’s entry for this year’s Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category.
Filmmaking duo Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert revealed in conversation with Tom Grater that the main character (in that role – Alec Utgoff) of „Never Gonna Snow Again” was inspired by a masseur friend of theirs. They decided to use this personality in the story of their film. Szumowska and Englert’s background growing up in Poland under Soviet rule, and also in relatively close proximity to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, also influenced the project.
08.01.2021
Polish Film Festival in Australia online
More than 30 films in 10 days – that is a programme of the Polish Film Festival-Summer 2021. For the first time it will be available online for free for the audience throughout Australia at polishfilmfestival.com.au. Festival takes place between 22 and 31 January 2021.
According to organisers opinion, the programme is a unique selection of Polish films from the past decade, which will undoubtedly arouse interest of a diverse group of viewers. It offers movies like „The Legions” (dir. Dariusz Gajewski), „Black Mercedes” (dir. Janusz Majewski), „The Messenger” (dir. Władysław Pasikowski) or „The Servants of War” (dir. Mariusz Gawryś). Many of these films were nominated for international awards.
08.01.2021
„25 years of innocence” awarded in Genoa and Tallinn
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „25 years of innocence” received two awards at the Festival Nuovo Cinema Europain Genoa.Its director Jan Holoubek got also a First Feature Competition Special Jury Prize at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn.
Jan Holoubek’s film has already received two awards at the 45. Polish Film Festival, for directing debut and the main male role (Piotr Trojan). During the 39th Koszalin Festival of Young Film Debuts and Film „25 years of innocence” was awarded for the best director (Jan Holoubek), the best actor (Piotr Trojan), the best screenplay (Andrzej Gołda), the best cinematography (Bartłomiej Kaczmarek) and the Audience Award. Then it won the Director’s Debuts Competition and got a Special Mention in the Polish Films Competition during teh EnergaCAMERIMAGE.
04.01.2021
„Kill It and Leave This Town” won the Polish Film Festival
For the first time in the history of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, the award for the best film – Golden Lions received a full-length animation directed by Mariusz Wilczyński – „Kill It and Leave This Town”. Silver Lions were awarded to the film „Sweat” by Magnus von Horn. Festival, which organiser is Polish Film Institute, was held online.
The winners of the Golden and Silver Lions, as well as individual prizes in the Main Competition were awarded by the Jury composed of: Lech Majewski (chairman of the jury), Grażyna Błęcka-Kolska, Marcin Lenarczyk, Ryszard Lenczewski, Dorota Masłowska, Jan P. Matuszyński, Cezary Pazura and Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska. The Grand Prize „Golden Lions” for the best film „Kill it and leave this town” went to director Mariusz Wilczyński and producers: Ewa Puszczyńska and Agnieszka Ścibior.The „Silver Lions” award for the film „Sweat” went to director Magnus von Horn and producer Mariusz Włodarski. The „Golden Claw” award in the „Visions Apart” category for the film „Magnesium” went to director Maciej Bochniak and producers: Leszek Bodzak and Aneta Hickinbotham.
04.01.2021
„Prime Time” at the Sundance Film Festival
Jakub Piątek’s debut – „Prime Time” starring Bartosz Bielenia and Magdalena Popławska, is to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Production – co-financed by the Polish Film Institute – will compete against nine feature films in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.
Founded by Robert Redford more than forty years ago, the festival that celebrates independent cinema has turned into one of the most important film events worldwide. This is the place where Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Darren Aronofsky and Jim Jarmusch started their careers, and the films such as „Reservoir Dogs”, „Little Miss Sunshine” and „Whiplash” attracted attention of a wider audience. It was at this festival that Agnieszka Smoczyńska received the Special Jury Award for „The Lure” four years ago, and in 2019, Krystyna Janda was awarded for her role in „Dolce fina giornata” directed by Jacek Borcuch. Next edition will be between January, 28th till February, 3rd 2021. Films will be shown on online platform and on special screenings in partnership with independent cinema communities across the U.S. and beyond to safely host in-person events.
30.12.2020
Agnieszka Holland elected new EFA president
Polish director Agnieszka Holland has been elected new president of the European Film Academy. She is the first woman in the history of this international organization with over 3.8 thousand members. Holland will replace the German director Wim Wenders who has held this position since 1996.
