AGNIESZKA SMOCZYŃSKA AND "I, OLGA HEPNAROVA" AWARDED IN VILNIUS

April 14 marked the closing of the 21st ‘Kino Pavasaris’ International Film Festival in Vilnius. The festival’s New Europe New Names section brought the Best Director award for Agnieszka Smoczyńska and the Best Film award for Ja, Olga Hepnarova (I, Olga Hepnarova).

Agnieszka Smoczyńska Voted Best Director in New Europe New Names Section

Córki Dancingu (The Lure); press materials

At the Kino Pavasaris IFF, Agnieszka Smoczyńska received the award for Best Director in the New Europe — New Names section for her work on Córki Dancingu (The Lure), a film co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

This marks the latest addition to the film’s list of international accolades. Córki Dancingu (The Lure) previously received the Special Jury Prize in the World Dramatic Cinema Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and went on to receive three awards at the 36th Fantasporto International Film Festival (Best Film, Best Director, Best Special Effects). Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s feature debut also received the Youth Jury Award at the Sofia IFF.

Ja, Olga Hepnarova (I, Olga Hepnarova) Wins Best Film

Michalina Olszańska in Ja, Olga Hepnarova (I, Olga Hepnarova); press materials

Ja, Olga Hepnarova (I, Olga Hepnarova), a Czech-Polish-Slovak co-production directed by first-time directors Tomáš Weinreb and Petr Kazda and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, received the New Europe — New Names section’s award for Best Film, ex aequo with Bulgarian production Thirst, directed by Svetla Tsotsorkova. Ja, Olga Hepnarova (I, Olga Hepnarova) had its world premiere in the Panorama section of the 66th Berlin International Film Festival and later received the award for Best Director at the Sofia IFF. The film stars Polish actress Michalina Olszańska.

Polish Films at the 21st Edition of Kino Pavasaris

This year’s festival audience had an opportunity to see a number of Polish films and co-productions, including Moje córki krowy (These Daughters of Mine) by Kinga Dębska, Demon by Marcin Wrona, 11 minut (11 Minutes) by Jerzy Skolimowski, Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love) by Tomasz Wasilewski, Noc Walpurgi by Marcin Bortkiewicz, as well as Świt (Ausma), a co-production between Latvia, Estonia and Poland directed by Laila Pakalnina and lensed by Wojciech Staroń, Maquinaria Panamericana (Panamerican Machinery) directed by Joaquín del Paso, Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain) by Anca Damian, short films Dokument by Marcin Podolec, Budzik by Piotr Małecki and Sex dla opornych by Izabela Plucińska, as well as documentaries Piano by Vita Drygas and Zud by Marta Minorowicz. Audiences also could enjoy Don Juan, the latest film by director Jerzy Śladkowski.

Further details about the awards and this year’s edition of Kino Pavasaris are available on the festival’s official website: kinopavasaris.lt/en.

Paulina Bez

Translated by Karolina Kołtun