One of the key events of the 12th edition of Polish Days held at the 23rd mBank New Horizons IFF is the pitching session showcasing new and upcoming Polish productions and coproductions that present the most potential to interest international film professionals invited to the festival.
Polish Days is co-organised by the Polish Film Institute. Event partners include FIXAFILM, ORKA, NO PROBLEMO MUSIC, the Wrocław Film Commission, the Łódź Film Commission, the Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission, the Podkarpackie Film Commission, the Silesia Film Commission, the Gdańsk Film Fund and DI FACTORY.
This year’s awards are funded by FIXAFILM, ORKA and NO PROBLEMO MUSIC.
Pitchings:
Bad Mother / Zła Matka (Poland)
Directed by Małgorzata Imielska
Produced by Cinemundo
The drama written by Małgorzata Imielska follows Ela, a 30-year-old woman, who discovers that her daughter Ania has attempted suicide. When Ania reveals during therapy that she was molested by her stepbrother, Ela is faced with a difficult choice.
“In creating this film, I aim to focus on Ela’s emotional journey, presenting it from the perspective of parents in similar situations. It is important for me to embrace the ambiguity of the world and make room for moments of irony,” director Małgorzata Imielska said in a statement.
The film is produced by Olga Bieniek and Marlena Kreńska through Cinemundo with a planned budget of 2 m EUR.
The production is set to launch in 2024.
Contact during Polish Days:
Marlena Kreńska: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
Olga Bieniek: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Brother / Brat (Poland)
Directed by Maciej Sobieszczański
Produced by Apple Film Production
The story follows Dawid, a 14-year-old with a promising future as a judo champion, who struggles to control his explosive temper and aggression, inherited from his violent father who is serving time in prison. As he tries to live up to his mother’s expectations while taking care of his 9-year-old brother, he is presented with an opportunity to change his life: a chance to participate in an important judo tournament in Gdańsk.
“The emotional power of the story resides in the relationship between the two brothers. For Michał, David is not only an older brother, but also a father figure, which creates an almost symbiotic relationship between them. By presenting the narrative from a child’s perspective, the adult world is depicted as dark and riddled with perplexing decisions”, director Maciej Sobieszczański said in a statement.
The film is produced by Izabela Wójcik, Violetta Kamińska and Dariusz Jabłoński through Apple Film Production with a planned budget of 1,416,122 EUR.
Contact during Polish Days:
Izabela Wójcik: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Hiss (Poland)
Directed by Anna Kasińska
Produced by Serce
This body horror tells the story of Malva, a young woman suffering from an incurable skin condition. Desperate for a cure, she embarks on a journey to a secluded wilderness where she encounters enigmatic healers. While the treatment works wonders, Malva discovers that the eccentric healers are not entirely human, but rather chimeras: beings with both human and animal genes.
“Hiss is more than a beautiful tale about the transformative power of nature, or a horror about unleashing one’s inner voice. Above all, it is a very universal story about not only embracing but celebrating the chaos and darkness within the world and within oneself”, director Anna Kasińska said in a statement.
The film is produced by Kuba Kosma and Katarzyna Sarnowska through Serce with a planned budget of 2.5 m EUR.
Hiss is in currently in development and is set to go into production in 2025.
Contact during Polish Days:
Anna Kasińska: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
Kuba Kosma: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Kingdom / Królestwo (Poland)
Directed by Michał Ciechomski
Produced by Munk Studio
Set in the near present, Kingdom captures a nation on the brink of war. Due to the unstable political situation, Dawid (30) loses his job without a warning. As his family prepares to flee the country, Dawid’s younger brother becomes involved with a nationalistic organisation known as The Black Spider.
“Kingdom records personal experiences in the world of radical organisations haunted by a generational sense of powerlessness and deception. The film aims to disillusion viewers about the future so that the world it depicts doesn’t become reality before our very eyes”, director Michał Ciechomski said in a statement.
The film is produced by Ewa Jastrzębska, Jerzy Kapuściński and Katarzyna Malinowska through Munk Studio.
The production is set to launch in 2024 with a planned budget of 400,000 EUR.
