CRACOW: Tonia and Her Children directed by Marcel Lozinski won the main prize in the National Competition at the 51 Krakow Film Festival (www.kff.com.pl) (23-29 May 2011) for best Polish documentary. The prize for Best Documentary went to The Argentinian Lesson directed by Wojciech and the prize for Best Short Documentary went to 1994 directed by Haveh Tehrani. The festival has three competitions, National, Documentary and Short Film Competitions. Phnom Penh Lullaby directed by Pawel Kloc was awarded the second prize in the Documentary competition.

Altogether 87 films, selected from 2700 entries, entered the three competitions.

Krakow, 31st March 2011 - There are 39 films competing in the International Short Film Competition at the 51^st Krakow Film Festival, which is held from May 23rd to May 29th. The short film category is one of the festival's three competitions of equal rank, and its winner is awarded the Golden Dragon prize.

This year there are three hundred representatives of the documentary, fiction, and animation genre taking part in the oldest competition of Krakow Film Festival. The accepted films must have been no longer than thirty minutes. Although statistically the documentary film is the most frequent winner, this year the battle within the fiction film category will be particularly fierce. Daniel Mulloy, the winner of the Golden Dragon in 2007 whose shocking "Dad" divided the festival audience, is now back in the competition with his new film "Baby". There is also an American comedy with Anthony Hopkins. On the other side of the emotional pole is the Lithuanian depiction of the tragedy that took place in a small Austrian town, where a monster-father imprisoned his daughter and their five consecutively born children ("Our Father").

Paradoxically, Poland is represented by a Swede, outstanding Magnus von Horn ("Without Snow"), the two-time winner of our festival, who was last time awarded the Silver Hobby-Horse in 2009 for his "Echo"- adds Krzysztof Gierat, the Festival director. The fiction film category is complemented by the intriguing and entertaining films playing with the conventions of the genre cinema („Hasaki Ya Suda" and „Prunelle and Melodie").

The documentary section powerfully demonstrates the cultural diversity of the world. Although we have a very European slant this year, you will find a wealth of more exotic cinema at the competition. From Cuba we have the enigmatic "Raul's World", and from India "At the Stairs", which shows us the cremation grounds where widows who have escaped suttee - the ritual suicide after husband's death, are awaiting Moksha - liberation from the cycle of life and death. Two documentary films from Poland will have their world premiere in Krakow, along with "Without Snow" by von Horn. We will also show "Paparazzi" by Piotr Bernaś, an extravagant portrayal of celebrities' most hated profession, as well as "Decresendo" a cheerful story of a rest home by Marta Mironowicz who won of major prizes in Lipsk and Clermont-Ferrand for "A Piece of Summer".

While choosing films for the animated film section we have aimed at showing its adundant diversity - says Krzysztof Gierat - There will be short and amusing films from the Russian school of animation, and philosophical German films, along with Portuguese poetry and animated documentaries. A big favourite last year was "Millhaven" by Bartek Kulas which features a soundtrack by Nick Cave, but this year we are going ahead with "Stones", the animated Czech musical about love and crime!'

The results for national competition will be published on 1st April, the results for documentary competition could be found on the website http://www.krakowfilmfestival.pl/

The list of films selected for the international short film competition

Documentary

1. „Bread for Bird", dir. Aleksandra Strelyanaya, Russia 26'

2. „Playground", dir. Susanna Helke, Finland 30'

3. „Out of Round - What is Behind?", dir. Jaro Vojtek, Slovakia 30'

4. „At the Stairs", dir. Rajesh S. Jala, India 30'

5. „Raul's World", dir. Jessica Rodríguez, Zoe Miranda, Cuba 20'

6. „Czech Post-War History", dir. Jaroslav Kratochvíl, Czech Republic 9'

7. „Photographer's Wife", dir. Philip Widmann, Karsten Krause, Germany 29'

8. „I'm Never Afraid!", dir. Willem Baptist, Netherlands 20'

9. „Stranger", dir. Christophe Hermans, Belgium, 12'

10. „I Will Forget This Day", dir. Alina Rudnitskaya, Russia 25'

11. „Night Falls on the Menagerie", dir. Nicolas Philibert, France 11'

12. „Paparazzi", dir. Piotr Bernaś, Poland 30'

13. „Decrescendo", dir. Marta Minorowicz, Poland 22'

Fiction

1. „Baby", dir. Daniel Mulloy, UK 25'

2. „1994", dir. Kaveh Tehrani, Norway 29'

3. „The Quartet", dir. Sarah Arnold, France 15'

4. „The Third Rule", dir. Aundre Johnson, USA 15'

5. „Our Father, dir. Marius Ivaskevicius, Lithuania 28'

6. „Prunelle and Melodie", dir. Simonet Mathieu, France 32'

7. „Hasaki Ya Suda, dir. Cédric Ido, France 24'

8. „Yuri Lennon's Landing on Ralpha 46", dir. Anthony Vouardoux, Germany / Switzerland 15'

9. „Battle for Britain", dir. Alex Helfrecht , UK 13'

