THREE POLISH FILMS IN LOCARNO
68th edition of International Film Festival in Locarno starts on August 5. In the programme there are three Polish documentary films:
"Call Me Marianna" by Karolina Bielawska, "K2. Touching the Sky" by Eliza Kubarska and "Brothers" by Wojciech Staroń will be shown in Switzerland during La Semaine de la Critique. It is an independent section of the festival, organised in co-operation with Swiss Film Critics Association since 1999. There are only seven films shown in the competition, so the chance of victory of a Polish film is very high this year. The winner of the previous edition is the documentary film by Zuzanna Solakiewicz, "15 Corners of the World".
Marianna, the protagonist of the documentary by Karolina Bielawska, made a dramatic choice between living according to her identity and being with her family. Preparing for the sex reassignment surgery, she had to leave her home, and, in accordance with Polish legal procedures, sue her own parents. On the threshold of the new life, fate turned out to be extremely cruel to her. During the rehearsals of the play inspired by Marianna's story, the protagonist has to face the difficult experiences from her marriage once again. The documentary won the Golden Horn award at the 55th Krakow Film Festival.
The documentary film by Eliza Kubarska presents four people climbing to the base camp on K2. They go by the same road which was taken years ago by their parents - recognised Alpinists. They try to understand the power which forced their parents to climb and which finally took their lives in 1986 in the K2 disaster. "K2. Touching the Sky" is an emotional journey with breathtaking views of Karakoram in the background.
"Brothers" by Wojciech Staroń is a story about two brothers who managed to escape from a Soviet work camp, but cannot escape from each other. They love but at the same time hate each other. One is a dreamer, a painter, the other - a pragmatic scientist; fire and water. All their lives, they had to rely on each other: in the Soviet work camp, in the communist Russia and, after repatriation, in the capitalist Poland.
Their colourful lives consist of constant adversities, but together, in spite of feuds and quarrels, they can overcome them. Their age - 80 and 83 years old respectively - does not stop them, they are full of vigour, humour and they still have a lot of new, crazy ideas. The painter's dream was to organise a great exhibition of his paintings. His dream comes true. He exhibits his works in the European Parliament in Brussels. At the same time, his house burns, with a few thousands of paintings. He loses all his possessions and artistic output of his entire life. Will he manage to begin his life anew in spite of this?
You can find the full list of films qualified for this section here.
International Film Festival in Locarno is held from 5 to 15 August.