Two Polish productions, one French and one American, it’s a balance of the winners of the 6th edition of the Off Plus Camera festival. This year's laureates of the Krakow event were announced yesterday in the Kijów.Centrum cinema.
Magdalena Miśka-Jackowska, a journalist of RMF Classic radio, and Marcin Prokop, a journalist of TVN station and editor in chief of the weekly, "Przekrój”, were hosting the ceremony. More than 28, 000 viewers and 250 film screenings is festival statistics, which this year turned out to be a record. I am very glad that the festival is growing in strength. I’m very glad about a phenomenal audience and a huge amount of fantastic films, so I want to thank and congratulate - said Bogdan Zdrojewski, Minister of Culture and National Heritage. Magdalena Sroka, Vice President of Krakow for Culture and Promotion of the City, recalled the beginnings of the festival, when six years ago, the Off Plus Camera festival started its activities as part of the project, "Six Senses", whose main objective is to promote art in Krakow. I congratulate the creators of the festival, a great organization and wonderful taste in films - said Agnieszka Odorowicz, the director of Polish Film Institute. The Artistic director, Ania Trzebiatowska and the director of the festival, Szymon Miszczak thanked the viewers, sponsors, volunteers and co-operators.
Before the awards were handed out, a special recognition, “Against the Current” Award, was given to an American actress and Oscar laureate, Melissa Leo, for her special contribution to independent art. I am honored to receive this acknowledgement. I thank you with all my heart for the invitation, for staying in this lovely city, for the work of organizers and volunteers, without whom this festival would not exist - she expressed her gratification. The actress left imprints of her hands, which will be placed in the Krakow Walk of Fame on the Vistula Boulevards.
After a musical accent, which was provided by, Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet, an essential part of the gala began, namely, handing out the awards. The film, "A Late Quartet", directed by Yaron Zilberman, from Discovery section, received the Audience Award. The Awards of 10 000 PLN were handed out to the best Polish actors for the first time. The choice was made by the jury of Polish Feature Films Competition, including Melissa Leo, Jeanne McCarthy and Brady Corbet, who acknowledged, Magdalena Berus, for her creation in, "Lasting", by Jacek Borcuch and, "Baby blues", by Katarzyna Rosłaniec. Tomasz Schuchardt who played in, "You Are God”, directed by Leszek Dawid also won the award. Polish Film Noble, an award of 100 000 PLN was given to Katarzyna Rosłaniec for her film, "Baby blues". The film’s producer, Agnieszka Kurzydło, received the award on behalf of the absent director. She expressed a huge gratitude for appreciating this remarkable and unusual film.
FIPRESCI jury also granted an award for best film - French film, "Ombline", directed by Stéphane Cazes. For bravery in showing the elemental human experience in an uncompromising way, as well as a moving portrait of a young woman who fights for her future in one of the most difficult life situation - the verdict was justified by Barbara Kosecka, a film critic and a member of this year's jury. The winner thanked for the award and emphasized that without, Mélanie Thierry, who played the main role, the film wouldn’t receive this award. In addition to Barbara Kosecka, this year’s FIPRESCI jury consisted of Susanne Schütz from Germany and Alexander Yanakiev from Bulgaria. The film directed by French director was also appreciated by the youth jury made up of the winners of the competition, "Skrytukuj".
The culmination of the evening was the announcement of the winners of the Krakow Film Award of 100 000 $. However, before the participants of the gala could hear the verdict, they met the creators of all nominated films. The independent directors, invited onto the stage by Michał Oleszczyk, a spokesman of the festival, expressed their gratitude for participation in the festival. The jury composed of Lech Majewski, Ruth Myers, Udo Kier and John Rhys-Davies - as they themselves admitted – after tumultuous and difficult discussions decided to award three acknowledgemets for trying out innovative explorations of film language that went to Daniel Hoesl for, "Soldate Jeannette", Shane Carrruth for, "Upstream Color", and the winner of FIPRESCI Award, Stéphane Cases, the author of, "Ombline".
Krakow Film Award and a grant from Polish Film Institute of million PLN for the next production were handed out to a Polish film, "Manhunt", directed by Marcin Krzyształowicz. For a unique and memorable representation of human fate in extreme conditions of war, and the attention to detail and montage of complex history - the verdict was justified by Lech Majewski, the head of the jury. For the first time at the festival the Main Award was given to a Polish production. The winner of the festival did not hide his emotions, he admitted that there were a number of reasons for which this film was made, but the most important was - a short scene, when corporal Wydra meets a girl with cotton candy in town, which was played by his daughter. And this film was the only chance that she could meet my father, and her grandfather, whom was played by Marcin Dorociński. Thank you very much, I am honored by this award - added this year's winner of the Off Plus Camera, Marcin Krzyształowicz. At the end, Lech Majewski, Udo Kier and John Rhys-Davies thanked the organizers, volunteers and all viewers. Rhys-Davies stressed that the winning film is fits into the great tradition of Polish cinematography.
After the Awards Ceremony, a brief press conference with the winners and the heads of the jury was held and it was followed by a ceremonial banquet on the occasion of the next closing gala of the festival. We warmly congratulate the winners.
