Se-Ma For European / Asian Express 2011 is a multidisciplinary project spanning four cities - two European (Madrid and Paris) and two Asian (Tokyo and Beijing)
The two-day festival programme includes film screenings, animation workshops, a concert, a history lecture and a showcase of the best in Polish film from the world's most recognised Polish Animation film studios - Se-Ma-For.
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SE-MA-FOR’s film morning for kids is something special for the youngest of film-goers. The first day (screenings start at approx. 10am) features a showing of 'bed time stories' produced in the former "Studio Małych Form Filmowych Se-ma-for" / "Small Forms Film Studio Se-Ma-For". The programme includes "Miś Uszatek" / "Big-eared Bear", "Przygody kota Filemona" / "The Adventures of Filemon the Cat", "Kolorowy świat Pacyka" / "The Colourful World of Pacik", "Opowiadania Muminków" / "the Moomin Series", "Mały pingwin Pik-Pok" / "Little Penguin Pik-Pok", "Zaczarowany ołówek" / "The Magic Pencil", "Przygód kilka wróbla Ćwirka" / "The Adventures of a Couple Sparrows".
In the afternoon Se-Ma-For's "Muzeum Bakji" / "Story Museum" will begin an animation workshop entitled "Karol Szymanowski- Visual Improvisation" with 15-20 participants. It will be conducted in four capitals, including: Madrid, Paris, Beijing and Tokyo.Taking the music of Polish composer Karol Szymanowski as a stimulus, participants will aim to create a plastic form that corresponds to the musical theme within Szymanowski's works. The workshop coordinators are Maria Dzierżanowska, a graphic designer, animator and Łódź graduate as well as Paulina Zacharek, an art historian and co-founder of the współzałożycielka "Sztuk-Pol" assosciation.
Along with workshops for kids - older film fans will also be able to catered to:
- SE-MA-FOR FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR 2011, PART 1
In September 2010 the Se-ma-for Film Foundation inaugurated a completely new international animation film festival dedicated to puppet techniques. The first edition of the festival (23-25th of September, 2010) took place in Łódź, hosting an audience of more than 3500. This year the two-day SE-MA-FOR FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR includes films from the first edition of the festival, including: "Walter. Dialog z wyobraźnia" / "Walter. A Dialogue with the Imagination" (Holland 2010), "Esterhazy" / " (Poland/Germany 2009), "Dog" (Great Britain 2002), "Tramwaj" / "Tram" (Poland 2007), "Tord&Tord" (Sweden 2010), "RED-END and the seemingly symbiotic society" (Holland 2009); "Parasolki" / "Umbrellas" (Poland 1960), "Go South Africa!" (Holland 2010, 2’13”), "Elukka" (Finland 2005), "Chainsaw Maid" (Japan 2007), "Bath" (Japan 2008), "Oczekiwanie" / "Expectation" (Poland 1962), "My Baby Just Cares For Me" (Great Britain, 1987).
- SE-MA-FOR CLASSIC – ANIMATION FILMS FROM STUDIO SE-MA-FOR'S 60 YEAR HISTORY
The programme includes the most accomplished 'older' works from the Se-Ma-For studio, that utilize traditional techniques. Films include: "Igraszki" / "Plaything" (1962), "Czarny kapturek" /"Black Hood" (1983), "Hobby" (1968), "Fantastyczny sklep z kwiatami" / "The Fantastic House of Flowers" (2001), "Danny Boy" (2010), "Schody" / "Stairs" (1968), "Nerwowe życie kosmosu" / "The Nervous Life of the Cosmos" (1986), "Nie drażnić lwa" / "Don't Tease a Lion" (1960) and "DIM" (1992).
During the late afternoon there will be a screening of the film series "Opowieść o Se-ma-forze…" / "A Story About Se-Ma-For" by Adam Ptak, Se-ma-for's vice-president, on the types of techniques that the studio specialises in. There will also be a presentation of selected puppets created by the artists from the Se-Ma-For studio (including the original models of "Big-eared Bear", "Pik-Pok Penguin", "Bear Colargol" and "Peter"). After the lecture a screening entitled "Young Se-ma-for" will showcase the newest films from Se-ma-for created by a new generation of Polish film talent. The programme includes: "Miasto płynie" / "A City, Afloat" (2008), dir. Balbina Bruszewska, "Caracas" (2006), dir. Anna Błaszczyk, "Underlife" (2010), dir. Jarosław Konopka, "Powrót" / "The Return" (2008), dir. Anna Błaszczyk, "Snępowina" (2010), dir. Marta Pajek, "Radostki" / "Pieces of Joy" (2009), dir. Magdalena Osińska, "Dwa kroki za" / "Two Steps Forward" (2010), dir. Paulina Majda, "Anunnaki" (2004), dir. Daria Kopiec, "Wiara, nadzieja i miłość" / "Belief, Hope and Love" (2003), dir. Balbina Bruszewska (all films will include subtitles).
The first day will finish with a special showing of the film "Świteź" / "Water-Nymph" (2011) directed by Kamil Polak - the long anticipated animated adaptation of a ballad by Adam Mickiewicz, a project which was born eight years ago at the Se-ma-for studios. The screening will be initiated with a multimedia presentation featuring pictures by Daniel Cebula, which formed the visual blueprint for the film's plastic models.
