Songs of Redemption

The Domino Effect
 

The Domino Effect, Fugue for Cello, Trumpet and Landscape, and Songs of Redemption were chosen the best films of the 54^th Krakow Film Festival. On Sunday, screenings of awarded films will be held in Małopolski Ogród Sztuki.

During tonight’s Closing Ceremony, the winners in the documentary, short film, music and national competitions were announced. Once again, the gala was hosted by a music journalist Piotr Metz.

24 jury members working in six panels as well as the student’s jury watched 98 animations, documentaries and feature films taking part in four competitions of the 54^th Krakow Film Festival.

The jury chaired by Wojciech Staroń awarded a director duo: Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosołowski for the film The Domino Effect with Golden Horn—the  main prize in the International Documentary Competition. Silver Horn for the director of the best medium-length documentary went to Dan Wasserman for Do You Believe in Love? In the best feature-length documentary category, Silver Horn was granted to Talal Derki for Return to Homs.

Golden Dragon for the best film in the International Short Film Competition was awarded to Jerzy Kucia for Fugue for Cello, Trumpet and Landscape. Silver Dragon for the director of the best documentary went to Juliette Touin for the film The Big House. The Obvious Child directed by Stephen Irwing was chosen the best animated short film, while The Phone Call directed by Mat Kirkby won Silver Dragon for the best fiction film.

The jury chaired by Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz granted Amanda Sans and Miquel Galofré the Golden Heynal award—the main prize in the DocFilmMusic competition—for the film Songs of Redemption. My Prairie Home directed by Chelsea McMullan received a special mention.

Jury of the National Competition, chaired by Jerzy Śladkowski, awarded Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosołowski for the film The Domino Effect with Golden Hobby-Horse. Silver Hobby Horse for the director of the best documentary film went to Jan P. Matuszyński for Deep Love. Jury chose Hippos directed by Piotr Dumała the best animation, while Silver Hobby Horse for the best fiction film was awarded to Kacper Lisowski for Father’s Day.

The film Summer 2014 directed by Wojciech Sobczak received PRIX EFA 2014 for the best European film tantamount to nomination to the European Film Award in the short film category. Krakow Film Festival is the only film festival in Poland, which awards this distinction. All four winners of the International Short Film Competition, i.e. the laureate of Golden Dragon and the winners of Silver Dragons in documentary, animated, and fiction film categories, will have an easier way of receiving a nomination to Oscar in the short film category.

People’s Choise Award went to Sophia Turkiewicz for “Once My Mother”.

The 54^th Krakow Film Festival was full of film events. Bogdan Dziworski, an outstanding Polish director, cinematographer and photographer, received Dragon of Dragons for lifetime achievement. Piotr Metz together with the members of Budka Suflera announced the beginning of works on a film project under a working title “Session.” The planned documentary, directed by Maciej Dejczer, will focus on the events from 10 years ago, when the group went to Los Angeles to record an album in the legendary Village Recorders studio. The premiere was announced for the 55^th Krakow Film Festival.

As part of Industry Zone dedicated to film professionals present at the Festival, a number of film industry events took place—from pitchings, to panel discussions, to a master class. British documentaries were presented in the non-competitive section “Focus on the UK;” the filmmakers from Poland and Great Britain met at an industry conference. During Industry Party, this year’s laureate of the Dragon of Dragons award and the members of the Young Producers Section of the Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA) appeared in the uncharacteristic role of DJs.

An extensive account from the Festival—FestivalTV, photo galleries, and Festival Paper archival editions—can be found on Krakow Film Festival page or on our Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/krakowfilmfest

The Festival is organized by Krakow Film Foundation in cooperation with Polish Filmmakers Association and Apollo-Film.