Polish Films at Filmkunstmesse

The Leipzig branch of the Polish Institute in Berlin, in co-operation with the Polish Film Institute, took part for the second time in the Filmkunstmesse art house film market, one of the largest events of its type in Europe.

Thirteenth Edition of the Film Market

At the almost week-long Filmkunstmesse market, film directors, actors and representatives of producers, distributors, exhibitors and industry press meet with audiences and institutions that support art house cinema. This year marks the thirteenth edition of the Leipzig-based film market, showcasing the latest productions that could be of interest to German audiences. The FIlmkunstmesse film market is also an important venue for industry networking.

Polish Films in Leipzig

On September 18, the Leipzig branch of the Polish Institute in Berlin and the Polish Film Institute organized screenings of several contemporary Polish films. These closed screenings for exhibitors, festival programmers and distributors featured four recent Polish films: Obława (Manhunt) by Marcin Krzyształowicz, Mój rower (My Father’s Bike) by Piotr Trzaskalski, Bejbi Blues (Baby Blues) by Katarzyna Rosłaniec, and 80 milionów (80 Million) by Waldemar Krzystek.

Distribution of W imię… (In the Name Of…) in Germany

One of the special events was a screening of W imię… (In the Name Of…), organized in co-operation with German distributor Edition Salzgeber, who is planning to release Małgorzata Szumowska’s latest feature still in 2013. Jürgen Pohl of Edition Salzgeber emphasized the universality of the issues addressed in W imię… (In the Name Of…) and confirmed that Edition Salzgeber has also slated Tomasz Wasilewski’s Płynące wieżowce (Floating Skyscrapers) for theatrical release in Germany in 2014. The Filmkunstmesse film market in Leipzig also featured the first general audience screenings of Roman Polański’s Venus in Fur and Andrzej Jakimowski’s Imagine.

‘New Partnership for Cinema’ Workshop

Within the framework of the Filmkunstmesse film market, the Leipzig branch of the Polish Institute in Berlin also hosted a special workshop entitled ‘New Partnership for Cinema’. Representatives of several national institutions aimed at supporting the development of European film presented programmes and strategies designed to promote European films. Participants included Jane Hall and Amica Dall of Assemble Studios (United Kingdom), Irina Orssich of the European Commission Media Programme in Brussels, Renate Rose of European Film Production, and Matthias Ellwardt of Abaton Kino in Hamburg. At the end of the workshop, Frank Völkert (Filmförderungsanstalt), in discussion with Dr Christian Bräuer, head of AG Kino-Gilde, presented the results of recent cinema audience research.

Press release

Translated by Karolina Kołtun