WAJDA FILM SCHOOL:
A TRIPPLE PREMIRE

On Thursday, June 25th, at Warsaw’s Luna Cinema, three films produced by the Andrzej Wajda Film School have had their premiere: ‘On Credit’ by Przemek Nowakowski, ‘the Sleepwalkers’ by Maciek Sterło-Orlicki and ‘Street Feeling’ by Kristoffer Karlsson Rus.

Two of them were created as a part of the ‘30 Minutes’ programme:
‘On Credit’ directed by Przemysław Nowakowski is a modern version of a medieval legend about a couple of 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.

‘The Sleepwalkers’ by Maciek Sterło-Orlicki is a story reminding us that true love is much more important than all hair on our heads. 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. Cast: Wojciech Mecwaldowski,  Sylwia Juszczak, Monika Dryl, Andrzej Grabowski and Ewa Dałkowska.  
The main aim of the ‘30 minutes’ programme, originally initiated by Wojciech Marczewski, is to give young filmmakers a chance to make their feature film debut in professional conditions. The programme’s partners are: the Andrzej Wajda Film School, the A. Munk ‘Young&Film’ Studio, part of the Polish Film-Makers Association, the Polish Public Television and the Polish Film Institute.

The third film, ‘Street Feeling’ directed by Kristoffer Rus, is a contemporary statement on the subject of the seventh commandment: ‘Thou Shall Not Steal’. In the film two different worlds meet: the first one, the world of graffiti-makers who risk everything for the sake of artistic freedom and the second one, the world of consumption and advertising represented by a graphic designer Tomasz (Tomasz Sapryk). What does it have to do with the seventh commandment? The film was produced within the ‘Decalogue 89+’ programme. It was produced in cooperation with the Foundation ‘Institute for Promotion of Education’, the Operon Education Publishing House, Harpoon Films. The Andrzej Wajda Film School was the executive producer and took artistic care of the project.
‘Decalogue 89+’ is a series of short films made by young filmmakers on the occassion of the 20th anniversary of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s ‘Decalogue’. The aim of the project was to allow young filmmakers to express their fears and dilemmas they have to face every day. The films are being produced under the artistic tutelage of renowned creators, our tutors, for example: Wojciech Marczewski, Jacek Bławut and Joanna Krauze. The project is organized by: ‘The Institute for Promotion of Education’ Foundation and the OPERON Education Publishing House. The project’s partners are: the Andrzej Wajda Film School, PISF and TVP Kultura. The honorary patronage for the ‘Decalogue 89+’ has been granted by: Maria Kieślowska, Krzysztof Piesiewicz and archbishop Józef Życiński.

Przemysław Nowakowski, Maciek Sterło-Orlicki and Kristoffer Karlsson Rus are graduates of feature film courses at the Andrzej Wajda School.

The premiere was organized in cooperation with the ‘MAX-FILM’ Film Institution and the KINO LUNA Artistic Centre. It took place on 25th of July at 8PM.

 

(June 2009)