10. „I", dir. David Fonjallaz, Switzerland 12'

11. „The Birthday Circle", dir. Philip Lepherd , UK 5'

12. „Casus Belli", dir. Yorgos Zois, Greece 11'

13. „Without Snow", dir. Magnus von Horn, Poland / Sweden 30'

Animation

1. „Journey To Cape Verde", dir. José Miguel Ribeiro, Portugal 17'

2. „Sticky Ends", dir. Osman Cerfon, France 6'

3. „1989. When I Was 5 Years Old", dir. Thor Ochsner, Denmark 10'

4. „One More Time!", dir. Ekaterina Ovchinnikova, Tatiana Okruzhnova, Alina Yakhyaeva, Nataliya Pavlycheva, Mariya Arkhipova, Russia 3'

5. „Stones", dir. Katarina Kerekesova, Slovakia 26'

6. „I Have Fear", dir. Mariola Brillowska and her students, Germany 15'

7. „Lowdown Empire", dir. Polina Grinberg, USA 13'

8. „Once Only", dir. Nuno Amorim, Portugalia 6'

9. „Swings and Milkshakes", dir. Fernando Mendes, Erick Ricco, Brasil 10'

10. „The Renter", dir. Jason Carpenter, USA 9'

11. „Sunday 2", dir. Jochen Kuhn, Germany 11'

12. „Women's Day Gift", dir. Mihail Dvorjankin, Russia 8'

13. „Talk to Him", dir. Agata Prętka, Poland 7'

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Krakow, 1st April 2011 – National competition of 51st Krakow Film Festival (23^rd -29^th May) includes 35 titles. The winner of the national competition will be awarded with the Golden Hobby-Horse.

It is for the first time that feature documentaries enter the national competition. Two of them participate also in the international competition: “The Doctors” by Tomasz Wolski, currently in the post-production phase, and “Phnom Penh Lullaby” by Paweł Kloc, which has already been invited to three foreign festivals: in Nyon, Sheffield, and Toronto. Among feature films, there is also “Pomeranian Illusions” by Jacob Dammas and Helge Renner, which may move the audience just like “North from Calabria” did last year.

Marcel Łoziński, a Polish documentary classic, will present his most recent production, “Tonia and her children”. – says Krzysztof Gierat, festival director - This year we will have the opportunity not only to thank him for his regular presence at the Festival, but also to congratulate him on his birthday, a round anniversary coming up. It was after a nomination at our Festival that his “Poste Restante” was awarder with the European Film Award.

Once again, we have the pleasure of watching many talented laureates come back with their new films. Among them, there are Marcin Sauter, Maciej Cuske, and Wojciech Staroń, whose “Argentinian Lesson” participates also in the international competition. These films comment not only on our Polish reality; filmmakers more and more often turn to the exotic parts of the world. This year, we will visit Cambodia, Argentina, Cuba, Kalmykia and Kyrgyzstan, Syria, and Lebanon. Having taken its rather absurd title from Marcin Świetlicki’s song, “Jewish Moon” presents an unexpected spiritual transformation of a young soccer yob, while “Paparazzi” (also in the international competition) is a dynamic story about a photojournalist who, employing a rather particular ethic code, hunts his prey like a hound.

Debuts are also awaiting; they are always mostly anticipated because of the fame of the Polish documentary school. – continues Krzyszof Gierat - I am sure that there are award candidates among the debutants.

What about the fiction film category? Can we expect a fierce competition between two previous laureates of the Festival: Kuba Czekaj and Magnus von Horn? Or maybe they will be beaten by the only woman in this section, Julia Kolberger, or by Maciej Bochniak and Sławomir Shuty, whose insane, and very Krakow-like in its cast, “The Room” will be premiered here?

In the animation category, we will see films both from awarded, well-known filmmakers like Dragon of Dragons laureates - the Quay Brothers and a many times winner in Krakow - Piotr Dumała and from young authors, often still students. A new production from Damian Nenow will be presented by Platige Image studio.

List of films selected for National Competition.

Documentary

1. „Phnom Penh Lullaby”, dir. Paweł Kloc, 97’

2. „The Doctors”, dir. Tomasz Wolski, 82’

3. „Pomeranian Illusions”, dir. Jacob Dammas, Helge Renner, 70’

4. „Tonia and Her Children”, dir. Marcel Łoziński, 57’

5. „Downtown”, dir. Piotr Śliwowski, Marta Dzido, 54’

6. „Argentinian Lesson”, dir. Wojciech Staroń, 52’

7. „Agnieszka Is Not Here”, dir. Paweł Jóźwiak-Rodan, 52’

8. „Planet Kirsan”, dir. Magdalena Pięta, 51’

9. „Scrap Odyssey”, dir. Paweł Ferdek, Łukasz Gutt, 48’

10. „Kwiekulik”, dir. Joanna Turowicz, Anna Zakrzewska, 48’

11. „Far From the City”, dir. Maciej Cuske, 45’

12. „Jewish Moon”, dir. Michał Tkaczyński, 45’

