Imagine by Andrzej Jakimowski, photo: Kino Świat
Audiences at the 14th annual Polish Film Festival in Los Angeles were able to see up to 56 productions. The opening ceremony kicked off the event by presenting awards in categories including young talent, short film, animation and documentary.
The Opening Night Gala took place in the Egyptian Theatre and featured a plethora of Polish, Polish/American and American names on the invite-only list. Both national anthems were sung, and the evening concluded with an inaugural screening of Piotr Trzaskalski’s Mój rower / My Father’s Bike. Recipients of the 2013 awards included Andrzej Jakimowski, Sonia Bohosiewicz, Ivo Krankowski, Julia Kolberger, Kuba Gryżewski and Bartosz Gelner.
The Hollywood Eagle Award went to two movies this year: Marcin Krzysztalowicz’s Obława / Manhunt and Andrzej Jakimowski’s Imagine. The two directors, who studied film in Poland and have received recognition at festivals and contests, were awarded by two Americans, actor David Lago and director Dennis Dugan.
Marcin Dorociński in Obława directed by Marcin Krzyształowicz, photo: Jacek Drygała
For Best Documentary, Michal Bielawski’s Mundial. Gra o wszystko / Mundial. The Highest Stakes took the trophy. Julia Kolberger’s Mazurek / Easter Crumble won the category for Best Short Film while Jakub Pączek’s 128. Szczur / The 128th Rat) received Honourable Mention.
The Piotr Łazarkiewicz Award for Young Talent was awarded to Julia Kolberger and to Bartosz Gelner for his performance in Floating Skyscrapers. Paweł Prewencki was awarded in Best Animation Film for his production Co się dzieje gdy dzieci nie chcą jeść zupy / What Happens When Children Don’t Eat Soup?, from 2011.
According to the festival’s director, Vladek Juszkiewicz, interest in Polish films grows every year. In speaking about the criteria used for festival selections, he admits that their team chooses titles to appeal to U.S. audiences.
The opening ceremony in 2012 had featured Waldemar Krzystek’s 80 milionów / 80 Million, now a candidate in the 2013 Oscars in the category of foreign film. This year’s Polish candidate for the Academy Awards, Wałęsa. Człowiek z nadziei / Wałęsa. Man of Hope by Andrzej Wajda, was discussed as a screening option but negotiations failed and Trzaskalski’s movie was selected.
The juries for the competitions are composed of Hollywood film critics and creators. The organiser of the Polish Film Festival in Los Angeles is the Polish American Film Society. The event received financial support from the Polish Film Institute and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sources: PAP, author: MS 09/10/2013, translation: SMG 15/10/2013