FIVE POLISH FILMS IN THE COMPETITION AT AFI DOCS!
This year, the programmers of the AFI DOCS festival invited as many as five Polish documentary films to participate in the competitive section of the festival. In the Shorts Program, the following films will be shown: "Joanna" by Aneta Kopacz, "Sati" by Bartłomiej Świderski, "A Visit" by Matej Bobrik and "Our Curse" by Tomasz Śliwiński and "21 days" by Damian Kocur.
This year's edition of the AFI DOCS festival in Washington will be particularly successful for the Poles. Out of nineteen films participating in the competition section Shorts Program, five are Polish documentary productions. No other country has such a numerous representation in this section this year. Within the frames of AFI DOCS the following films will be screened: "Joanna" by Aneta Kopacz, "Sati" by Bartłomiej Świderski, "A Visit" by Matej Bobrik and "Our Curse" by Tomasz Śliwiński and "21 days" by Damian Kocur.
Joanna, the protagonist of the film by Aneta Kopacz, relishes every moment in spite of being diagnosed with a serious illness. She promised her five-year-old son that she would do anything to be with him as long as possible. She does not give up. For Jaś, she writes a blog in which she describes their everyday life - in a simple and accurate way. The blog itself inspires many readers to attentive, happy life.
"Sati" is a cinematic memorial of Piotr Morawski, who conquered six eight-thousanders and was the participant in the first in history winter ascent of Shishapangma. He died on 8 April 2009 in the Himalayas, on the slopes of Dhaulagiri. The story about him, told by the Himalaya-climber's wife, Olga, is full of regret and respect for her husband's passion.
The protagonists of "A Visit" - the residents of a nursing home, lead peaceful lives. It may seem that the only source of variety are the Sunday visits. From the early morning, the residents prepare for the arrival of their families. However, the hope for their arrival diminish with every passing hour. There remains nothing else to do but to believe that they got lost in the woods and they probably come next week.
"Our Curse" is a personal confession of the director, who, together with his wife, has to face a very rare, incurable disease of their new-born child - Ondine's Curse (congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, CCHS). People afflicted with this disease stop breathing during sleep and require life-long use of respirator to support their respiratory functions. The director documents the first months of his family's life after the birth of the child.
The film by Damian Kocur, "21 days," tells a story about a young, shy bus driver who wants to find a soulmate so much that he enrols for a 21-day course dedicated to the methods of effective interaction with women.
AFI DOCS (previously Silver Docs) is a five-day documentary film festival in Washington, organised by American Film Institute. The organisers emphasise the fact that the audience of the festival often includes congresspersons, senators and other influential people, so the documentary films screened at AFI DOCS can reach the political elite of the USA. This year, the festival is held from 18th to 22nd June.
It is worth adding that previously Polish productions were also shown at the AFI DOCS festival. In 2012, the following films participated in the festival competition: "Reception" by Maciej Bochniak and "Argentinian Lesson" by Wojciech Staroń, in 2011 - "Oh My God, My Dear God" by Julia Popławska, in 2009 - "Poste Restante" by Marcel Łozinski, in 2008 - "The First Day" by Marcin Sauter and "52 Percent" by Rafał Skalski, in 2007 - "Rendez-Vous" by Marcin Janos Krawczyk, in 2006 - "The Seeds" by Wojciech Kasperski.
You can find more information about the festival on its website.