13. „Paparazzi”, dir. Piotr Bernaś, 30’

14. „Bon Apetit”, dir. Kuba Maciejko, 31’

15. „My Father Lazaro”, dir. Marcin Filipowicz , 29’

16. „Hakawati”, dir. Marcin Sauter, 40’

17. „Hermits”, dir. Kacper Czubak, 26’

18. „Decrescendo”, dir. Marta Minorowicz, 22’

19. „Rescued”, dir. Wojciech Szumowski, 24’

20. „Returns”, dir. Krzysztof Kadłubowski, 7’

Animation

1. „The Lost City of Świteź”, dir. Kamil Polak, 26’

2. “Maska”, dir. Bracia Quay, 24’

3. “Paths of Hate”, dir. Damian Nenow, 10’

4. „Dr Character presents”, dir. Piotr Dumała, 8’

5. „Talk to Him”, dir. Agata Prętka, 7’

6. „Two Steps Behind…”, dir. Paulina Majda, 7’

7. „The Gallery”, dir. Robert Proch, 5’

8. „Shivering Trunks”, dir. Natalia Brożyńska, 3’

Fiction

1. „Without Snow”, dir. Magnus von Horn, 30’

2. „I Won’t Be Here Tomorrow”, dir. Julia Kolberger, 28’

3. „Twist & Blood”, dir. Kuba Czekaj, 30’

4. „The Room”, dir. Maciej Bochniak, Sławek Shuty 30’

5. „Glasgow”, dir. Piotr Subbotko, 30’

6. „Normal People”, dir. Piotr Złotorowicz, 25’

7. „Heroic Parrot with The Dog”, dir. Marcin Sławek, 12’

Polish films selected for international competitions

Documentary competition: „The Doctors”, dir. Tomasz Wolski, „Phnom Penh Lullaby”, dir. Paweł Kloc, „Argentinian Lesson”, dir. Wojciech Staroń and short film competition: „Without Snow”, dir. Magnus von Horn, ”Paparazzi”, dir. Piotr Bernaś, „Decrescendo”, dir. Marta Minorowicz, i „Talk to Him”, dir. Agata Prętka.

Conact for media:

Anna E. Dziedzic

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Tel: +48 12 294 69 45

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Krakow, 5th April 2011 - Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald invited the Internet users from all over the world to produce a film together. The result stirred a sensation in Sundance and in Berlin. A feature documentary, "Life in a Day", will open the 51^st Krakow Film Festival on 23^rd May.

This is a true global film experiment: 80 thousand people from 197 countries have sent to YouTube short films showing one day, 24^th July, 2010, through their eyes. The directors, Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald, together with a team of selectors undertook the task of choosing and editing the right pieces. The outcome is a unique production which is not just a colourful and dynamic collage, but an attempt on a deeper synthesis. How does a day of an average man look like? Who is the contemporary man?

The film premiered on 28^th January simultaneously at Sundance Festival and on the Internet. It will be made available on YouTube once again on its first anniversary, 24^th July, 2011. In Krakow, it will participate in the exclusive Documentary Competition, opening the second half century of the Festival.

‘This is the first time I have invited a production to a competition only after several minutes of screening,' says Krzysztof Gierat, the Festival director. ‘I am happy to share it with the international audience of Krakow Film Festival.'

51st Krakow Film Festival is held 23rd - 28th May 2011. Applying for industry and media accreditations is now possible. Deadline is 13th May 2011, but till 22nd April discount prices apply: option 'Industry' allows you to participate in the Festival and Krakow Film Market (180 PLN), option 'Festival' enables participation in all festival screenings and costs 150 PLN, accreditation for media is 60 PLN. Since 22nd April prices are accordingly: 220 PLN / 200 PLN / 100 PLN.

Booking passes for the Festival is also possible now. Everyone who books festival pass till 10th May on the website http://www.krakowfilmfestival.pl/, gets discount - 80 PLN regular fare and 50 PLN discount fare for students.

After the screening in Berlin, the critics wrote:

‘The film watches on a big screen like an impressive, 90 minute long trailer of festival films. There is everything in one picture - illness (‘this is my first poop in a week,' one of the characters says) and death, unfulfilled love (a man in love desperately tries to make a date) and public marriage proposal, yet another beer drunk on a bench in a park, shopping at the market, and religious rituals.' Paweł Felis (Gazeta Wyborcza)

‘"Life in a Day" has the pace of a commercial break. It is spectacular, sometimes funny (a Korean travelling around the world on a bike compares the sizes of flies in different countries), sometimes sad (a cancer-diagnosed woman) or touching (a young man reveals to his grandmother that he is gay). Unlike in real life, there is no place for boredom in this film. The audience in Berlin was delighted; we felt like a part of a big human community.' Małgorzata Sadowska (Przekrój)

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMxuocCN1O0

About the authors:

Ridley Scott - a director, producer, film set designer, three times nominated to the Oscar, for "Thelma & Louise", "Gladiator", and "Black Hawk Down", awarded in Cannes for his debut, "The Duellists". He gained popularity thanks to, among others, "Alien", "Blade Runner", "Hannibal", and "Robin Hood".

