Polish Films at Moscow IFF

At the upcoming 36th Moscow International Film Festival, Krzysztof Skonieczny’s feature debut Hardkor Disko will screen in Main Competition. The festival’s documentary sections feature two films co-financed by the Polish Film Institute: Deep Love by Jan P. Matuszyński and Joanna by Aneta Kopacz.

Hardkor Disko in Main Competition

Krzysztof Skonieczny’s film debut Hardkor Disko was one of nine films selected to screen in the festival’s Main Competition. Hardkor Disko is the story of a young man who arrives in a big city with a score to settle. The lead roles are played by Marcin Kowalczyk and Jaśmina Polak. The film was produced by głębokiOFF, an artistic conglomerate launched by Krzysztof Skonieczny, and was produced with no public funding. Hardkor Disko has also been selected to screen in the New Perspectives section of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival.

This year’s Moscow festival jury will be presided by Russian screenwriter and director Gleb Panfilov. Other jury members include Mauritanian director and producer Abderrahmane Sissako, German actress Franziska Petri, Georgian director Levan Koguashvili, and French producer Laurent Danielou.

Deep Love in Documentary Film Competition

Deep Love, a film directed by Jan P. Matuszyński and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, which was presented at the second edition of Docs to go!, will screen in the Documentary Film Competition alongside seven other productions. Matuszyński’s documentary tells the story of a diving instructor named Asia who works under water with disabled people. Deep Love is also the story of her partner Janusz, an experienced diver who suffered a stroke. The film was produced by Cor Leonis Production.

The out-of-competition “Free Thought” documentary section of the Moscow IFF features Joanna, a film by Aneta Kopacz that focuses on Joanna Sałyga who is fighting a deadly disease. The film was produced by Wajda Studio within the framework of Dok Pro, a programme co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

This year’s Documentary Film Competition jury members include British film director Sean McAllister, São Paulo’s “É Tudo Verdade” festival director Amir Labaki, and Russian director Alina Rudnitskaya.

Awards for Films Co-Financed by the Polish Film Institute

The Moscow film festival, led by Nikita Mikhalkov, is the second-oldest (after the Venice IFF) and one of the most important film events in the world. Polish films have received multiple awards at this festival. Last year’s documentary competition winner was Paweł Łoziński and his film Ojciec i syn (Father and Son). In 2011, Urszula Grabowska received the Silver St. George Award for Best Actress for her performance in Joanna, a film by Feliks Falk. The film itself also received the Award of Russian Journalists and the Award of Russian Film Clubs. In 2010, Jan Kidawa-Błoński received the Award for Best Director for his feature Różyczka (Little Rose), while Rewers (Reverse) by Borys Lankosz was voted Best Film in the ‘Perspectives’ section of the festival. In 2009, Mała Moskwa (Little Moscow) by Waldemar Krzystek received the Audience Award. All these films received support from the Polish Film Institute.

This year’s edition of the Moscow International Film Festival runs from June 19 through June 28. Further details are available at www.moscowfilmfestival.ru.

Kalina Cybulska

Translated by Karolina Kołtun