Jackpot for Polish productions at IDA

“Pianoforte” by Jakub Piątek nominated in the special selection: Best Music Documentary. “In the rearview” and “Apolonia, Apolonia” with a chance of becoming the Best Feature Documentary. Three films co-financed by Polish Film Institute have been nominated six times for IDA Documentary Awards.

“Pianoforte” by Jakub Piątek, „In the rearview” by Maciek Hamela and “Apolonia, Apolonia” by Lea Glob have been nominated by International Documentary Association (IDA). Three films co-financed by Polish Film Institute have garnered six nominations. Moving “Pianoforte” will compete in the Best Music Documentary, whilst “In the rearview” will compete for the Best Feature Documentary awards. “Apolonia, “Apolonia” was nominated in four categories: Best Director (Lea Glob), Best Editing (Andreas Bøggild Monies, Thor Ochsner), Best Writing (Lea Glob, Andreas Bøggild Monies).

This year IDA Documentary Awards shortlists and nominees were selected by independent committees of 280 documentary makers, curators, critics, and industry experts from 40 countries. The choice was made out of total of 669 submissions in all categories from 48 countries. IDA members can view each of the nominated films and vote for films in the Best Feature Documentary and Best Short Documentary categories from November 21 to December 5, 2023.

The award ceremony will take place on December 12. As we read on Award’s Watchlist website that this year’s ceremony “will go eschew an in-person event and go virtual on documentary.org and on the IDA’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels”.

Six IDA nominations. What the nominated movies are about?

“Pianoforte”, directed by Jakub Piątek

It is a gripping story about the coming-of-age participants of the legendary Chopin Competition. Eighty-seven remarkable musicians advanced to the first stage of the last edition in 2021, and after over a dozen days, only the best twelve were qualified for the finale. The main characters are young people from all over the world. They have one thing in common – since childhood, they have devoted themselves completely to playing the piano.

Their struggles are a real emotional roller coaster. They have to learn to resist the huge pressure connected with competition. For the first time in history, the film crew managed to peek to such an extent behind the scenes of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw to show the atmosphere of the pressure of the competition there. Jakub Piątek also accompanies the characters in their daily lives, presenting the multidimensional picture of talented people with extraordinary personalities.

POLAND, GERMANY 2023

Screenplay and director: Jakub Piątek

Cinematography: Filip Drożdż
Editing: Ula Klimek-Piątek
Producers: Maciej Kubicki (Telemark), co:producers: Artur Szklener, Joanna Chorzępa (Fryderyk Chopin Institute), Anna Spisz (Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission), Mateusz Wajda and Paweł Ziemilski (MX35), alongside: Hanka Kastelicova (HBO ) and BBC Storyville (Lucie Kon).

“In the rearview”, directed by Maciek Hamela

First days of Russian invasion on Ukraine. People are suspended in space and time and have to deal with an extreme task. In the face of the uncertain here and now, they must decide to leave all their valuable belongings and get into a dusty old van with foreign license-plates, without a second thought, to save their lives. The car drives for thousands of kilometers and becomes a refugee for its habitants. It’s simultaneously a waiting room, hospital, shelter and most importantly a place for the group of accidental passengers to share their inner thoughts and confessions.

„In the Rearview” (pol. „Skąd dokąd”) is a group portrait of people with different experiences, who all have the same goal: to find a safe heaven. In the van – their temporary asylum – there are no rules: no gender, age, race, physical fitness, ancestry, political affiliation and religion beliefs. In Ukrainian language „from” (звідки / zvidky) and „to” (куди / kudy), is also a routine question, asked by people who try to cross the numerous control points, that are placed in different parts of Ukraine.

POLAND, FRANCE, UKRAINE 84’

Screenplay, director: Maciek Hamela

Cinematography: Piotr Grawender, Marcin Sierakowski, Wawrzyniec Skoczylas, Yura Dunay

Editing: Piotr Ogiński

Producers: Piotr Grawender, Maciek Hamela, Co-production: Jean-Marie Gigon, Anna Palenchuk

“Apolonia, Apolonia”, directed by Lea Glob

The talented Apolonia Sokol grows up seeking her place in the art world while grappling with the agonies and joys of womanhood and relationships in a world dominated by patriarchy, capitalism, and war.

DENMARK, POLAND, FRANCE, 116’

Director: Lea Glob

Screenplay: Lea Glob, Andreas Bøggild Monies

Cinemaotography: Magdalena Bojdo i Maggie Olkuska

Editing: Andreas Bøggild Monies, Thor Ochsner

Producers: Sidsel Lønvig Siersted, Małgorzata Staroń