Kevin Macdonald - a director, producer, scriptwriter, awarded with the Oscar for a documentary, "One Day in September" and twice with the BAFTAs (including "The Last King of Scotland"), the author of "Touching the Void".

Contact for media:

Anna E. Dziedzic

PR Manager

Krakow Film Festival

Tel: +48 12 294 69 45, Mobile: +48 696 448 795

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Krakow, 4^th May 2011 - The exclusive cycle "Krakow Documentary Premieres" is one of the main attractions of the Krakow Film Festival. The idea behind this section is a presentation of the newest documentaries, touching upon the actual issues, which are often difficult and controversial.

This year the film-makers from Spain, Israel, Germany, and the United States will confront the viewers with questions of moral, social, and artistic nature; questions on small and large scale.

-This year "Krakow Documentary Premieres" will unveil its more feminine side - says Krzysztof Gierat, director of the Krakow Film Festival - In four out of six films included in the cycle women are the main characters, and with them the family and intimate stories are coming to the fore.

One of them, for instance, captures the adventures connected with a search for an appropriate partner. In "Arranged Happiness", a Hindu-German co-production, the groom is brought to the bride by the caring Hindu family in accordance with the centuries-old tradition. An attractive older lady, Nili Tal, the director and the main character of "Sixty and the City" chooses a different path - breaking stereotypes connected with old age, she places a personal ad in a paper, and starts dating. Would the characters of the popular American TV show that the title of this film paraphrases applaud of the liberated sixty-year-old?

Films "Loving Sophia" and "Karla's Arrival" are concentrating on maternity love. The former of the documents touches upon the difficult issues of drug abuse, prostitution, and a mother's fight for her daughter's life. The latter, on the other hand, throws the viewer into the world, in which a young homeless woman is expecting the birth of her baby daughter. Although streets or a park are certainly not the right places for offspring upbringing, people deprived of homes refuse to abandon the fundamental human desires and emotions. Or maybe they should not?

Giving the women a field to nurture a family life, the men fulfil their potential in science and art. German "Solartaxi" is a film about a journey on which its protagonist Louis Palmer takes us in his own-invented solar-powered car. "Correspondence Jonas Mekas - J. L. Guerin", on the other hand, is a filmic conversation between two experimentalists, who are always looking for new ways of expression. One of them we know very well - Jonas Mekas was a Guest of Honour at last year's Krakow Film Festival, and the winner of Dragon of the Dragon's Award in recognition of his lifetime achievements.

Krakow Film Festival starts on 23^rd May 2011. Until 10^th May you can book a festival pass at promotional prices of 80 PLN and 50 PLN (concession) at http://www.krakowfilmfestival.pl/. A festival pass for selected showcases, e.g., all the films of the "Krakow Documentary Premieres" is also available at the price of 40 PLN.

Krakow Documentary Premieres includes films such as:

Sixty and the City, dir. Nili Tal, Israel 2010, 70'

Life begins at sixty - this is what seems to think and say Nili Tal, the film's main character as well as its director. Instead of taking care of grand-children, the woman decided to find a partner for the rest of her days on the Internet. There was no shortage of applicants - 1300 men responded. That way the advanced in years attractive lady went on over 50 dates in different corners of the world. Was it worth it? One thing she certainly did achieve is capturing her adventures in the ground breaking film that challenges stereotypes related to old age.

Screenings:

27.05. / 19.30 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

28.05. / 15.00 / ARS Reduta

"Karla's Arrival", dir. Koen Suidgeest, Spain, 2010, 90'

Nineteen-year-old Sueylin Aguilar lives in a small park in Managua, along with other homeless. The situation remains the same even after she gives birth to her daughter - Karla. After some time the young mother reaches the conclusion that she wants better for her baby. She decides to start anew. But it is not that simple... The camera accompanies the mother and daughter, making a personal and intimate recording of the lifetime test that maternity is to the protagonist

Screenings:

25.05. / 19.30 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

27.05. / 15.00 / ARS Reduta

"Loving Sophia", dir. Ohad Itach, Israel, 2010, 54'

Sophia is the daughter of Moldavian immigrants, who at the beginning of the 90's had moved to Israel. Raised in the family of artistic aspirations, the girl got involved in music, and became a leader of a folk-rock band. Drug abuse put an end to the band's career, and turned Sophia to prostitution. The film is a story of her struggle with the addiction, but more than that it is a compelling portrayal of her mother's fight for the life of her only daughter.

Screenings:

25.05. / 15.00 / ARS Reduta

28.05. / 19.30 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

"Arranged Happiness", dir. Daniela Dar-Creutz, India/Germany 2011, '87

In India marriages arranged by families are a common phenomenon. Love is always secondary. To fulfil the family's wish, and to preserve the values passed from generation to generation is most important. For Waheda, a promising actress and singer, the time to get married is fast approaching. Looking for the right candidate for a husband must be conveyed in accordance with the tradition- in her case, the marriage will be organised by her younger brother, Ashiqa, who spends his lifetime savings for this occasion.

