"DON JUAN" WINS AT IDFA
On November 25, there was the awards ceremony of the 28th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam. The VPRO IDFA award for the Best Feature-Length Documentary went to Jerzy Śladkowski for his film "Don Juan."
"Don Juan" is a Swedish production, however, Polish film-makers are responsible for its success. The film's director is Jerzy Śladkowski, the author of cinematography is Wojciech Staroń, and the editing is the work of Jakub Śladkowski and Agnieszka Bojanowska.
The film "Don Juan" is a story of 22-year-old Oleg and his mother, Marina, who wants to help him overcome his lethargy. According to her, he suffers from autism, and therefore the woman comes up with many unconventional ideas to cure him.
In the justification of the jury's verdict we read that the film is a bittersweet tragicomedy, showing role-playing in therapeutic theatre games and in everyday relationships in the family. According to the jury, the documentary film is at the same subtle and aggressive, struggling with the definition of what is the norm, and also highlights dynamic correlation between power and love. The verdict emphasises also the beautifully sculptured form of the film: the director's sensitive look is combined with emphatic cinematography and delicate editing, creating a work which, according to the jury, can now be called a classic of the documentary cinema.
The film will be shown in the Documentary Film Competition at Krakow Film Festival, and the Swedish cinema will be the special guest at the 56th edition of the Festival.