Polish films awarded in the Just Film section of the Black Nights festival
Konrad Aksinowicz’s film „Back to Those Days” won the Youth Jury Best Film Award, and „Even mice belong to heaven”, directed by Denisa Grimmova and Jan Bubenick, was awarded the Children’s Jury Best Film Award in the Just Film competition section as part of the Black Nights Film Festival at Tallinn. Both productions are co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
Organized since 1997, the festival, which is one of the largest in Northern Europe, took place from 12 to 28 November in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia. During it, about 250 feature films are screened, as well as over 300 short films and animations. Every year it is visited by 80,000 people. Along with such festivals as Berlinale, Cannes, Venice or Locarno, it belongs to the group of „international competition festivals” (formerly „category A”).
The Just Film section, in which Polish productions were awarded, is a competition devoted to films about the problems of children and youth.
„Back to those days”
The picture was shown in the Main Competition of the Polish Feature Film Festival in Gdynia, and from 10 December is available in Polish cinemas. Its cast includes: Maciej Stuhr, Weronika Książkiewicz, Katarzyna Warnke, Anna Majcher, Sebastian Stankiewicz and Teodor Koziar, who debuts on the big screen. The film’s partner is the State Agency for Solving Alcohol Problems.
In the description of the film we read: it is the beginning of the nineties. Fourteen-year-old Tomek lives with his mother in one of Wrocław’s estates. The boy, like many of his peers, is brought up without a father who emigrated to the USA. However, one day Alek unexpectedly stands at the door of the family apartment. Along with him, Tomek gets color TV set, Lego blocks, Nike shoes and a dream video recorder. The happiness of the Malinowski family does not last long, however. All because of Alek’s obsession, which he cannot control. Will his relatives be able to help him before it’s too late?
The animation by Denisa Grimmova and Jan Bubeniček premiered at the International Animated Film Festival in Annecy. It also received awards, incl. at the festival in Szanhgaj, Anifilm, Lucas Film Festival and at the Children’s Cinema festival. The main producer of the film is the Czech studio Fresh Films, the Polish co-producer of the Animoon studio, and the distributor – the New Horizons Association. The puppets were created by artists from Łódź under the name of the Momakin, the music was composed by Krzysztof A. Janczak, and three Polish animators participated in the animation works on the set.
The film, made using the puppet animation technique, tells the story of a little mouse – Czmyszka, who, in order to prove her courage, confronts the fox Rudeusz. As a result of an unexpected turn of events, they both end up in heaven for animals, where their adventures begin. The animal story of hope, courage and friendship was based on a novel by a Czech writer – Iva Procházková.