Screenings:
24.05. / 19.30 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

26.05 / 15.00 / ARS Reduta

"Solartaxi - Around the World with the Sun", dir. Erik Schmidt, Germany 2010, 68'

Louis Palmer began his filled with surprises adventure in Summer of 2007. This is when he invented the prototype of a solar-powered car. Within 18 months, he drove to 40 countries (including Poland), proving that a zero-emission car that is powered only by the Sun is not a dream.

Screenings:

24.05. / 15.00 / ARS Reduta

26.05. / 19.30 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

"Correspondence Jonas Mekas - J. L. Guerin", dir. Jonas Mekas, José Luis Guerin, Spain/USA 2011, 84

Film is an answer to life - this thought derived from the repertoire of Jonas Mekas became an inspiration for José Luis Guerin. The exchange of letters between the men created a particular bond between them. Correspondence...is an experiment which incorporates the visual language of the two artists, who are looking for new forms of artistic expression, and new ways of using images. With bated breath we are following subsequent letters read by the artists themselves, and illustrated by their filmic reflections.

Screenings:

26.05. / 21.15 / ARS Reduta

27.05. / 21.15 / ARS Reduta

Contact for media:

Anna E. Dziedzic

PR Manager

Krakow Film Festival

Tel: +48 12 294 69 45, Mobile: +48 696 448 795

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Krakow, 28^th March 2011 - Dutch cinematography is the special guest of the 51^st Krakow Film Festival (23^rd - 29^th May). Each year the Festival focuses on a different national cinema with the aim of introducing documentaries from that region.

The ‘Focus on...' section, showing national cinematography, has been initiated last year, with the Israeli filmmaking presented at the jubilee edition of Krakow Film Festival. This year the focus is on the Netherlands, a country famous not only for its fascinating film works but also for hosting such festivals as IFF Rotterdam and IDFA Amsterdam.

The ‘Focus on the Netherlands' section includes a review of the most recent documentaries as well as a conference with the representatives of the Dutch film industry present. Films shown at the Festival are all renowned and awarded. These include, among others, The Player by the outstanding John Appen, a story about his father addicted to gambling; Crips. Strapped‘n'Strong, an exceptionally bold vivisection on the life of black rappers and mafiosi; and Farewell, composed of archive material from 1929, a gripping account of around-the-world travel of the Graf Zeppelin airship.

In the panel discussion, which is to present the Dutch film market, will participate: Claudia Landsberger, president of EYE Film Institute Netherlands and vice-president of European Film Promotion, who helps disseminate Dutch cinema abroad; Pieter van Huystee, one of the most active Dutch film producers, whose two films will be presented in Kraków (Crips. Strapped‘n'Strong and Farewell); Marijke Rawie, an independent documentary advisor, who collaborates with a number of Dutch and foreign film producers as well as with festivals, especially in the field of pitchings, lectures, and meetings aimed at documentary makers; Ally Derks, founder and president of the biggest documentary festival in the world - IDFA Amsterdam, since 1988.

A review of the most recent Dutch documentaries includes six titles ranging thematically:

„Among Horses and Men" 2010, 78', dir. Marjoleine Boonstra

Chris, Dean, Gilbert, Charles, Steven, Bo, and Mike are all young inmates at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, in the last phase of lengthy prison sentences. Before returning to society, they are participating in a special project that allows them to capture, tame, and train wild horses for periodic auctions. The filmmaker, Marjoleine Boonstra, follows the detainees over the course of three months of intensive training, during which time the men see themselves reflected in the eyes of their horses. The men learn to win the trust of another living being once again, a skill that has slipped away during their time on the inside. Horses are incredibly perceptive creatures: they take the men as they are, without a history, without a record, but only if the men are just as open and vulnerable as they are. Boonstra captures the intimacy between these "tough guys" and their equine counterparts in a touching moment of transition: on the threshold of freedom, while exchanging looks of reflection.

„The Player" 2009, 85', dir. John Appel

Why do the darkened casino halls come to substitute bedrooms and living rooms? Why does the roulette seem more attractive then any woman encountered? What feelings does gambling trigger so that it can take over the life of a man? John Appel tries to understand the life of his own addicted father by following three confirmed gamblers. Harry Engels works at horse races, Harry Holland serves his time for fraud, and Ted Stonzelbach passes time in casinos.

„Crips. Strapped ‘n Strong" 2009, 84', dir. Joost Van Der Valk, Mags Gavan

The film portrays the brutal life of the Crips gang from the Hague, a group consisting of Suriname and Antilles emigrants who deal in armed robberies, drugs, and fight the competing groups. Without signs of censorship, the film shows a culture of violence, which became the basis of a community once brought together by Hip hop music. The authors try to reach deeper into the feelings and reflections of the gangsters, whose lives are very complicated.

