News
Polish Documentaries at Hot Docs
Over 170 documentary from around the world, a film market, a pitching forum, along with series of workshops, international conferences and discussion panels - this is the outline of the upcoming Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival in Canada. The event is to be held in late April and early May 2011. Several Polish documentaries made it into the festival's lineup.
Six Polish Films in Istanbul
Six Polish films will screen at the 30th Istanbul International Film Festival. The event will run from April 2 through 17.
Koszałka Awarded in Finland
Marcin Koszałka received recognition at the 41st Tampere International Short Film Festival in Finland, which drew to a close on March 13.
Adam Sikora Shooting with Ondříček
On March 5, David Ondříček began shooting him latest feature In the Shadow of the Horse. The film will be made in co-production between the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia. The film's Polish producer is Centrala Sp. z o.o., while its director of photography is Polish cinematographer Adam Sikora. In the Shadow of the Horse is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
Polish Animations in Annecy
Six Polish animated films will screen in competition at the 35th Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.
“Charcoal Burners” Awarded in Zagreb
Smolarze (The Charcoal Burners) by Piotr Złotorowicz received the Small Stamp award for best film by a young documentary filmmaker at the 7th ZagrebDox International Documentary Film Festival.
Cinema Can Change the World
Andrzej Wajda, film and stage director, screenwriter, production designer, one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in the history of world cinema, winner of an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement celebrates his 85th birthday on March 6.
Screenings of New Polish Films
The 27th Mons International Film Festival in Belgium drew to a close on February 26. The festival's Grand Prix and Best Screenplay award went to Chrzest (The Christening) by Marcin Wrona. The Christening is also one of several Polish features that screened at recent film festivals in Dublin and Glasgow.
New Distributors of Polish Films
Tribeca Film, the distribution branch of New York's Tribeca Film Festival, announced its two-year plan yesterday. In 2011 alone, Tribeca Film intends to release 26 films in theatres and through various multimedia distribution channels, including VOD and digital online distribution. Tribeca Film's lineup includes Essential Killing by Jerzy Skolimowski. Though the picture was never released theatrically in the United States, Tribeca Film plans to release it through VOD and on other platforms.
Polish Filmmakers Awarded in Berlin
Wojciech Staroń, cinematographer of Paula Markovich's El Premio (The Prize), received the Silver Bear award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement at the closing gala of the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, winning the prize ex aequo with El Premio's production designer Barbara Enriquez. In Berlinale's Generation Kplus, the Grand Prix of the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk for best feature film went to Jutro będzie lepiej (Tomorrow Will Be Better) by Dorota Kędzierzawska. An independent jury also awarded Kędzierzawska the Peace Film Award.
New Project by Jakimowski
The cast of the new international project by Andrzej Jakimowski, director of the acclaimed Sztuczki (Tricks) and Zmruż oczy (Squint Your Eyes), was announced at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in Lisbon in May.
"Downtown" at the MMA
The 9th Annual Sprout Film Festival, taking place at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art in late April, will feature Downtown - Miasto Downów (Downtown) by Marta Dzido and Piotr Śliwowski.
61st Berlin IFF
The 61st edition of the annual Berlin International Film Festival is now under way. Five Polish films will be presented to Berlinale audiences throughout the festival's ten days of screenings.
Shooting Starts on “The Congress”
Ari Folman's latest picture Kongres (The Congress) began shooting on February 4 in Los Angeles. The script is based on "The Futurological Congress" by Stanisław Lem. Michał Englert is the film's director of photography.
The Congress is an international co-production between Pandora Film (Germany), Bridgit Folman Film Gang (Israel), Entre Chien et Loup (Belgium), Paul Thiltges Distribution (Luxembourg), ARP Selection (France), and Piotr Dzięcioł's Opus Film (Poland). The project received financing from the Polish Film Institute.
Majewski’s Film at the Louvre
On February 2, the Louvre Museum in Paris will host a special screening of Młyn i krzyż (The Mill and the Cross), the latest feature from director Lech Majewski. The screening is part of the fourth edition of Journées Internationales du Film sur l'Art (Films on Art).
Jakub Stożek Awarded at Sundance
Jakub Stożek received Honourable Mention for his film Poza zasięgiem (Out of Reach) at the Sundance Film Festival.
The documentary Out of Reach tells the story of Karolina and Klaudia, two teenaged girls seeking to get back in touch with their long-absent mother.
Polish Films at Sundance
Młyn i krzyż (The Mill and the Cross), directed by Lech Majewski and featuring Rutger Hauer, Charlotte Rampling, and Michael York, had its world premiere in the New Frontier programme at this year's Sundance International Film Festival. This Polish-Swedish co-production was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
Łazarkiewicz at Santa Barbara IFF
Maraton tańca (Dance Marathon) by Magdalena Łazarkiewicz will screen in the Eastern Block competition at the upcoming 26th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in the United States. The festival will run from January 27 through February 6, 2011.
First session of Dragon Forum 2011 has come to an end
The first session of the 6th edition of Dragon Forum - International Academy of Document, ended on the 22nd of January with a screening of the DOK Leipzig award winner "Vodka Factory" by Jerzy Śladkowski. Over 40 filmmakers from several European countries worked on their projects during four days of workshops in Warsaw.
Krzysztof Zanussi at MoMA
New York City's renowned Museum of Modern Art will soon screen four films by Krzysztof Zanussi: Barwy ochronne (Camouflage), Constans (The Constant Factor), Życie rodzinne (Family Life), and Rewizyta (Revisited). A few of the scheduled screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the director.
"Suicide Room" Premieres in Berlin
Sala samobójców (Suicide Room) by Jan Komasa will screen in the Panorama Special section of the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.
Jan Komasa was previously known for having co-directed the acclaimed Oda do radości (Ode to Joy). Suicide Room, Komasa's solo debut as a director, for which he also wrote the script, will have its international premiere on February 12 at the Berlin International Film Festival. Almost 6,000 films from around the world are submitted for Berlinale consideration each year.
(Photo by Jarosław Sosiński)