FILMS AND COMPETITION
At the core of the Festival there are the contests - documentary films, animations and short films compete in three categories: Polish short film, international short film, and feature-length documentary. This year, 90 films take part in the competition. What is especially promising is the documentary section of the Polish competition, where the brand new productions by the most important Polish documentary film makers will be shown. The authors include, among others: Ewa Borzęcka, Maciej Drygas, Marcel Łoziński, Andrzej Titkow, Tomasz Wolski, Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz and Zespół Paladino, whose members have often triumphed in Krakow.
The international competition brings with it a wide diversity of subjects, to begin with serious issues such as shocking image of Nicaraguan family's life on the dumping ground (documentary „Family no. 068"), or the description of the domestic violence victim's syndrome (feature film „Leaving"), through reflective meditation on the sense of street corrida in Pampeluna (documentary „Red Sands"), to humorous lecture on the anatomy of a gag (documentary "Anatomy of a gag"), and hilarious animation about music-making forest animals („KJFG No. 5").
Feature-length documentary is becoming more and more popular among wide audiences, and more and more boldly enters the cinemas. The newest of Krakow festivals, brought into being 3 years ago, meets his trend half way. The viewers will be able to see 12 full-length documentaries, all of which are absolute premieres, as none of them has been show in Poland earlier. Films compete for the Golden Horn award, among the competitors there are: Kim Longinotto's documentary „Rough Aunties", telling about RPA women fighting against child abuse, Hindu "Bilal", presenting the life of an extraordinary family, in which blind parents bring up unruly children, and original musical documentary, dealing with the problem of immigration and life in multicultural society("99% Honest"). Polish cinema is represented by a film about female prisoners by Marcin Koszałka, creative director from Krakow.
This year, films will be seen not only by the Krakow audience. Thanks to Internet cinema Cineman, this year's partner of Krakow Film Festival, several films selected from the full-length documentaries section and films not taking part in the contests will be available for free watching on the Internet website http://www.cineman.pl/. There will be a special section of the portal, dedicated to the Krakow Film Festival. It would be accessible throughout the duration of the Festival, that is from 29th May to 4th June.
OUT OF COMPETITION
Krakow Film Festival includes also special show and show of films not taking part in the competition For the entire year, the organizers and selectors are searching the international festivals for films which move and delight the audience. They are presented in Krakow in the cycle Krakow Documentary Films Premieres. This year's organizers' selection will take the viewers for a journey to Indian reservation in South Dakota, to Lima, full of politics, on Israeli roads, and under the roofs of ordinary Iranians.
This year, the audience will see the most recent achievements of the international documentary film industry, thanks to the sponsorship of the EmiTel Sp. Z o.o.
The cycle Sounds of Music also enjoys great popularity. In its frame there are presentations of good film music, films about music and musicians. This year you can watch, among others, documentary telling the story of the famous music festival "Zaire'74", featuring James Brown, BB King, Bill Withers, Celia Cruz and famous boxers: Mohammad Ali and George Forman; documentary about the greatest star of Russian music - far-famed Sergei Shnurov, the leader of Leningrad. The viewers will also go for a journey throughout Europe with the members of Joyside - punk-rock group form China.
Jewish Roots is a new film cycle on the festival. It will touch upon the themes belonging to the colourful and versatile culture and tradition of Judaism. This year's films refer to issues such as klezmer music, the problem of anti-Semitism, and contemporary relationships between Jews and Poles.
This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Krzysztof Komeda's death. To commemorate Komeda, the organizers together with the eminent film theorist professor Marek Hendrykowski, have prepared a show of films with Komeda's music. It will include the representative survey of Komeda's creative work: over twenty films, witnessing the unique talent and skills of this brilliant musician.
GUESTS
Krakow Film Festiwal means also the visits of prominent guests. On the opening night, Paul Mazursky, American director who has been the Oscar nominee five times, will personally present to the audience his newest film „Yippee: A Journey to Jewish Joy" - fascinating, humorous story about the Hassid pilgrimage to Humań - the Ukrainian city where the tzadik Nachman of Bracław is buried. The following day there will be a pleasant celebration - Jerzy Kucia will be awarded the Special Prize Dragon of Dragons for his entire creative work. He is one of the greatest and the most appreciated animated films creator, also director, script-writer, producer, educator, graphic artist and painter. The Festival programme embraces events such as show of the Master's films, shows of his students' films and a special discussion between Jerzy Kucia and the composers of soundtracks to his films about the animation and music connection.
These are not all distinguished artists coming to the 49th Krakow Film Festival - for the entire week, the three juries will debate on the assessment of the contests films. The jurors include: Zbigniew Rybczyński (the chairman of the international competition jury), Bogdan Dziworski (the national competition), and Sergey Miroshinenko(feature-length documentaries competition).
Traditionally, numerous directors and producers will come to Krakow, to discuss their films with the audience.
INDUSTRY ZONE
Krakow Film Festival annually enriches and enlarges the offer addressed to the branch environment. One of the events, included in the Industry Zone, is the Krakow Film Market, this year taking place for the fourth time. It is currently the only one Polish and one of the few Central Eastern European initiatives promoting short films, animations and documentaries. The Market aims at showing and providing access to aforementioned films to film producers and distributors from the entire world, as well as to festival representatives and TV stations. The idea behind the Market is to promote domestic productions and aid domestic cinematography in gaining recognition on the international market, and to promote young, budding filmmakers. However, due to the huge interest of the foreign film environment, the Market's video collection includes also films from around the world, which gives the event international character.
Apart from the Market, you can expect other events in the scope of Industry Zone, such as shows, meetings, presentations, discussions. This year, the main event is the two-day forum of international short and documentary films distributors.
SUMMARY
Krakow Film Festival is an event of European importance, hosting annually over 500 accredited guests, and at the same time it has relaxed atmosphere, open to the audience. During numerous meetings with the creators, frequent during the Festival, the viewers have an opportunity for face-to-face conversation and contact with the filmmakers.
Next year, Krakow Film Festival will celebrate half-century of its existence, but thanks to the efforts and passion of the small group of its creators, still feels young - constantly developing and evolving, arousing interests and provoking discussions.
LOCATIONS, TICKETS AND SEASON TICKETS
Film shows will take place in the following cinemas: KIJÓW.CENTRUM (al. Krasińskiego 34), Pod Baranami (Rynek Główny 27) and Mikro (Lea 5). Evenings, the participants will visit the Festival Clubs: FILMOWA CAFE (al. Krasińskiego 34) and PAUZA (ul. Floriańska 18).
The tickets( priced 10-12 zloties and 40 zloties daily) and seasonal tickets (130 zloties and 70 zloties) are available for purchase in the box offices of the festival's cinemas.
Details: http://www.kff.com.pl/
Media Contact:
Anna E. Dziedzic
PR Manager
Krakow Film Festival
Telephone: 012 294 69 45
Mobile phone: 0696 448 795
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