„Farewell" 2010, 90', dir. Ditteke Mensink

In 1929, celebrated journalist Lady Grace Drummond-Hay was invited to take part in the first round-the-world flight of a commercial airship, the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin. Recently widowed from a man 50 years her senior and bored to tears with covering ladies fashion, Lady Grace leaped at the chance to be the only woman onboard one of the media sensations of the decade. At journey's end she returned to America a star, thanks to her good looks and gutsy charm. But her reports on the ship's travels for the front pages of the Hearst press empire only told part of the story. In her diary she recorded a far more intimate journey - her struggle to get over her secret affair with shipmate, mentor, and married man Karl von Wiegand. Combining spectacular archival footage of the journey across New York, Siberia, Tokyo, and the Pacific with narration drawn from Drummond's articles and her private journals...

„Our Newspaper" 2010, 60' dir. Eline Flipse

Andrei is a journalist, in the remote countryside of Russia, and Moscow is a long way away. People are poor and disgusted by politics and newspapers. Andrei left his job at the regional paper "The Leninist", because he couldn't go on writing articles about nothing. He created his own newspaper which now has about 7000 readers every week. The authorities are not amused. Andrei is convinced he is doing nothing wrong. Who will win in the end?

„My Long Distance Friend" 2011, 73', dir. Carina Molier

OG is a beautiful young woman who has wandered around Europe since she left Zimbabwe at the age of 9. From then on she has struggled to survive, continually seeking a balance in her life. OG strives to regain custody of her daughter taken from her at an early age.

Director Carina Molier - her long distance friend - follows her in her quest for reunification and peace of mind. "My Long Distance Friend" is a film about displacement, about longing for security and relationships in an ever globalizing and inhospitable world.

Contact for media:

Anna E. Dziedzic

PR Manager

Krakow Film Festival

Tel: +48 12 294 69 45

Mobile: +48 696 448 795

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Krakow, 30^th March 2011 - The selection for competitions of 51^st Krakow Film Festival (23^rd - 29^th May) has ended. Films selected for the international documentary film competition has been announced in the first row.

International documentary film competition was open to documentaries with a running time of 30 to 60 minutes and more than 60 minutes and only premieres were accepted. The competition consists mainly of films spotted at foreign festivals, complemented by titles picked from the record 2700 festival entries.

Krzysztof Gierat, director of the Festival, who supervises the work of the Selection Committee comments on the results: Like a mirror, they reflect the most important problems the modern world is facing as seen from the perspective of an individual. Thus, there are films about the issue of priest pedophilia, virtual life substituting the real one, identity crisis,addictions, also those less harmful like the love of Harlequin books, and rivalry in achieving perfection, both artistic and religious.

The Israeli cinema continues to astound; in the form of a family movie it touches upon universal problems and emotions. I am proud of the Polish representatives, who more and more often venture into the remote world. Only Tomasz Wolski from Krakow decided to focus on people one might pass in the city centre. "Doctors" is a fascinating portrayal of cardiac surgeons who, working behind surgical masks, remain anonymous.

The results of the selection for the international short film competition and national competition will be published on March 31^st and April 1^st respectively.

The list of films qualified for international documentary film competition

Feature-lenght documetaries:

1. „Agnus Dei: Lamb of God", dir. Alejandra Sanchez, Mexico / France 87'

2. „My Avatar and Me", dir. Bente Milton, Mikkel Stolt, Denmark 91'

3. „Guilty Pleasures", dir. Julie Moggan, UK 85'

4. „My Reincarnation", dir. Jennifer Fox, Finland / USA / Switzerland / Germany / Italy 100'

5. „Doctors", dir. Tomasz Wolski, Poland 90'

6. „Phnom Penh Lullaby", dir. Paweł Kloc, Poland 97'

7. "Nobody Knows My Name", dir. James Nicholson, France 85'

8. "Invisible Strings - The Talented Pusker Sister", dir. Ágnes Sós, Hungary 80'

9. "The Queen Has No Crown", dir. Tomer Heymann, Israel 85'

Middle-lenght documentaries:

1. "Pandore", dir. Virgil Vernier, France 35'

2. "The Hangman", dir. Netalie Braun, Israel 60'

3. "Regretters", dir. Marcus Lindeen, Sweden 59'

4. "Grandma, a Thousand Times", dir. Mahmoud Kaabour, United Arab Emirates 48'

5. „Mind the Gap", dir. Maciej Gorski, UK / Poland 58'

6. „Argentinian Lesson", dir. Wojciech Staroń, Poland 52'

7. „Outside the Court", dir. Mark Isaacs, UK, 58'

8. „Hula and Natan", dir. Robby Elmaliah, Israel 55'

9. „Nun", dir. Galina Adamovich, Belarus 56'

10. „Daddy's Girls", dir. Lily Sheffy, Israel 56'

More about selected films on: www.krakowfilmfestival.com

Contact for media:

Anna E. Dziedzic

PR Manager

Krakow Film Festival

Tel: +48 12 294 69 45

Mobile: +48 696 448 795

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Krakow, 6th May 2011 - "The Sound of Music" is one of the most recognized sections of the Krakow Film Festival, which launches again in less than two weeks. Films with a musical theme will be screened in the heart of Krakow - the Kino Pod Baranami cinema on the Market Square, and for the first time in the Kino Pod Wawelem open-air cinema.