Contact during Polish Days:
Katarzyna Malinowska: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Obsession / Obsesja (Poland)
Directed by Tadeusz Łysiak
Produced by Film Produkcja
The psychological thriller written and directed by the Academy Award nominated Tadeusz Łysiak follows Aleksander and Kamila, who embark on a desperate quest to find their daughter, while grappling with the challenges plaguing their marriage. Everything changes when Aleksander uncovers evidence suggesting his partner may have committed a heinous and unfathomable crime.
“I aim to explore the profound impact of depression following the loss of a child. I want the audience to be on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the unfolding of the film”, director Tadeusz Łysiak said in a statement.
The film is produced by Stanisław Dziedzic through Film Produkcja.
The production is set to launch in 2024 with a planned budget of 2.5 m EUR.
Contact during Polish Days:
Stanisław Dziedzic: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Runa (Poland)
Directed by Agnieszka Zwiefka
Produced by Chilli Productions
This animated documentary written and directed by Agnieszka Zwiefka follows a 16-year old Runa after her mother’s tragic death on the Polish-Belarusian border, when she has to take care of her four younger brothers and a helpless, depressed father, as the family deals with trauma in a refugee camp, trying to establish a new life in Europe.
“From the outset it was clear to me that this cannot be yet another documentary centered on the refugee crisis, but a genuine coming-of-age story filtered through a teenager’s POV. Runa’s animated sketchbook, which brings her dreams and nightmares to life, serves as the perfect vehicle to portray the ‘unfilmable’ aspects of her world, akin to the style of Persepolis”, director Agnieszka Zwiefka said in a statement.
The film is produced by Zofia Kujawska, Agnieszka Zwiefka and Sigrid Dyekjaer through Chilli Productions.
The production is set to launch in 2024 with a planned budget of 240,000 EUR.
Contact during Polish Days:
Zofia Kujawska: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Agnieszka Zwiefka: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Queen of Pots / Królowa garów (Poland)
Directed by Jakub Piątek
Produced by Orka Production
This comedy/biopic written by Magdalena Wleklik is set in 19th century Warsaw and is inspired by the life of Lucyna Ćwierczakiewicz, the author of bestselling cookbooks. Lucyna (22) returns to her family home in Warsaw, shedding societal constraints by discarding her corset and divorcing her husband. In defiance of her hypocritical mother, she decides to earn her living by doing what she loves the most: cooking.
“I am particularly drawn to the tradition of period films that utilise the era as a storytelling catalyst. We aim to infuse a touch of 21st-century modernity in both the soundtrack and the staging, creating a unique juxtaposition”, director Jakub Piątek said in a statement.
The film is produced by Alicja Gancarz, Anna Wereda and Magdalena Zimecka through Orka Production.
The production is set to launch in 2024 with a planned budget of 2,126,000 EUR.
Contact during Polish Days:
Alicja Gancarz: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Under the Volcano / Pod wuklanem (Poland)
Directed by Damian Kocur
Produced by Lizart Film
This drama written by Marta Konarzewska and Damian Kocur follows the Kovalenko family who are spending their last day in Tenerife, unaware that their return to Kyiv will be thwarted by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. As each day passes the tourists gradually transform into refugees.
“Under the Volcano is an auteur cinema project, which aims to remain accessible to every viewer, despite being rooted in an original creative approach. The observed family are people whose experience is supposed to become our experience”, director Damian Kocur said in a statement.
The film is produced by Mikołaj Lizut trough Lizart Film and the planned budget is 900,000 EUR.
Contact during Polish Days:
Mikołaj Lizut: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wanda (Poland)
Directed by Maciej Pieprzyca
Produced by WFDiF (Documentary and Feature Film Studio)
Wanda is a biopic that delves into the life of Wanda Rutkiewicz (1943-1992) a famous Polish mountaineer and champion, and also a promoter of women’s climbing and mountaineering.
“Marzena Podgórska’s screenplay focuses on the human drama and presents Wanda and her team as fully fleshed, complex characters. The story is predicated upon conflicts, but it also carries a lightness of touch and youthful energy”, director Maciej Pieprzyca said in a statement.
The film is produced by Zbigniew Domagalski through WFDiF with a planned budget of 4 m EUR.
The production is set to launch in 2025.
Contact during Polish Days:
Anna Gutowska: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
