Polish Films in Clermont-Ferrand
The Clermont-Ferrand film festival has announced this year’s lineup; Polish films will screen in two competition sections at the world’s top short film festival.
First-Time Director
The international film competition lineup features Ojcze masz (Father’s Day), a film directed by Kacper Lisowski and produced by the Munk Studio of the Polish Filmmakers Association within the framework of the ’30 Minutes’ programme. The film was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. Ojcze masz marks the directorial debut of cinematographer Kacper Lisowski, a graduate of the National Film School in Łódź and the Wajda School. Clermont-Ferrand marks the film’s first festival screening abroad.
A Child
Ojcze masz (Father’s Day) is the story of Marcel, who is pushing 40 but has yet to settle down. He lives from party to party, avoiding commitment, enjoying life. That is until a casual fling forces him into a situation where he has to take care of 10-year-old Józek. Marcel does whatever he can to get rid of the unruly kid, but his efforts are in vain. All his plans fail, and what’s more, the child disappears in the middle of the night.
Polish Presence in Competition
Tis year’s international competition lineup features a total of 73 films from around the world. Vegas, a UK production directed by Łukasz Konopa, was lensed by Polish cinematographer Paweł Chorzępa.
A Teenager
The second Polish film to screen in Clermont-Ferrand will be multiple award winner Ziegenort, a film directed by Tomasz Popakul and produced by NoLabel, screening in the festival’s experimental Lab section. Popakul’s animated Ziegenort has screened at over 50 film festivals to date.
Ziegenort tells the story of a small fishing village. A busy father tries to teach his teenaged son the fishing trade. The introvert boy is up for a serious rivalry for the first time in his life. The world he discovers is full of unsettling signs and puzzling observations that often terrify him. This intriguing and visual animation by Popakul is an attempt at depicting the troubles of coming of age.
Awards for Polish Filmmakers
Polish filmmakers have received several awards at Clermont-Ferrand. Three years ago, the festival’s Grand Prize went to Marta Minorowicz for her documentary Kawałek lata (A Piece of Summer). Two years ago, Grzegorz Jaroszuk received Special Mention of the Youth Jury for his feature short Opowieści z chłodni (Frozen Stories).
The ‘Polish Shorts’ Stand
The festival’s Film Market will also feature a number of Polish films. The ‘Polish Shorts’ stand, hosted by the Krakow Film Foundation and supported by the Polish Film Institute, will be one of dozens of national stands showcasing short films from around the world. This year’s film market will also feature a screening of Polish short films.
The 36th edition of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival will run from January 31 through February 8, 2014.
Aleksandra Różdżyńska
Translated by Karolina Kołtun