Polish Films Awarded in Locarno

15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) by Zuzanna Solakiewicz, and Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth) by Piotr Złotorowicz, both co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, received awards at the 67th Locarno International Film Festival.

Best Film of the Critics’ Week Section

The documentary 15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) received the top prize of the Critics’ Week section (La Semaine de la Critique). Zuzanna Solakiewicz’s film is a music documentary about the history of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio. This collage of images and sounds focuses on Eugeniusz Rudnik, sound engineer, composer, and experimental musician. The film has been supported by the Polish Film Institute, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the National Audiovisual Institute, and the Mazowsze Film Fund. 15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) was produced by Endorfina Studio and co-produced by German-based Hupe Films.

Locarno’s Critics’ Week has been showcasing documentary films annually since 1990 and hosting debates on the opportunities and limitations in the creative work of contemporary documentary filmmakers. This independent section of the Locarno film festival is organized by Switzerland’s National Association of Film Journalists in cooperation with the Locarno IFF director and festival team. The Polish film screened as one of seven titles from around the world.

Special Mention of the Youth Jury

Piotr Złotorowicz’s Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth), produced at the Łódź Film School, received special mention of the youth jury in the international section of the Pardi di domani short film competition. Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth) is a psychological drama filled with mysticism rooted in the rich mythology of rural Poland; a story about the conflict between a father’s expectations and his son’s capability and sensitivity.

Pardi di domani is a section that showcases short films made by film school students or independent filmmakers before their feature debut. Films that screened as part of the Pardi di domani lineup in recent years include several Polish productions, such as Serce do walki (Battleheart) by Tomasz Matuszczak (special mention), Nasza klątwa (Our Curse) by Tomasz Śliwiński and Opowieści z chłodni (Frozen Stories) by Grzegorz Jaroszuk.

Further details about the 67th Locarno IFF are available at www.pardolive.ch.

Marta Sikorska, Paulina Bez

Translated by Karolina Kołtun