Mateusz Kościukiewicz: Shooting Star at 2014 Berlinale

2014 Shooting Stars, photo by Harald Fuhr

The awards ceremony of the 2014 European Shooting Stars took place on February 10, 2014 at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. One of this year’s ten selected Shooting Stars is Polish actor Mateusz Kościukiewicz.

Mateusz Kościukiewicz Selected as European Shooting Star

The 2014 European Shooting Stars awards ceremony was held at the 64th Berlin IFF. On February 10 at the Berlinale Palast, at an event attended by the festival team, including director Dieter Kosslick and representatives of the film industry from around the world, European Film Promotion presented its awards to ten young European acting talents. This year, Mateusz Kościukiewicz’s fellow Shooting Stars include Danica Curcic (Denmark), Maria Dragus (Germany), Miriam Karlkvist (Italy), Marwan Kenzari (Netherlands), Jakob Oftebro (Norway), Cosmina Stratan (Romania), Nikola Rakocevic (Serbia), Edda Magnason (Sweden), and George MacKay (United Kingdom).

Awards Gala

This year’s European Shooting Stars were introduced by Stellan Skarsgård and Bruno Ganz, who starred in Kraftidioten (In Order of Disappearance), a Norwegian film directed by Hans Petter Moland screening in competition at this year’s Berlinale, along with Jakob Oftebo (2014 Shooting Star from Norway) and Anders Baasmo Christiansen, member of the 2014 Shooting Stars jury.

Jury Statement

The Shooting Stars jury recognized Mateusz Kościukiewicz for his performance in W imię… (In the Name Of…), a film directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. As the jury’s comment reads: “Mateusz has an intense screen presence. In contemporary Polish drama In the Name Of…, he ingeniously conveys a character that journeys from enigmatic misfit to wildly unpredictable ticking bomb, enlivening his performance with a goofy energy and finally a beguiling tenderness. At all times, we were carried along with conviction.”

24 Candidates

Shooting Stars is a programme created by European Film Promotion (EFP) and aimed at promoting young European acting talents. This year’s ten Shooting Stars were selected among 24 candidates nominated by members of European Film Promotion (EFP). Mateusz Kościukiewicz was nominated by the Polish Film Institute. The selection of European acting talent based on their prior acting experience was made by international jury members: Norwegian actor and past Shooting Stars participant Anders Baasmo Christiansen, UK-based film critic Charles Gant, German film director Hermine Huntgeburth, casting expert Oriana Kunčić from Croatia, and film producer Jani Thiltges from Luxembourg.

A Chance for an International Career

Mateusz Kościukiewicz is Poland’s fourth actor to be selected as a Shooting Stars. In previous years, Shooting Stars included Agnieszka Grochowska in 2007, Agata Buzek in 2010 and Jakub Gierszał in 2012. Being nominated for a Shooting Star title has paved the way to an international career for many young European actors, including Franka Potente, Rachel Weisz, Daniel Craig, Daniel Bruhl, Carey Mulligan, Albie Rohrwacher, Mélanie Laurent, Moritz Bleibtreu, and Elena Anayi.

The 17th Edition of Shooting Stars

The official Shooting Stars presentation ran from February 8 through February 10 at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. 2014 marked the 17th edition of this event. The Shooting Stars programme is aimed at giving these young actors an opportunity for networking with film professionals from around the world. Throughout the year, the actors selected as European Shooting Stars will visit a number of international film festivals, and participate in workshops and master classes as new ambassadors of European cinema.

Further details about the 2014 Shooting Stars are available at: www.shooting-stars.eu.

Paulina Bez, Marta Sikorska

Translated by Karolina Kołtun