Radosław Ochnio and "Body/Ciało" Win European Film Awards 2016!

The 29th European Film Awards ceremony was held in Wrocław on December 10, 2016. The award for European Sound Designer went to Radosław Ochnio for his work on 11 minut (11 Minutes), a film by Jerzy Skolimowski. The People’s Choice Award went to Body/Ciało (Body), a film by Małgorzata Szumowska.

Magdalena Sroka and Marion Döring. Photo by Filip Basara/EFA

“It is an honour to welcome you at the 29th European Film Awards Ceremony in Wrocław in Poland. Wrocław has a rich cinema tradition. It is the city of one of the greatest and unforgettable Polish actors – Zbyszek Cybulski. It was here that numerous films of the masters of Polish cinema have been shot – films by Wojciech Jerzy Has, Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polański, Agnieszka Holland. The Polish Film Institute is a co-organiser of the European Film Awards this year. It is a privilege to host the whole family of European filmmakers tonight. European cinema is unpredictable, inspiring and daring. That’s why we love it. Polish filmmakers have always been part of this artistic community. Let’s celebrate the European cinema” said Magdalena Sroka, General Director of the Polish Film Institute, as she opened the 29th European Film Awards gala together with Marion Döring, head of the European Film Academy.

Magdalena Sroka about the European Film Awards

Maciej Stuhr, Mike Dwoney, Magdalena Sroka and Rafał Dutkiewicz. Photo by Marcin Kułakowski, Polish Film Institute

“We’re extremely happy to be co-organising this wonderful event for the second time. We appreciate the gesture of the European Film Academy in choosing Wrocław as the venue for the most important annual event in European cinema. We are glad to see Polish filmmakers in the running for awards. Polish presence at the awards has become tradition and shows appreciation for Polish filmmaking,” said Magdalena Sroka earlier that day, at the European Film Awards press conference. Other press conference participants included: Marion Döring, director of the European Film Academy; Wim Wenders, president of the European Film Academy; Mike Downey, deputy chairman of the board of the European Film Academy; Rafał Dutkiewicz, mayor of Wrocław; Roman Gutek, and Maciej Stuhr.

Radosław Ochnio Wins Award for European Sound Designer 2016

Radosław Ochnio. Photo by Robert Jaworski

At the 29th European Film Awards, the award for European Sound Designer went to Radosław Ochnio for his work on 11 minut (11 Minutes), a feature film by Jerzy Skolimowski, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

Radosław Ochnio was responsible for sound post-production, sound effects, and sound design. The jury statement reads: “The sound design is hugely important for the understanding of the main characters and their anxieties. It successfully, in combination with the music, supports the story with its clever use of changing between ‘real life’ sound and a focus on the gradually increasing emotional and physical conflict that unfolds throughout the movie. The sound design never imposes itself too much but is a vital and very well crafted part of it.”

Radosław Ochnio graduated in Sound Production from the Radio, Television and Film School in Poznań and the Łódź Film School. His filmography includes Portret z pamięci by Marcin Bortkiewicz, Koniec Świata by Monika Pawluczuk, Sekrety miłości by Krystian Matysek, Małe stłuczki (Little Crushes) by Ireneusz Grzyb and Aleksandra Gowin, Baby Bump and Królewicz Olch (The Erlprince) by Kuba Czekaj, and the Mami Fatale animated series. Radosław Ochnio is also a teacher and lecturer.

11 minut (11 Minutes) was made as a Polish-Irish co-production. The film was produced by Skopia Film, co-produced by Element Pictures, Telewizja Polska, Orange, HBO, and Fundacja Tumult, and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, Eurimages, and the Irish Film Board. 11 minut (11 Minutes) was written and directed by Jerzy Skolimowski, lensed by Mikołaj Łebkowski, and features performances by Andrzej Chyra, Dawid Ogrodnik, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Agata Buzek, Jan Nowicki, Piotr Głowacki, Richard Dormer, and Ifi Ude.

Body/Ciało (Body) Wins People’s Choice Award 2016

Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert. Photo by Filip Basara/EFA

Michał Englert and Małgorzata Szumowska with the People’s Choice Award for Body/Ciało (Body). Photo courtesy of EFA

The People’s Choice Award 2016 went to Małgorzata Szumowska’s feature Body/Ciało (Body). The award was voted by European audiences in an online poll.