This year "The Sound of Music" will be screened both indoors and under the clear blue sky. This year the Krakow Film Festival are turning back the clock, harking back to joyful rock scene of London in the 70s and 80s, celebrating the emergence of The Police career and the energetic, crowd-pleasing performances of The Klezmatics, with to the nostalgic journey to Odessa and a walk along Norwegian streets, where former drug addicts are participating in an innovative music project recording their experiences; and by turn on to the downfall of Yugoslavia, where imagination of the nation's youth has been captured by the band Bijelo Dugme and their front man Goran Bregovic.

The series of documentaries is characterized by music diversity and range, but in all of them the music plays the main role.

This year we have the use of an open-air cinema, situated in Kino Pod Wawelem at ulica Powisle 11. It is a very attractive location near Centrum Obslugi Ruchu Turystycznego (The Touristic Service Centre). The big screen is not the only attraction, as we are right in the shadow of the monumental Wawel Hill. The organizers of the open-air cinema are Krakow Film Foundation and Krakow Festival Office.

The 51st Krakow Film Festival starts on 23rd of May. Until 10th of May you can book a festival pass at the early bird price of 80PLN and 50PLN (concession) at www.krakowfilmfestival.pl. A festival pass for selected cycles, e.g. all the films of "The Sound of Music" is also available at the price of 40PLN. Until 13th of May you can submit your application for an industry accreditation.

The cycle "Sound of Music" includes films such as:

"The Klezmatics: on Holy Ground", dir. Erik Greenberg, Anjou, USA 2010, 105'

The Klezmatics is a "too-big-for-small-concert-halls" New York based band merging Klezmatic music with jazz, gospel and rock. The Grammy Award winners visited Poland during their recent worldwide tour. Their energetic concerts inspire crowds to dance, most recently in Krakow on Ulica Szeroka during the Festival of Jewish Culture. This documentary portrays members of the group, who are trying to balance their passion for music with a family life and other interests.

Screenings:
24.05/22.00/ Kino Pod Baranami/ The Red Auditorium

26.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Wawelem

"Bijelo Dugme - White Button", dir. Igor Stoimenov, Serbia 2010, 85'

In Yugoslavia in the mid-70s rock'n'roll exploded with enormous power, first and foremost with by Bijelo Dugme and their front man Goran Bregovic. They recorded their first album in the West, and they startled Yugoslavia with their eccentric clothes and scandalous behaviour, singing composing in Serbian, Bosnian and Albanian. The musicians - more popular than president Tito, cherished by everyone from teenagers to their grandmothers - have torn up the consciousness of a socialistic republic, which has just begun to rock in its foundations.

Screenings:

24.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Baranami/ The Red Auditorium

26.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Wawelem

"Rock ‘n' Roll... Of Corse!", dir. Lionel Guedj and Stephane Bebert, France 2010, 90'

A pirate from Corsica, a French guitarist of Algerian origin, and a member of The Police, Henry Padovani is the protagonist and a narrator of the film. He leads the viewer through meandering stories of rock'n'roll of the 70s and 80s, and his famous friends - Sting and Kim Wilde - guide us through the life of a man who they respect for his devotion and loyalty, and all of this comes with the musical accompaniment of The Clash, The Who, The Pretenders and The Police.

Screenings:

24.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Wawelem

26.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Baranami/ The Red Auditorium

"Songs from the Street", dir. Mali Finborud Noren, Norway 2010, 58'

Kent, Clas and Charlie live on the street and each day they live with the effects of their drug addiction and the indifference of passers-by. From the initiative of The Oslo Magazine, which was created with the idea of helping drug addicts, they are taking part in the music project called The Street Records. They perform songs which are key to understanding their experiences, and which have been released as a commercially available record. This engaging documentary from Mali Finborud Noren follows the chances of this innovative project.

Screenings (including "From the Heart of Odessa"):

25.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Wawelem

27.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Baranami/ The Red Auditorium

"From the Heart of Odessa", dir. Andre Schreuders, Netherlands/ Ukraine 2007, 60'

Alec Kopyt, a musician from Amsterdam, travels to Odessa to sing at Moldawianka - the former Jewish quarter. Alec forms a band to play in a newly open restaurant owned by an old friend. We follow him on his travels around Odessa visiting the places he left 15 years ago, and as we do his memories come to life - and that is the power of this highly personal film.

Screenings (including "Songs from the Street"):

25.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Wawelem

27.05/ 22.00/ Kino Pod Baranami/ The Red Auditorium

"The Other Europeans", dir. Yvonne Andrä, Wolfgang Andrä, Germany 2010, 122'

Chişinău, Budapest, Jerusalem, Kraków and Austin are the places visited by a group of Jewish and Roma musicians who, as part of the musical project The Other Europeans, try to find the erstwhile symbiosis between the cultures of their nations. For them, making music together is a return to the past, brutally cut short by World War II. The nostalgic rhythms of Eastern Europe, well-known to Krakow's audience from the Jewish Culture Festival, resound through the film.

