Two awards at the festival in Shanghai
Co-financed by the Polish Film Institute film „Amateurs” by Iwona Siekierzyńska received Best Actress Award for Marzena Gajewska at the Shanghai International Film Festival. Moreover, Czech-Polish-French-Slovakian coproduction „Even Mice Belong in Heaven” won Best Animation Award.
The Shanghai International Film Festival was established in 1993. It is the only Chinese festival counted among the events accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) and one of the largest film events in Asia. The festival consists of four parts: the competition for the Golden Cup, film screenings, market and the forum. In turn, the Panorama section presents screenings of the best films at the festival.
In the 24th edition of the festival (June 11-20) were eight films co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. Instead of the winners, they were: „We’ll be fine” by Sylwester Jakimow (Spectrum: Alternatives), „I never Cry” by Piotr Domalewski, „Never Gonna Snow Again” by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, „Thou Shalt Not Hate” by Mauro Mancini and „Quo vadis, Aida?” by Jasmila Žbanić (Viva la Festival) , „I’m here” by Julia Orlik (Short).
The only one Polish production in the Main Competition was „Amateurs” by Iwona Siekierzyńska. Its premiere took place in the Main Competition of the 45th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia where it received the Award of the Network of Studio and Local Cinemas and the Award of the Polish Federation of Film Discussion Clubs – „Don Quixote”. The cast includes: Wojciech Solarz, Roma Gąsiorowska, Anna Dymna, Mariusz Bonaszewski, Małgorzata Zajączkowska and Krzysztof Kowalewski, as well as Marzena Gajewska, Anna Kujawska, Natalia Olszewska, Oliwia Cubala, Renata Klinkosz, Adam Siekierzyński, Ariel Wojtanik, Tomek Macniak, Marcin Wenta and Janek Skiba.
The director of the film and the author of the script is Iwona Siekierzyńska. Michał Popiel-Machnicki is responsible for the cinematography, Agnieszka Glińska and Barbara Fron for editing, and Radosław Ochnio for the sound. The costumes were prepared by Izabela Stronias, make-up was done by Izabela Karwacka. The music is the work of Marzena Majcher. The producer is Anna Wereda and the film is produced by Autograf, TVP S.A., Studio Fonograf, Studio Orka, MX35 and the City of Gdynia.
„Even Mice Belong in Heaven”
The Czech-Polish-French-Slovak production „Even Mice Belong in Heaven” (directed by Denis Grimmov, Jan Bubenicek) is included in the Golden Goblet Award Competition Films: Animation. It is a full-length film aimed at children’s audiences, combining puppet and 3D computer animation. With the help of stories about the fate of Mouse and Fox, who find their way to the animal heaven, it familiarizes young audiences with the subject of passing, and at the same time it tells about hope, the strength of friendship and courage.
A team from Lodz, responsible for the puppets, cooperated on the film: Agnieszka Mikołajczyk, Agnieszka Smolarek, Anna Szcześniak, Beata Jarmuż-Socha, Piotr Knabe, Dariusz Kalita, Marcin Zalewski, technical projects of the puppets: Piotr Knabe, puppet construction projects: Dariusz Kalita, animation constructions: Daniel Kopala, production assistant (dolls): Magdalena Haremska and doll production coordinator: Katarzyna Gromadzka (MOMAKIN). The film was produced by Fresh Films (Czech Republic) in co-production with Animoon.