POLISH AND ROMANIAN CO-PRODUCTION ONCE AGAIN AMONG THE BEST
Six Polish films were awarded at the 21st Film Festival in Cottbus, which finished on 6th November, a festival that is considered the most important event which screens Eastern European films. Two of the awards went to a Polish and Romanian documentary co-production, "Crulic - The Path to Beyond", directed by Anca Damian.
"Crulic - The Path to Beyond" is a full-legth, partly animated documentary realized in Polish and Romanian co-production. The film was awarded with Honorary Mention and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. Anca Damian's film was previously awarded with, among others, Special Mention from the International Federation of Film Societies at 64th Locarno Film Festival.
It is worth mentioning that, at the 21st Film Festival in Cottbus, Leszek Dawid's "Ki" was awarded twice in the feature film competition: with FIPRESCI prize and with Special Prize for an Outstanding Actress for Roma Gąsiorowska. Prize for Best Youth Film went to Jan Komasa for "Suicide Room" and Special Prize was awared to Piotr Subbotka for "Glasgow".
"Crulic – The Path to Beyond" tells the story about a man who, trying to turn attention to the injustice, goes on hunger strike and dies in prison.
The film recounts real events that took place in Poland. On 11th July 2007 a judge’s wallet with credit cards was stolen in a store. The thief was described as a dark-haired man with swarthy complexion. The police, in a hurry to please the judge, arrested the alleged wrongdoer: Claudiu Crulic, 33-years-old Romanian. Claudiu Crulic claimed that he was in Milan when the theft had been committed. He tried to contact the Romanian authorities. Soon he announced the beginning of a hunger strike. Four months later, Crulic died in a Polish detention centre. During this time, neither doctors, guards, nor Romanian diplomats paid attention to his testimony and checked whether the man was in fact outside the country. The man passed away on 18th January 2008, only a few hours after he was released by Polish prison services so as to be hospitalised.
Recounting the controversial story that hit the headlines was only a starting point. The Romanian protagonist serves as a universal symbol of rebellion, an individual’s desperate fight with the system, and the never fulfilled lust for freedom. The uncommonness of Crulic’s story has found its reflection in the innovative film form. "Crulic - The Path to Beyond" combines techniques of animation, fiction, and documentary. The ironical first-person narration from the grave evokes “Casino”; they both share the uncompromising world vision that is also the characteristic of “Waltz with Bashir".
More about the festival in Cottbus at: www.filmfestivalcottbus.de.