"Ida" Wins 38th Gdynia Film Festival!

Winners of the 38th Gdynia Film Festival. Photo by Marcin Kułakowski, Polish Film Institute

The winners of the 38th Gdynia Film Festival have been announced. The top winner of the festival was Ida, a film directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, winning a total of four awards, including the festival’s grand prize: the Golden Lions Award for Best Film. The Silver Lions Award went to two films: W imię… (In the Name Of…) by Małgorzata Szumowska and Chce się żyć (Life Feels Good) by Maciej Pieprzyca. The jury also gave a Special Jury Prize to Miłość (Loving) by Sławomir Fabicki and Bejbi Blues (Baby Blues) by Katarzyna Rosłaniec. The Platinum Lions Award for Lifetime Achievement went to director Jerzy Antczak.

The complete list of winners of the 38th Gdynia Film Festival:

• Grand Prize of the 38th Gdynia Film Festival – ‘Golden Lions’ Award for Best Film: Ida, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, produced by Piotr Dzięcioł and Ewa Puszczyńska;
• Silver Lions Award: W imię… (In the Name Of…), directed by Małgorzata Szumowska, produced by Agnieszka Kurzydło, and Chce się żyć (Life Feels Good), directed by Maciej Pieprzyca, produced by Wiesław Łysakowski;
• Special Jury Prize: Miłość (Loving), directed by Sławomir Fabicki, and Bejbi Blues (Baby Blues), directed by Katarzyna Rosłaniec;
• Platinum Lions Award for Lifetime Achievement: Jerzy Antczak;
• Best Director: Małgorzata Szumowska for W imię… (In the Name Of…);
• Best Screenplay: Jacek Bromski for Bilet na księżyc (Ticket to the Moon);
• Award for Best Actress: Agata Kulesza in Ida, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski;
• Award for Best Actor: Andrzej Chyra in W imię… (In the Name Of…), directed by Małgorzata Szumowska;
• Best Photography: Łukasz Żal and Ryszard Lenczewski for Ida, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski;
• Award for Young Directing Talent: Tomasz Wasilewski for Płynące wieżowce (Floating Skyscrapers);
• Award for Best Professional Acting Debut: Magdalena Berus in Bejbi Blues (Baby Blues) by Katarzyna Rosłaniec;
• Best Make-Up: Anna Nobel-Nobielska, Papusza, directed by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze;
• Best Sound: Jacek Hamela and Guillaume Le Braz, Imagine, directed by Andrzej Jakimowski;
• Best Editing: Paweł Laskowski, Drogówka (The Traffic Department), directed by Wojciech Smarzowski;
• Best Supporting Actor: Zbigniew Waleryś in Papusza, directed by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze;
• Best Supporting Actress: Marta Nieradkiewicz in Płynące wieżowce (Floating Skyscrapers), directed by Tomasz Wasilewski;
• Best Costume Design: Matylda Rosłaniec, Bejbi Blues (Baby Blues), directed by Katarzyna Rosłaniec;
• Best Production Design: Katarzyna Sobańska and Marcel Sławiński, Ida, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski;
• Best Music Score: Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz, Papusza, directed by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze

Success of Polish Cinema

“Let us all feel a part of the success of Polish cinema. This success stems from the fact that Polish cinema today no longer has something for everyone, but rather offers a wide variety for each individual. […]. It’s nice to be proud of your films. And for that – I thank you,” said Michał Chaciński, the festival’s artistic director.

Platinum Lions Award Dedicated to the Audience

“Throughout my whole life, I have tried to enter into dialogue with the spectator. I could never understand the concept of a mass audience. I would imagine the spectator to be someone just like me. I would make films, other artistic projects, and television shows, the way I myself would like to see them. That’s why it is to this single spectator who, like myself, tried to find his or her place in the world, and tried to make the world a better place […], it is to this spectator that I dedicate this award,” said Jerzy Antczak as he received the Platinum Lions Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Spectacular Films

“This past week has been an amazing celebration of Polish cinema. […] I would like to congratulate all the filmmakers – these films are spectacular,” said General Director of the Polish Film Institute Agnieszka Odorowicz as she presented the Silver Lions Award to Małgorzata Szumowska, director of W imię… (In the Name Of…) and Maciej Pieprzyca, director of Chce się żyć (Life Feels Good).

A Simple, Moving, Stirring, and Painful Film

“In all honesty, there was a large number of very good films. […] We ended up selecting a film which we voted practically unanimously. It is a very simple and cold-eyed film, which makes it all the more moving, stirring, and painful,” said Janusz Głowacki, chairman of the Main Competition Jury, as he announced Ida by Paweł Pawlikowski as the winner of this year’s Golden Lions Award.

Words of Thanks from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage

“Allow me to thank all the directors for their skillful way of leading the actors and preparing these grand and incredibly important films. I would like to invite everyone to attend the 39th Gdynia Film Festival next year,” said Bogdan Zdrojewski, Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Paulina Bez

Translated by Karolina Kołtun