Agnieszka Holland was elected in a vote in which all EFA members could participate. Previously, she had already held an important position at the Academy – between 2014-2019 she was the chairman of its management board. – The time is challenging and to save the creative power of independent cinema and the involvement of our audience, we need to use all our experience and imagination. I believe there is an important role for EFA here and I am happy to be part of it – said Agnieszka Holland after the announcement of the voting results.
21.12.2020
„Charlatan” by Agnieszka Holland is a Czech candidate for the Oscar
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, Agnieszka Holland’s „Charlatan” was announced a Czech candidate for the Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category. It will compete for the nomination, among others with the films „Never Gonna Snow Again” (Poland), „Aida” (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and „Oblivion” (Greece).
„Charlatan” is a Czech-Polish-Irish co-production whose world premiere took place at this year’s Berlinale. In turn, the picture „Never Gonna Snow Again” is the Polish candidate for an Oscar, and „Aida” is a co-production of eight countries: Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Norway, the Polish producer of which is Ewa Puszczyńska. The film „Oblivion” by Christos Nikou is a Greek-Polish co-production, shot by Bartosz Świniarski.
10.11.2020
„Kill it and leave this town” awarded in Vienna
The animated feature film „Kill it and leave this town” by Mariusz Wilczyński won the Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI at 58th Viennale. This picture, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, opened the 20th International Film Festival New Horizons in Wroclaw, is in selection of Main Competition at the 45th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia and will compete for a nomination for the American Academy Awards in the Best Animated Feature category.
The film’s world premiere took place at the Encounters competition at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. The film received a jury award in the main competition of the 44th Annecy International Animated Film Festival and the main prize at the 44th International Animation Festival in Ottawa (OIAF). It also won the 11th Festival Cine Al Este de Lima in Peru.
10.11.2020
„Sweat” won the Chicago International Film Festival
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „Sweat” won the main award in the International Feature Film Competition (Gold Hugo) at the 56th Chicago International Film Festival. The picture directed by Magnus von Horn also received Silver Hugo for the Best Art Direction (for Jagna Dobesz). The Best Screenplay Award went to Polish-Greek coproduction „Apples” directed by Christos Nikou. The picture by Katarzyna Warzecha „We Have One Heart” won the Documentary Short Film Competition.
„Sweat” appears in the official selection of the 73rd Cannes festival and received a special TIFF Industry Selects label in Toronto. Film, written and directed by Magnus von Horn, has opened 20th International Film Festival New Horizons in Wroclaw and goes to the Main Competition of the 45th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia.
10.11.2020
„Wall of shadows” won the Bergen Film Festival
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute the latest film by Eliza Kubarska and Monika Braid – „Wall of shadows” awarded for the best documentary at the International Film Festival in Bergen. It had its world premiere at the Hot Docs festival in Toronto, but it was screened for the first time in Poland during the 17th edition of the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival.
It is a universal story about a clash of two cultures. The action takes place at the foot of the Himalayas, reaching almost 8,000 meters Kumbhakarna, also known as Jannu. For Western climbers it is one of the most difficult mountains in the world and a dream place to „conquer”, but for Nepalese Sherpas – one of the last holy mountains. According to local beliefs, its summit is inhabited by gods and people are not allowed to enter their area. However, the illiterate Nada decides to take part in the expedition. For 20 years he has been risking his life as a porter at high altitudes, hanging ropes on eight-thousanders. Now he wants to earn money for school for his youngest son – teenage Dawa – and thus save him from the dangerous work of a Himalayan porter. However, participating in an expedition to the sacred mountain is a taboo break.
10.11.2020
Polish animation awarded in Cannes
Animation co-financed by the Polish Film Institute „My fat arse and I” directed by Yelyzaveta Pysmak won the second prize in the Cannes section – Cinéfondation 2020. Earlier this picture by student from the Film School in Łódź, received the Audience Award at the 36th Warsaw Film Festival.
First prize of the 23rd Cannes Cinéfondation goes to „Catdog” directed by Ashmita Guha Neogi from India and joint third prize go to „Contraindications” directed by Lucia Chicos from Romania and „I want to return return return” directed by Elsa Rosengren from Germany. The winners will receive a €15,000 grant for the First Prize, €11,250 for the Second and €7,500 for the Third. The prizes have been awarded on the stage of the Grand Théâtre Lumière as part of „Cannes 2020 Special” by the members of jury comprised of Damien Bonnard, Rachid Bouchareb, Claire Burger, Charles Gillibert, Dea Kulumbegashvili and Céline Sallette.
30.10.2020