51st KRAKOW FILM FESTIVAL - POLISH DOCUMENTARY WINNERS
51st edition of Krakow Film Festival have come to an end. During the closing ceremony Polish documentary filmmakers have been awarded 16 times!
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Having seen all the competition films, the International Documentary Competition Jury of the 51st Krakow Film Festival consisting of: Tue Steen Müller – the chairman (Denmark), Dušan Hudec (Slovakia), Marcin Koszałka (Poland), Kaleo La Belle (Switzerland), and Annamaria Percavassi (Italy) have decided to award:
GOLDEN HORN for the Director of the Best Film: for Wojciech Staroń, the director of THE ARGENTINIAN LESSON (Poland). The film maintains its form and story from beginning to end, a story not only about different cultures but much more about the beauty of a young boy and a young girl getting closer to each other, a growing friendship. The jury finds the film a true piece of art.
SILVER HORN for the Director of the Best Feature-Length Documentary: for Paweł Kloc, the director of PHNOM PENH LULLABY (Poland). The film uses a strong cinematic language to depict a very unconventional struggle for love and acceptance in a devastating family environment under hard existential conditions. A very strong character development kept the jury on the edge of our seats.
THE AWARD OF THE POLISH ASSOCIATION OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS (PSC) for the best cinematography in the documentary film, founded by Lightcraft:for Wojciech Staroń (Poland) for cinematography to THE ARGENTINIAN LESSON,
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
DOCTORS, directed by Tomasz Wolski (Poland).
The film is taking its audience to an important public institution and tells the story through amazing imagery and sparse and sometimes humoristic dialogue in serious moments of life and death.
The Student Jury for Documentary Competition consisting of: Michał Lesiak, Małgorzata Steciak, and Daniel Stopa have decided to award the film DOCTORS directed by Tomasz Wolski (Poland)
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Having seen all the competition films, the International Short Film Competition Jury of the 51st Krakow Film Festival consisting of: Lech Kowalski – the chairman (USA), João Garção Borges (Portugal), Bartek Konopka (Poland), Delphine Lyner (Switzerland), Ülo Pikkov (Estonia) have decided to award the following prizes:
SPECIAL MENTION:
DECRESCENDO, directed by Marta Minorowicz (Poland).
The jury has decided to give a special mention to two documentary shorts; the German, The Photographers Wife and the Polish film, Decrescendo. Both films are outstanding because of unexpected and unusual main characters, shown in a common situation and surrounding. Both films are very subtle and touch the audience with a poetic and intelligent form, letting them be part of the main characters lives.
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY AWARD for the Best European Film (nomination to the European Film Award 2011 in the short film category) for PAPARAZZI, directed by Piotr Bernaś (Poland).
The Polish film, Paparazzi, follows the work of a professional doing the dirty job of tabloid press photographer and at the same time deals with the soul of a man facing both the cruel and contemporary reality of history and the minor facts of life. After this film there is a good chance that Polanski will allow the photographer to take his picture.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
Having watched all the competition films, the National Competition Jury of the 51st Krakow Film Festival, consisting of: Jerzy Kapuściński – the chairman, Anna Kazejak-Dawid, Tomasz Kozak, Tadeusz Słobodzianek, and Marcin Wrona, have decided to award:
GOLDEN HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Film for Marcel Łoziński, the director of TONIA AND HER CHILDREN, in recognition of creating masterpiece that combines best traditions of Polish documentary films with intellectual courage and critical acuity,
SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Documentary Film for Paweł Kloc, the director of PHNOM PENH LULLABY,
SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the Director of the Best Animated Film for Kamil Polak, the director of THE LOST TOWN OF ŚWITEŹ,
SILVER HOBBY-HORSE forthe Director of the Best Feature Film for Magnus von Horn, the director of WITHOUT SNOW,
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
SHIVERING TRUNKS, directed by Natalia Brożyńska, for an innovative approach to narrative structure and for her sense of humour,
KWIEKULIK, directed by Joanna Turowicz and Anna Zakrzewska for the reference to the tradition of the Polish avant-garde,
The President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers Award for Wojciech Staroń for THE ARGENTINIAN LESSON,
The President of the Association of Polish Filmmakers Award for the Best Film Editing for Tomasz Wolski, the editor of the film DOCTORS,
The President of TVP S.A. (Polish Television) Award for the Best Director for Marcel Łoziński, the director of TONIA AND HER CHILDREN
The President of TVP S.A (Polish Television) Award for the Best Cinematography for Wojciech Staroń, the director of THE ARGENTINIAN LESSON.
Maciej Szumowski Award for remarkable social awarenessfounded by Kino Polska TV for Kuba Maciejko for BON APPETIT,
The Student Jury for National Competition, consisting of: Jolanta Rydel, Miłosz Stelmach, and Krzysztof Siwoń have decided to award THE ARGENTINIAN LESSON directed by Wojciech Staroń (Poland) for creative and personal approach to the documentary form and for great visual sensitivity.
More information to be found at: www.kff.com.pl
(In the picture – a still from Wojciech Staroń’s film „Argentinian Lesson”)