A cynical prosecutor and his anorectic daughter are both trying, each in their own way, to deal with the death of a loved one. One day, the girl’s therapist Anna announces that their deceased relative has contacted her from the beyond and has a message for them; this forces both father and daughter to reevaluate their views of life and death.

The screenplay for Body/Ciało (Body) was written by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, who also lensed the film. The film stars Janusz Gajos, Justyna Suwała and Maja Ostaszewska, with supporting performances by Tomasz Ziętek, Ewa Dałkowska, Adam Woronowicz, and Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik. Body/Ciało (Body) was produced by Nowhere and co-produced by Kino Świat, D35 and the Warsaw Mazovia Film Fund. World sales are handled by Memento Films International. Body/Ciało (Body) was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

The People’s Choice Award marks another form of recognition for Body/Ciało (Body). Last year the European Film Award for European Editor went to Jacek Drosio for his work on Szumowska’s film, while Szumowska herself was nominated in the European Director category.

Body/Ciało (Body) had its world premiere at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival, screening in Main Competition. Małgorzata Szumowska received the Silver Bear award for Best Director, ex aequo with Romanian director Radu Jude for his film Aferim. The film went on to receive awards at film festivals in Vienna, Brussels, Dortmund, Peru, Vilnius, and Malta.

Honorary European Film Award for Andrzej Wajda

Photo by Filip Basara/EFA

At the 29th European Film Awards ceremony, the President and the Board of the European Film Academy presented a posthumous Honorary Award to Andrzej Wajda, who passed away in October 2016. The award was accepted by Polish directors, graduates of the Wajda School: Agnieszka Smoczyńska and Bodo Kox.

Winners of the 29th European Film Awards

  • European Film – Toni Erdmann, directed by Maren Ade;
  • European Comedy – A Man Called Ove (En man som heter Ove), directed by Hannes Holm;
  • European Documentary – Fire at Sea (Fuocoammare), directed by Gianfranco Rosi
  • European Animated Feature Film – My Life as a Zucchini (Ma vie de courgette), directed by Claude Barras;
  • European Short Film – 9 Days – From My Window in Aleppo, directed by Thomas Vroege, Floor van der Meulen, Issa Touma;
  • European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI – The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (Hymyilevä mies), directed by Juho Kuosmanen
  • European Director – Mared Ade for Toni Erdmann
  • European Actor – Peter Simonischek for Toni Erdmann
  • European Actress – Sandra Hüller for Toni Erdmann
  • European Screenwriter – Maren Ade for Toni Erdmann
  • European Cinematographer – Prix Carlo di Palma – Camilla Hjelm Knudsen for Land of Mine
  • European Editor – Anne Østerud and Janus Billeskov Jansen for The Commune
  • European Production Designer – Alice Normington for Suffragette
  • European Costume Designer – Stefanie Bieker for Land of Mine
  • European Hair & Make-Up Artist – Barbara Kreuzer for Land of Mine
  • European Composer – Ilya Demutsky for The Student
  • European Sound Designer – Radosław Ochnio – 11 Minut (11 Minutes)
  • European Academy Lifetime Achievement Award – Jean-Claude Carrière
  • European Achievement in World Cinema – Pierce Brosnan
  • People’s Choice Award for Best European Film – Body/Ciało (Body) – dir. Małgorzata Szumowska
  • European Co-Production Award – Prix Eurimages – Leontine Petit
  • Honorary Award – Andrzej Wajda

The Polish Film Institute co-hosted the 29th European Film Awards ceremony in Wrocław.

Polish Filmmakers Nominated for 2016 European Film Awards

Other Polish filmmakers were also nominated for this year’s European Film Awards. Tomasz Wasilewski was nominated for the 2016 EFA Award in the European Screenwriter category for his film Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love). Piotr Stasik’s 21 x Nowy Jork (21 x New York) was nominated in the European Documentary category.

The complete list of winners of the 29th European Film Awards is available at: www.europeanfilmacademy.org.

Translated by Karolina Kołtun

10.12.2016