Polish Films Awarded at IDFA 2016

Polish films co-financed by the Polish Film Institute Kiedy ten wiatr ustanie (When Will This Wind Stop) by Aniela Gabryel and Więzi (Close Ties) by Zofia Kowalewska received awards at International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA).

Kiedy ten wiatr ustanie (When Will This Wind Stop) with the ARRI IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary

Kiedy ten wiatr ustanie (When Will This Wind Stop). press materials

Kiedy ten wiatr ustanie (When Will This Wind Stop) by Aniela Gabryel received the ARRI IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary at IDFA 2016. The film was produced by Studio Filmowe Everest and co-produced by Belsat. The script of the film was created during the education project Young People About Themselves realized by Doc’n’World Foundation with the support of Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

The film tells four personal stories of one Crimean Tatar family. Their story concentrates, as in a lens, all the extensive experience of people living under occupation. The difficulties, which affected this family, are experienced by the larger community and evolve extreme emotions. The main motive of the film is not the regime and the occupation itself, but its consequences, how it affects the lives of ordinary people who simply want to live, to love and to have a family.

Więzi (Close Ties) with the IDFA Special Jury Award for Student Documentary

Więzi (Close Ties). Photo by Studio Munka/SFP

Więzi (Close Ties) produced by the Polish Filmmakers Association’s Munk Studio received the IDFA Special Jury Award for Student Documentary. 

Więzi (Close Ties) marks Zofia Kowalewska’s debut. She began working on the film when she was in her last year of high school. It is the story of Barbara and Zdzisław, a couple who has been married for 45 years. Eight years ago, Zdzisław left Barbara and moved in with his mistress. But he decided to come back to his wife, and Barbara took him in. But returning to their shared life proves to be a difficult task. Zdzisław suggests organising an anniversary celebration.

Zofia Kowalewska’s Więzi (Close Ties) is the only Polish short documentary to be shortlisted for this year’s Academy Awards. The film is eligible to be one of five short docs to receive a nomination in the Best Documentary Short Subject category.

Both films were co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. 

Full list of IDFA 2016 winners is available at: www.idfa.nl/industry/press/23-november-2.aspx

24.11.2016