POLISH PRODUCTIONS FEATURED AT JI.HLAVA FESTIVAL
We've learned the program for the Ji.hlava Festival, with Polish films selected for several categories, including competitive sections. Audiences will have the opportunity to see more thatn 10 polish production and co-production, such as Joanna Janikowska "Comrades". Tomasz Wolski's A Year in the Life of a Country, Vita Maria Drygas's Danger Zone, Alina Maksimenko's In Limbo, and Izabela Zubrycka's short film You River.
The Ji.hlava International Film Festival stands as one of Eastern and Central Europe's premier documentary film festivals, drawing numerous industry professionals and cinema enthusiasts to the Czech town of Jihlava every year.
Tomasz Wolski's A Year in the Life of a Country has earned its place in the international documentary competition Opus Bonum. The film explores the period known as the “long night of martial law” that descended upon communist Poland after 13 December 1981. Yet this era of state terror, aimed at suppressing the Solidarity movement, had multiple faces. Using solely archival footage, including both familiar and lesser-known material, the film peers behind the veil of these events. To the rhythm of military drums, it portrays daily life alongside propaganda and military operations, juxtaposing sounds of the streets, demonstrations, riots, and carnival celebrations. In doing so, it challenges the mythologised image of Polish society as merely victims of the system.
Izabela Zubrycka's short documentary You River has been selected for the Short Joy competitive section. This black-and-white impressionistic essay centres on a river, with the camera adopting its perspective. It flows through landscapes, sometimes peacefully, sometimes wildly, influencing the lives of animals and humans alike. For some, it serves as a wellspring of inspiration and forms an integral part of folk rituals.
The non-competitive Constellations section, which showcases outstanding titles previously featured at other international festivals, includes two Polish productions. Vita Maria Drygas's Danger Zone examines the phenomenon of war tourism – an extreme form of recreation aimed at satisfying curiosity whilst seeking adventure and relaxation. Forget well-preserved cultural monuments, vibrant city life, and a general sense of security. This perverse business, involving adrenaline and others' misfortune, is the focus of a documentary which follows both organisers and participants of tours to high-risk areas – people who refuse to forgo luxury and various forms of protection, even as children perish and both houses and lives crumble nearby.
Meanwhile, Alina Maksimenko's In Limbo chronicles the war in Ukraine. When Russian missiles began flying overhead, the director packed several necessities and fled the danger zone to visit her ageing parents deeper within the country. However, the war soon reached there as well. This documentary diary of the first days of the Russian invasion captures ordinary people's immediate reactions to the horrors unfolding in their vicinity. As the conflict escalates, tension mounts in a home gradually stripped of basic necessities such as electricity and heating. Yet leaving proves difficult. After all, who's going to take care of all the cats and dogs if the people depart?
The complete festival program can be found on its official website.