Screenings:

23.05. / 22.00 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

28.05. / 22.00 / Kino Pod Wawelem

"Eastern Wind: the Film", dir. György Szomjas, Hungary 2010, 80'

Miqueu is a musician. He lives in Provence with his wife and sons. He is fascinated by his region's music tradition as well as the music of Hungary, where he comes from. When he is invited to play a concert together with Hungarian musicians, Miqueu goes to Budapest to form a band. It is an excellent opportunity for him to meet old friends after many years. Their conversations, reminiscences and rehearsals make a prelude to the final concert that will include songs from Provence, France and Hungary.

Sceenings:

25.05. / 22.00 / Kino Pod Baranami / The Red Auditorium

27.05. / 22.00 / Kino Pod Wawelem

Contact for media:

Anna E. Dziedzic

PR Manager

Krakow Film Festival

Tel: +48 12 294 69 45, Mobile: +48 696 448 795

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2. American Film Festival, the sister festival of Era New Horizons IFF is calling for new independent US-produced feature films completed in 2010 and 2011.

AFF is the first film event in Eastern Europe solely devoted to contemporary and classic American cinema and providing its audience members with the filmic images of American culture and social realities. The second edition will continue along those programming lines. AFF will present mainstream highlights, independent productions and experimental narrative and documentary features from the US.

The second edition of the festival will be held in Wrocław between 15 and 20 November 2011. Films will be divided into sections already familiar to the public such as HIGHLIGHTS - gala shows of the newest famous films, SPECTRUM - a panorama of modern American cinema, AMERICAN DOCS - documentary films: the most important productions of the season that largely show the face of the 21st century America, and ON THE EDGE - discoveries, experiments, auteur films, often "crossing borders" of the recognized forms and acceptable contents.

The films from the SPECTRUM and AMERICAN DOCS sections, which will be premiered in Poland during the festival, will take part in the competition.

The Audience Award will be given to the winners in two categories: Best Feature Narrative ($10,000) and Best Feature Documentary ($5,000).

Films can be submitted via the online form available on the website: http://www.americanfilmfestival.pl/entryForm.do
Submissions deadline: 15 September 2011.

More info: www.americanfilmfestival.pl, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

American Film Festival
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www.americanfilmfestival.pl
© Stowarzyszenie Nowe Horyzonty 2011

Platinum Lions

This year a special award for lifetime achievement is going to the two Masters of Cinema,Tadeusz Konwicki and Roman Polański.
Tadeusz Konwicki
Born in 1926, Tadeusz Konwicki began his career as a writer. After fifty years of creating, he became one of the finest prose writers in the history of Polish literature. However, just after the Polish October '56, in a crucial moment, when he wanted to critically review the socialist realist episode, Konwicki took a camera and for 30 years - since 1958 till 1989 - he remained faithful to it. During this time he shot 6 feature-length films. One might add "only", but in fact each of Konwicki's films is a remarkable phenomenon - different from the ordinary Polish cinematography, and in some cases discovering new paths for it.

Roman Polański
His feature-length debut, "Knife in the Water", won the first Polish Oscar nomination, but shortly after its shooting, Polański left the communist Poland. Initially he worked in the west of Europe and at the end of the 1960s he moved to the USA. He made his mark as the director and screenwriter, shooting an excellent satanist thriller, "Rosemary's Baby", and a picture regarded as one of the best films of the 1970s American cinema,"Chinatown". Among the well-known films by Polański we can find a sophisticated melodrama, "Tess", an intriguing "Frantic", and a sadomasochistic erotic thriller, "Bitter Moon". In 2002, Polański won an Oscar for the Best Director ("The Pianist").



Jury of 36th PFF
This year the competition films will be judged by the two juries.
The best Polish film of the 36th PFF will be chosen by the international jury with nine members led by Paweł Pawlikowski, a director and screenwriter ("Last Resort", "My Summer of Love", "The Woman in the Fifth") living in Oxford. Apart from Paweł Pawlikowski the jury will consist of:

Ryszard Lenczewski - camera operator;
Ari Folman - director and screenwriter;
Maja Ostaszewska - actress;
Mariusz Treliński - opera, film, and theatre director;
Walter Kirn - writer, essayist, literary critic;
Leszek Możdżer - pianist and composer;
Robert McMinn - Vice President of Lakeshore Entertainment, producer, expert in the development of screenplays and projects;
Ludmila Cvikova - Programmer of the International Film Festival in Rotterdam, film theoretician.

Films of students and film school graduates will be judged by the jury consisting of:

Paula Markovitch (chairperson) - screenwriter and director ("Lake Tahoe", "El Premio"),
Paweł Borowski - director and screenwriter ("Zero"),
Arkadiusz Jakubik - actor, director, and screenwriter ("Simple Story about Love"),
Paweł Sala - director, screenwriter, playwright ("Mother Teresa of Cats").