Polish Films in Lineup of 67th Locarno IFF

The following films have been selected for screening at this year’s edition of the Locarno International Film Festival: Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth) by Piotr Złotorowicz (‘Pardi di domani’ competition), 15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) by Zuzanna Solakiewicz (La Semaine de la Critique), and Arizona w mojej głowie (They Chased Me Through Arizona) by Matthias Huser (‘Cineasti del presente’ competition). The 67th Locarno IFF runs from August 6 through August 16.

Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth), a film directed by Piotr Złotorowicz and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, will screen in the ‘Pardi di domani / Leopards of Tomorrow’ international short film competition. The festival’s Critics’ Week (La Semaine de la Critique) will feature 15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World), a documentary film by Zuzanna Solakiewicz previously presented at Docs to go!. The lineup of the ‘Cineasti del presente’ competition for films by first- and second-time directors includes Arizona w mojej głowie (They Chased Me Through Arizona), a film directed by Matthias Huser and produced in Poland.

Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth) by Piotr Złotorowicz

Produced at the Łódź Film School, Matka Ziemia (Mother Earth) is “a psychological drama filled with mysticism rooted in the rich mythology of rural Poland; a story about the conflict between a father’s expectations and his son’s capability and sensitivity.” Piotr Złotorowicz’s film will screen as one of 27 projects in the international section of the ‘Pardi di domani’ short film competition. This festival section showcases short films made by film school students or independent filmmakers before their feature debut. Films in this section will be judged by jury members Rutger Hauer (head of the jury), Helvécio Marins Jr., Lois Patiño, Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy, and Nicole Vögele. On an interesting side note, in recent years Polish films have been regularly featured in this Locarno competition, often receiving recognition. Some of the films screened in the ‘Pardi di domani’ section at recent editions of the festival include Serce do walki (Battleheart) by Tomasz Matuszczak, Nasza klątwa (Our Curse) by Tomasz Śliwiński, and Opowieści z chłodni (Frozen Stories) by Grzegorz Jaroszuk.

15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) by Zuzanna Solakiewicz

15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) is a music documentary about the history of the Polish Radio Experimental Studio. The main protagonist in this collage of sounds and images is Eugeniusz Rudnik – sound engineer, composer, experimentalist. Produced by Endorfina Studio and co-produced by German-based Hupe Films, the film has received support from the Polish Film Institute, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the National Audiovisual Institute, and the Mazowsze Film Fund.

Since 1990, La Semaine de la Critique in Locarno has been screening documentary films and organizing debates on the opportunities and boundaries in the creative work of contemporary documentary filmmakers. This independent festival section is organized by Switzerland’s National Association of Film Journalists in cooperation with the Locarno IFF director and festival team. Zuzanna Solakiewicz’s film will screen as one of seven titles from around the world.

For more information about 15 stron świata (15 Corners of the World) please visit www.15corners.com.

Arizona w mojej głowie (They Chased Me Through Arizona) by Matthias Huser

One of the films screening in the ‘Cineasti del presente’ competition, which showcases films by first- and second-time directors, is Arizona w mojej głowie (They Chased Me Through Arizona), a Polish-Swiss co-production directed by Matthias Huser and produced in Poland. The film features performances by Eryk Lubos and Krzysztof Kiersznowski. The Polish co-producer is Lava Films. The selection of 14 films in this competition will be judged by jury members Ossama Mohammed, Thierry Jobin, Don McKellar, Clémence Poésy, and Mary Stephen.

Summer Filmmakers Academy

In addition to competition sections and other screenings, the Locarno festival features workshops for young filmmakers and film critics. One of 25 filmmakers from around the world selected to participate in this year’s edition of the Summer Filmmakers Academy is Krzysztof Skonieczny, who made his feature debut with Hardkor Disko, a film that recently received top laurels at the Koszalin film festival.

Further details about the 67th Locarno IFF are available at: www.pardolive.ch.

Marta Sikorska

Translated by Karolina Kołtun