Polish cinema in Asia

Several Polish films will be shown this fall at major festivals in Japan, India and South Korea.


Six new Polish films will be screened at the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea, Asia’s largest annual film industry event.

 

The debut film Zero by Paweł Borowski was invited to the “Flash Forward” Main Competition. Five other Polish films will be shown in the World Cinema Section, in which the most interesting premiere productions from around the world are presented. They are: Tatarak (Sweet Rush) by Andrzej Wajda, All That I Love (Wszystko, co kocham) by Jacek Borcuch, I Am Yours (Jestem Twój) by Mariusz Grzegorzek, The Forest (Las) by Piotr Dumała, and Miracle Seller (Handlarz Cudów) by Jarosław Szkoda and Bolesław Pawica.

 

The filmmakers will attend the festival as well. The Polish Film Institute, European Film Promotion, and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Seoul have prepared a promotion plan that will include the services of the Public Relations Agency as well as meetings with the audience.

 

The festival will be held from 8-16 October. Further information may be found at: www.piff.org.

 

In Japan, Wojciech Smarzowski’s second feature film, Dark House (Dom zły), was invited to the main competition at the 22nd Tokyo International Film Festival, considered one of the 12 most important film events in the world in the “A” category. The main award is the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix worth USD 100,000.

 

The renowned Mexican director Alexandro Gonzalez Inarritu will head the jury. Guests at the festival will include director Wojciech Smarzowski and Maciej Dziędziel, who played the lead role in Dark House.

For the first time, the Polish Film Institute will take part in the Tokyo Market and organise the Polish National Cinema Stand to promote Polish cinema.

 

The festival will be held from 17-25 October. Further information may be found at: www.tiff-jp.net.

 

Three Polish films: Scratch (Rysa) by Michał Rosa, Road to Paradise (Droga do raju) by Gerwazy Reguła, and How to Live? (Jak żyć?) by Szymon Jakubowski – will be shown at the 11th Mumbai International Film Festival in the World Cinema section. The winner of the main award of USD 20,000 in this section is chosen by the audience.

 

Film debuts and the latest Bollywood productions are shown in separate competitions. This year, awards for Lifetime Achievement will be granted to Greek director Theo Angelopoulos and Hindi actor and producer Shashi Kapoor.

 

The festival will be held from 29 October-5 November. Further information may be found at: www.mumbaifilmfest.com.

 

On 10 October, the Polish Film Institute will represent Poland and its film industry at the Mumbai Market to promote the co-production of films in Poland. The Polish Tourist Organisation will also take part in the event.

 

In Chennai, another Indian city, four Polish films will be screened at the 7th Chennai International Film Festival: Operation ‘Danube’ (Operacja ‘Dunaj’) by Jacek Głomb, General Nil (Generał Nil) by Ryszard Bugajski, Road to Paradise (Droga do raju) by Gerwazy Reguła, and A Warm Heart (Serce na dłoni) by Krzysztof Zanussi. The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in New Delhi is supporting the organisation of the festival.

 

The festival will be held from 16-24 December. Further information may be found at: www.chennaifilmfest.org.

In March 2009, 10 of the latest Polish films will be shown in a special presentation called “Focus on Polish Films” at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

 

Translated by Monika Miziniak | Edited by Patricia Koza

 

10.09.2009