25-11-2010

Apple Film Production Celebrates 20th Anniversary

By FNE Staff

    Apple Film Production, one of the first and leading independent production companies in Poland and in Central and Eastern Europe, celebrated it 20th anniversary on 22 November 2010. The company was founded in 1990 by Dariusz Jablonski, a graduate of the directing department of Lodz Film School, assistant to Krzysztof Kieslowski on Decalogue, Short Film about Love and Short Film about Killing. FNE congratulates Apple Film Production with an overview of the company, profiles of its core team, and a look at what's ahead for this visionary organization.

    {mosimage}Apple Film's roster of feature film directors is something of a "Who's Who" of Polish directors. They include Agnieszka Holland and Kasia Adamik (Janosik. The True Story), Krzysztof Krauze (Street Games), Robert Glinski (Benek), Filip Bajon (The Spring To Come), Malgorzata Szumowska, Andrzej Jakimowski, Krzysztof Zanussi (Solidarity, Solidarity) as well as debuting directors winning acclaim in Poland: Lukasz Barczyk (I'm Looking at you Marry), Artur Urbanski (Belissima), Iwona Siekierzynska (My Fried Chicken), Wojciech Smarzowski (The Auricle).

    Apple Film also produces full length documentaries, TV films, and TV series, with many of them winning national and international awards, as well as commercial success, such as. The Spring To Come (7% of Polish cinema audience in 2001) and the TV series The Cop by director Wladyslaw Pasikowski, acclaimed by Polish critics as the best Polish criminal TV series ever and film event of the year 2003.

    {mosimage}Apple Film has built a strong reputation for international co-productions with producers and television stations in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, France, Austria, Israel and Sweden, with the productions frequently supported by Eurimages and the MEDIA Programme. Moving forward in this field Apple Film recently completed shooting of a co-production with Israel. My Australia by Ami Drozd (with Transfax Films). Currently the company is shooting a co-production with France and Germany Land of Oblivion by director Michale Boganim with Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and Andrzej Chyra in main roles (Les Films du Poisson, Nikovantastic Film) .

    Looking ahead, the company has a number of exciting projects in development with directors such as Bruce Beresford (Enchantress of Numbers, coproduced with Enchantress Production LLC, Tarantula, Alwernia Studios), Amos Gitai (Lullaby for my Father, co-produced with Agav Films, Elefant Films and Achab Film), Władysław Pasikowski (Aftermath), Dariusz Jablonski (Immigrants, co-produced with Canada), Artur Urbański (Father), Chris Lavis and Maciej Szczebrowski (The White Circus, co-produced with Silo Corporation, Foundation Features, National Film Board in Canada, Lago Film GMbH), The Journey to Zamosc (co-produced with Eden Production).

    {mosimage}FILMOGRAPHY (SELECTION):

    2010

    BETWEEN TWO FIRES, dir. Agnieszka Łukasiak

    Warsaw International Film Festival 2010, official selection, 1-2 Competition

    Pusan International Film Festival, official selection

    2009

    JANOSIK. THE TRUE STORY, dir. Agnieszka Holland, Kasia Adamik

    34th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, official selection

    Slovak national film awards: Sun in the Net 2010, nominations in the categories: Best Production Design, Best Costumes, Best Make-up

    WAR GAMES, dir. Dariusz Jablonski

    Documentary

    IDFA 2009 Amsterdam, opening film, official selection

    Hot Docs 2010, Toronto, World Showcase

    Doc.Fest 2010, Munich, official selection

    Montreal International Film Festival 2010, official selection

    Bergen International Film Festival 2010, documentary section

    2007

    BENEK, dir. Robert Gliński,

    Tarnow Film Award, Filmmaker Statue for Robert Glinski

    Best Male Supporting Role, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    STRAWBERRY WINE, dir. Dariusz Jablonski

    Jancio Wodnik Best Camera, Best Actor, Best Music, Journalists Award, Wrzesnia,

    „Jantar" Best Camera Award, Koszalin, Debut Film Festival

    Young Jury Award for Dariusz Jabłoński, Koszalin, Debut Film Festival

    Tarnow Film Award: Special Prize of the Jury,

    shown at festivals in Mannheim, Haifa, Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava, Madeira, Sofia and others

