"THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN" WINS IN AMIENS
Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain), an international co-production directed by Anca Damian and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, received the Grand Prize of the 35th edition of the Amiens International Film Festival in France.
Awards for International Co-Production Supported by the Polish Film Institute
This year, the festival Grand Prize for Best Feature-Length Film went to Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain), directed by Anca Damian. The award for Best Actress went to Liv Henneguier, who played the part of Rose in Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose) by first-time director Julia Kowalski.
Both films are international co-productions co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain)
Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain), image courtesy of the producer
Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain), a Polish-French-Romanian animated documentary film directed by Anca Damian, is the story of the extraordinary Adam Jacek Winkler — a true individualist who believed that his guileless personality was similar to that of Koziołek Matołek from the classic children’s book. With his firm belief in the anticommunist resistance movement, Winkler emigrated from Poland in 1965, settling in Paris, where he became an active fighter against communism. Upon learning of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, he joined the Afghan forces and fought under Ahmad Shah Massoud.
Anca Damian’s latest film had its world premiere at the 50th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it received Special Mention of the Main Competition Jury. The film has also received acclaim at the International Animated Film Festival in Ottawa.
Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain) was produced by Aparte Films, Filmograf and Arizona Productions, co-produced by the Krakow Festival Office, Studio Miniatur Filmowych and Telewizja Polska, and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, KFF, CNC France, CNC Romania, and HBO Romania.
The Polish theatrical release is scheduled for December 11. Distribution in Poland is handled by Solopan.
Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose)
Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose). Photo courtesy of Alter Ego Pictures
Józef (Andrzej Chyra) travels to France to sort out an issue from his past. He stays in the home of a Polish immigrant who lives with his teenage daughter Rose. The newly-arrived stranger catches the eye of the young woman. Her fascination transforms into a subtle friendship that leads to a favour: Józef is searching for his long-lost son, Rose’s schoolmate.
By serving as an intermediary between father and son, Rose suddenly discovers what love is and learns the needs of her maturing body. Desire leads to jealousy, rejection leads to anger. A new journey begins to Poland, the land of the past, where each of them finds the missing pieces of their life puzzle.
Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose) is a Polish-French co-production, co-financed by the national film institutes of both countries: the CNC and the Polish Film Institute. The film was produced by Maria Blicharska and Monika Sajko-Gradowska of Donten & Lacroix Films and by Mina Driouche, Valerie Donzeli and Jeremie Elkaim of Les Films de Francoise. The project was developed with support from the MEDIA programme, and filmed on location in France and Poland. Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose) features performances by Andrzej Chyra and Artur Steranko.
Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose) had its world premiere at the 68th Cannes IFF, screening in the ACID section, programmed by members of the Association du Cinéma Indépendant pour sa Diffusion – an organization aimed at promoting independent cinema.
Julia Kowalski’s feature debut then went on to screen at other major film festivals, including the 20th Busan IFF, the 10th Rome Film Festival and the 25th Cottbus Festival of East European Cinema, where it received Special Mention in the U18 competition for Polish and German films for young adult audiences.
Crache-Coeur (Raging Rose) will be released theatrically in France on February 17, 2016. The Polish release is scheduled for November 27, 2015. Distribution is handled by Alter Ego Pictures.
The official website of the Amiens film festival is available at: www.filmfestamiens.org.
The official website of Czarodziejska góra (The Magic Mountain) is available at: www.lamontagnemagique-lefilm.ro.
Translated by Karolina Kołtun