FNE: What is Cinema in Sneakers?

Anna Stadnik: Kino w Trampkach (Cinema in Sneakers) – a fresh and buzzing project – is  organised by Cinemania Foundation. We started off in 2013 with big hopes and enthusiasm that only crazy, uncontrollable film buffs have: the idea to create a film festival for kids was influenced by Janusz Korczak’s credo : “There are no children as such – only people; but people with different experiences, different drives and different reactions.” And these people have the right to watch a wide array of films: about varied cultures, problems, made with diverse styles, but
made with respect for kids.

Everything started with this need. Having worked in the film industry for over a decade, we noticed this big, gaping hole that exists in the Polish market of cinematic productions for kids and the youth, one that has grown over the years and one that our generation has luckily escaped. We were given films that helped us develop as people, with characters that we could relate to, that mirrored our reality; films that were made for us and about us. We felt that the contemporary youth was being deprived of that.

This year out of 104 film titles we host 55 Polish premieres. Apart from the Children and Youth Competitions (features and shorts), we presented films in the following sections (among others): Childhood Enchantments - films that amazed our special guest – this year Monika Mrozowska -  when she was a child; Focus on Docs; Digital Poland for Kids - Polish reconstructed films made for children – this year we present Puppet animation from the 50s and 60s. The special section for 2016 is Singing Films- we want to point out the meaning of songs in children’s and youth films. Apart from films, we offer to young people many workshops, possibilities to meet talents and intellectuals. A crucial part of the festival is to stimulate the film industry to increase the general interest in film creation for children and young people.

FNE: Why is it significant to create quality cinema for children?

Anna Stadnik: I could present a number of arguments, but I'd like to focus on the one that is most important. There is an old Polish proverb, saying that what youth is used to, age remembers. In our childhood and youth we learn not only calculus, but also aesthetics and culture, we shape our style and taste. The future viewers in Poland are the ones that European cinema will shape. I am not talking only about education, but also making young people passionate about cinema and having the filmmakers treat the young viewers seriously. The kids watching cinema nowadays will decide what we will all be watching in the future. We can influence their taste and sense of cinema. So let's act.

FNE:  Do you observe any trends in modern cinema for children?

Anna Stadnik: There are topics that are universally connected to the time of childhood and youth, topics that every child needs to deal with and therefore are attractive to the young viewers. First love, changes in the family, the coming of new siblings, a death of a close person or the parents’ divorce are just a few. School violence is showcased in modern cinema for children in its different aspects. Films made outside Europe often tap into the issue of access to education. These are the more serious trends, but we also have an adventure, magic or upbeat family dramas about what it means to be a friend, a good person, why it is good to help others and discover the world. I think that, similarly to "grown up" cinema, there are as many topics, as young
viewers.

FNE: How can European (or any national cinema) compete with Hollywood?

Anna Stadnik: It is a shame, that American productions that reach the Polish viewer are most often what we call cinema of the middle, presenting a similar narration scheme, a similar style. It would be great if more of independent productions for young viewers were available in Poland. Countries like Denmark and The Netherlands are great examples; the local market can compete for the younger audience, but in order to do that we must first know our viewers and secondly produce films for them. If we produce one film for the younger audience in a couple of years, we can't expect for them to be great productions that children will fall in love with. We can’t have a 5-year-old wait a couple of years; they will become a different person.

FNE: What could be a solution to this situation?

Anna Stadnik: A good idea would be to recognize filmmakers creating films for children, as well as their films. Why do so many people confuse films for children with childish movies? This is not a problem only in Poland but in many European countries. In order to create numbers in the younger audience, we need to show them a different cinema offer. The work that needs to be done with audience engagement is one of the key aspects here. There is a list of films that automatically get public funding for distribution in studio cinemas in Poland because of the awards at films festivals that they've won. This list doesn't include awards from children's film festivals. In the meantime, Hollywood blockbusters are present in every cinema in Poland, even studio cinemas.

In general there are not enough of films made for children. If we produced more of them, the number of really good ones would increase. Where do the best films for younger audience come from? The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. These countries have parities stating that an amount of public funding must be given to productions for children. They win awards all over the world because they treat the younger viewer seriously and produce films for them. At the height of Polish cinema for children and youth we also had these rules and it would be great to bring them back.