Polish Film Festival in LA

The winners of the 2010 Hollywood Eagle Awards have just been announced in Los Angeles. The winner of the main competition at the 11th Polish Film Festival in LA was Wszystko, co kocham (All That I Love) by Jacek Borcuch. While the American jury announced the competition winners, several Polish filmmakers were having difficulties travelling to the festival.

The awards of the Polish Film Festival in LA are presented during the festival’s opening ceremony. This year’s ceremony was once again held at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

Jacek Borcuch’s feature about difficult life and emotions of the young generation set in the times of political upheavals of the 1980s competed against Generał Nil (General Nil) by Ryszard Bugajski, Wojna polsko-ruska (Snow White and Russian Red) by Xawery Żuławski, Zero by Paweł Borowski, and Mała Moskwa (Little Moscow) by Waldemar Krzystek.

The opening film was the Polish-American television movie The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler by John Kent Harrison. The Pola Negri Awards went to Anna Paquin in recognition for her role as Irena Sendler, Hugh Grant in recognition for playing Frederic Chopin in Impromptu by James Lapine (screened at the festival as part of the Chopin Year), and to Ed Harris for his collaboration with Agnieszka Holland on To Kill a Priest, The Third Miracle, and Copying Beethoven. Ed Harris accepted the award in person.

Rabbit a la Berlin Defeated

Polish audiences might expect that Bartosz Konopka’s Królik po berlińsku (Rabbit a la Berlin) would prove unbeatable. However, the documentary jury gave the Best Documentary award to Andrzej Fidyk’s Yodok Stories, a moving tale about people who managed to escape from North Korean concentration camps.

Two Awards for Maciej Michalski

Young Polish director Maciej Michalski received two awards. His Królowa śniegu (The Snow Queen) about difficult homosexual love won the Best Indie Film award. Michalski himself received the award for talented young filmmakers.

Student Film Competition

The winner of the Best Student Film award was Spowiedź by Daria Woszek, with cinematography by Piotr Uznański.

Icelandic Volcano Stirs Trouble

Due to the disruptions in air travel, nearly 50 guests from Poland are having a very difficult time reaching Los Angeles. Some have postponed their travels, while others will most likely cancel the trip.

The Polish Film Festival in LA will close on May 2.

For further information and a detailed festival programme please visit www.polishfilmLA.org.

Press release

Translated by Karolina Kołtun