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The programme for the second day will begin (at approx. 10am) with a double-showing of Se-ma-for titles from both classic films to newer movies for children. The programme includes: "Cyrk" / "Circus" (1954), dir. Włodzimierz Haupe, "Pyza" / "Dumpling" (1959), dir. Lucjan Dembiński;, "Maluch" / "Tiny One" (1965), dir. Lucjan Dembiński, "Kundelek" / "Mongrel" (1969), dir. Lidia Hornicka, "Smok Barnaba" / "Barnaba's Dragon" (1977), dir. Tadeusz Wilkosz, "O najwiekszej kłótni" / "The Biggest Arguement" (1999), dir. Zbigniew Kotecki, "Radostki" / "Pieces of Joy" (2009), dir. Magdalena Osińska (all films will include subtitles).
Se-ma-for's Animation Vacation is a series of films created by young people during animation workshops organised by Se-Ma-For during the summer of 2009 as part of the "Animation Vacation" series. The programme includes: "The Kuglarz", "Pączek" / "Doughnut", "To nie jest czekolada" / "This is Not Chocolate", "Wyspa" / "Island", "Ludzka natura" / "Human Nature", "Const" (all films include subtitles).
Immediately after the showing (at approx. midday) animation workshops entitled "Young Eurasia Express Powered by Poland" take place.The workshops allow for a group of ten to become temporary animated "puppets". The initiative is led by set designer and screenwriter Daria Wiktoria Kopiec and the text is based on the collective works of Stanisław Lem. Participants can experiment with moving and changing positions in keeping with the format of a stopmotion animation film. The project's camera operator (Emil Kumor) will be photographing each movement. The project will take the following extract of Lem's "Solaris" as its point of entry: "We don't need other worlds. What we need is a mirror." The four different capitals will work on four different themes which will be joined together during postproduction (a copy of the edited film will be made available to all of the workshop participants). The aim of the workshops is not to form a perfect example of animation film (where every second of film consiosts of 24 individual frames). Instead, the sessions are intended to help young people understand stop-frame animation, and how such films are made. Participants will be able to virtually change form and create fantastic moves onscreen. Audiences can also see screenings of the finished projects (each screening will be proceeded by a brief introduction from Piotr Kardas).
- SE-MA-FOR FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR 2011, PART 2 (Day One)
- WŁADYSŁAW STAREWICZ YESTERDAY & TODAY – Screening of a documentary film entitled "Treser żuków" / "Beetle Trainer" about a pioneer puppet animator (Poland / Lithuania 2008, 53’)
- SE-MA-FOR EXPERIMENTALISM– A SELECTION OF ANIMATED FILMS FROM THE STUDIO'S 60-YEAR HISTORY. The film review includes the most known experimental films created by Se-Ma-For creators, including "Plaża" / "The Beach" (1964), dir. Edward Sturlis, "Nowa książka" / "New Book" (1975), dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński, "Oj! Nie mogę sie zatrzymać!" / "Oh I Can't Stop Myself!" (1975), dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński, "Portret" / "Portrait" (1977), dir. Stanisław Lenartowicz, "Martwy cień" / "Lifeless Shadow" (1980), dir. Andrzej Klimowski, "Linia" / "Line" (1981), dir. Grzegorz Rogala, "Pierwszy film" / "First Film" (1981), dir. Józef Piwkowski, "Blok" / "Block" (1982), dir. Hieronim Neumann, "Zupa" / "Soup" (1974), dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński.
Crowning the Se-ma-for European/Asian Express 2011 series will be a special evening comprised of:
Se-ma-for Masters: a series of animation classics produced by Se-Ma-For studio. The programme includes: "Ichthys" (2005), dir. Marek Skrobecki, "Piotruś i Wilk" / "Peter & The Wolf" (2006), dir. Suzie Templeton, "Maska" / "Mask" (2010), dir. Quay Brothers, "Tango" (1980), dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński, "Kwartecik" / "Quartet" (1965), dir. Edward Sturlis, "Za króla Krakusa" / "For King Krakus" (1947), dir. Zenon Wasilewski, "Ściany" / "Walls" (1987), dir. Piotr Dumała, "Fotel" / "Sofa" (1963), dir. Daniel Szczechura, "Wszystko jest liczbą" / "Everything is a Number" (1966), dir. Stefan Schabenbeck, "Koty i kociaki" / "Cats and Kittens" (1964), dir. Tadeusz Wilkosz .
The concert "Starewicz in Russia - a film review with live music" with a performance by the SzaZa group, i.e.: Patryk Zakrocki and Paweł Szamburski -musicians, improvisors, animators who, since 1999, have been an active force on the music improv and independent arts scene.
The closing gala of the Se-ma-for Film Festival will present unique musical takes on four film classics by Władysław Starewicz, including "Lilia Belgii" / "The Lilly of Belgium" (1915, 14'), "Konik polny i mrówka" / "The Grasshopper and the Ant" (1911, 5'), "Boże Narodzenie w lesie" / "Christmas in the Forest" (1911, 7'), "Zemsta operatora filmowego" / "The Revenge of the Camera Operator" (1911, 12').
Date: 10-11th of December, 2011 (10am)
Venue: Cinéma Reflet Médicis, Paris
Organiser: Fundacja Filmowa Se-ma-for / "Se-Ma-For Film Foundation"
In France the project takes place as part of the KINOPOLSKA festival organised by the Polish Institute in Paris in assosciation with PISF. A special highlight of the festival is a series of screenings of the Guide to the Poles documentary series.
See more on KINOPOLSKA in Paris
Project cofinanced by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
Source: Adam Mickiewicz Institute