"UNITED STATES OF LOVE" AWARDED IN MALTA

The filmmakers behind Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love), a film co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, received awards at the Valletta Film Festival in Malta.

Awards for Tomasz Wasilewski and Dorota Kolak

Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love) screened in the Feature Film Competition of the Valletta Film Festival. The competition jury awarded the title of Best Director to Tomasz Wasilewski and Best Actress to Dorota Kolak.

Last year’s edition of the festival brought awards for Janusz Gajos [Best Actor award for his performance in Małgorzata Szumowska’s Body/Ciało (Body)] and Hanna Polak [Best Documentary award for Nadejdą lepsze czasy (Something Better to Come)].

This year’s edition of the festival also featured Zud, a film directed by Marta Minorowicz, which screened in the Documentary Film Competition.

Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love)

Early 1990. Although Poland is now free, the spirit of the previous era is still almost tangible. Four seemingly happy women of different ages share an irresistible desire to change their lives. The new world in transformation terrifies them, while also liberating hidden desires.

Agata, a young mother trapped in a loveless marriage, seeks refuge in an emotional connection that simply cannot be. Renata, a teacher, is mesmerised by her younger neighbour Marzena, a parochial beauty queen whose husband is away working in Germany. Marzena’s sister Iza is the school headmistress and has a secret affair with the father of one of her students.

A film starring Kolak, Cielecka, Kijowska and Nieradkiewicz

Dorota Kolak in Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love). Photo by Oleg Mutu

The film stars Julia Kijowska, Magdalena Cielecka, Dorota Kolak, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Tomasz Tyndyk, Andrzej Chyra, and Łukasz Simlat.

A film supported by the Polish Film Institute

Tomasz Wasilewski’s latest feature is a Polish-Swedish co-production lensed by Oleg Mutu (cinematographer on Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 days and Sergey Loznitza’s In the Fog). Zjednoczone Stany Miłości (United States of Love) was produced by Mañana and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. The project had also been presented at the CineMart co-production market at the 43rd Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2014. World sales are handled by New Europe Film Sales.

Paulina Bez

Translated by Karolina Kołtun