    2005

    SOLIDARITY, SOLIDARITY, dir. A.Wajda, F.Bajon, K.Zanussi, J.Machulski, A.Jakimowski, M. Szumowska and others

    Platinum REMI Award, Houston International Film Festival for Best Historical Film

    Shown at over 20 world festivals i.e.: Chicago, Antwerpen, Cottbus, Trieste, Sarajevo, London, Barcelona, Seattle, New York

    2004

    MY FATHER, MY WIFE AND MY LOVER dir. Michael Kreihsl

    FIPA d'Or Grand Prize Drama in Biarritz 2005

    Undine Award for Best Young Actress in Television Movie

    2003-2008

    "THE COP", dir. Wladysław Pasikowski

    25x50 min., TV series for TVP1

    World Stunt Award, nomination in the category: Best Action Scene in Foreign Film
    Wiktor Award for Jerzy Radziwiłowicz, Best TV Actor

    2002

    MY FRIED CHICKEN, dir. Iwona Siekierzynska

    Gold Plague, Chicago International Television Awards

    Special Prize on the Festival Prix Europa, Berlin

    Polish Feature Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Award

    Jantar, Best Director, Best Female Role, Koszalin, Debut Film Festival

    Organizer Award on the Film Festival, Września

    Pegaz, Best Film, Polish TV Award

    2001

    THE SPRING TO COME, dir. Filip Bajon,

    Best Costumes, Best Music, Best Production Design Awards, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Diamond Ticket, Award of Polish Cinema Association

    BELLISSIMA, dir. Artur Urbański

    Young Marco Polo Award for Best Director of Venice International TV Festival

    CANAL GRANDE AWARD for the Best Female Role MFT, of Venice International TV Festival,

    Best Director's Debut, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Best Actress Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    KRRiTv Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Jantar, Best Director, Festival of the Debuts, Koszalin

    Toronto IFF, in Discoveries

    DATED XX CENTURY, dir. Andrzej Brzozowski

    Special Screening, IFFF Venice

    2000

    SUCKER'S SEASON, dir. Bogusław Linda,

    Best Comedy, Award Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Silver Ticket, Award of Polish Cinema Association

    REED DANCE, dir. Andrzej Fidyk

    Documentary

    Top Ten, Cologne

    Intermedia Globe Gold, Hamburg

    1999

    I'M LOOKING AT YOU MARY, dir. Łukasz Barczyk

    Director Debut Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Best Actress Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Gdynia's President Award for the Best Actor Debut, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Jury Special Award, IFF Mannheim-Heidelberg

    Special Mention of the Critics, IFF Mannheim-Heidelberg

    Tarnów Film Award: Grand Prix, Leliwita Statue, Special Award, Leliwita Statue for Maja Ostaszewska

    Andrzej Munk Award for Łukasz Barczyk

    1998

    SEKAL HAS TO DIE, reż. Vladimir Michalek

    Best Actor Award, IFF Karlovy Vary

    Ecumenical Jury Award, IFF Karlovy Vary

    Best Script Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Gold Sirene for Best Film on Polish Screens, Polish Critics Award

    Critics Prize, AFIF Los Angeles

    Best Actor, Best Actress, Czech Lions, Best Music, Awards of The Czech Film and TV Academy

    Best Actor, Best Script, Eagles, Best Producer Awards of Polish Film Awards

    THE AURICLE, dir. Wojciech Smarzowski

    Best Production Designer Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Young Jury Award

    PHOTOGRAPHER, dir. Dariusz Jabłoński

    Documentary

    Grand Prix Fipa D'or, Biarritz,

    Grand Prix Joris Ivens VPRO, IDFA Amsterdam,

    Prix Europa, Berlin,

    Prix Planete, Biarritz,

    Best Documentary Award, Double Take Festival, Durham,

    Special Mention, Pessac,

    Don Quijot FICC Prize, IFF Cracow,

    Press Jury Prize, Balticum Film & TV Festival, Bornholm 99

    Best Documentary, TV Festival, Banff,

    Bavarian Television Prize 99

    Adolf Grimme Prize 2000

    1996

    STREET GAMES, dir. Krzysztof Krauze

    Special Jury Award, Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Best Picture, Best Editing Award Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia

    Tarnow Film Award: Grand Prix and Audience Award