5 FILMS FROM WAJDA SCHOOL
AT FESTIVAL IN KAZIMIERZ

At this year's The Two Riversides Film and Art Festival the Andrzej Wajda School will present 5 productions: 2 feature films and 3 documentary films.

Festival audience will have a chance to see: 'On Credit' directed by Przemysław Nowakowski, 'Sleepwalkers' by Maciek Sterło-Orlicki, 'Pogodna' by Renata Gabryjelska, 'Mother' by Jakub Piątek and 'Woman Sought' by Michał Marczak.
 
'On Credit' directed by Nowakowski is a modern version of medieval legend about two lovers who couldn't see each other because of a curse. In the case of Agnieszka (Magdalena Górska) and Lucek (Łukasz Garlicki) the curse turns out to be a mortgage loan whose payment requires from them more and more commitment to their jobs. After some time they hardly see each other and they contact only through video-letters.
 
'Sleepwalkers' by Sterło-Orlicki is a story reminding us that true love is much more important than all hair on our head. The main character – a barber Rafał – does not want to accept the breakdown of his relationship with overworked Kama. He is still  living with her parents. One day, to his barbershop there comes Majka, a woman who will turn his life upside down. 
 
These two feature films were produced within the framework of the '30 minutes' programme which was established in 2005 on the initiative of Wojciech Marczewski. The goal of this programme is to enable young filmmakers to make their feature film debut in professional conditions. The partners of the '30 minutes' are: the Andrzej Wajda Film School, the Andrzej Munk Studio 'The Young and Film' which is a part of the Polish Filmmakers Association, the Polish Television and the Polish Film Institute.  

Przemysław Nowakowski and Maciek Streło-Orlicki are graduates of the Fiction Course at the Andrzej Wajda School.

In Kazimierz will be presented also awarded in Koszalin film 'Pogodna' by Renata Gabryjelska. This is a story about a complicated relationship between a mother and an unmarried daughter who still live together in a small flat. Running a dancing group for seniors seems to give their lives a meaning and compensates the lack of men in their lives. Renata Gabryjelska is a graduate of the Documentary Course and of the ‘Development Lab’ Fiction Course at the Andrzej Wajda Film School.

Moreover at The Two Riversides Festival will be shown two films produced within the frame of 'The Firs Documentary' programme run by: the Andrzej Wajda Film School, the Andrzej Munk Studio 'The Young and Film' which is a part of the Polish Filmmakers Association, the Polish Television and the Polish Film Institute. It will be: 'Mother' by Jakub Piątek and 'Woman Sought' by Michał Marczak.

'Mother' is a story of mother who comes to visit her son – in prison. One hour in the prison meeting room, that must suffice for several weeks...
'Woman Sought' film is a portrait of people looking for love: a French aristocrat hires a professional matchmaker to help him find a wife in Poland. Meetings with possible candidates show women’s fears, expectations and secret desires.
Michał Marczak graduated from the Documentary Course at the Andrzej Wajda Film School.

In Kazimierz will be presented 'Królik po berlińsku [Rabbit à la Berlin]' directed by Bartek Konopka - the graduate of the Wajda School. The film tells a story of thousands of rabbits which lived in the Death Zone of the Berlin Wall. The film is an allegory which brings closer the history of Eastern Europe as seen from a 'rabbit' perspective. For director Bartek Konopka and cinematographer Piotr Rosołowski it is a second attempt, after 'Ballada o kozie [Goat Walker]', to tell about people through the prism of animals. 'Królik po berlińsku' is an international project financed by MDR, RBB and ARTE televisions and by Polish television TVP1. It was also co-financed by: Finnish television YLE, Belgian Lichtpunt and Dutch VPRO. The film was produced with the support of the MEDIA programme, the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing and the Polish Film Institute. The producers are: MS Films, Poland and majade Filmproduktion, Germany.

 
Screenings of the films from the Andrzej Wajda School will take place in the Small Cinema:

2.08.
'Sleepwalkers' 6 PM

7.08.
'Pogodna' 10 AM
'Woman Sought' 2 PM
'Mother' 4 PM
'On Credit' 6 PM

'Rabbit à la Berlin'
1.08., 6 PM
6.08., 4 PM

 

(August 2009)