“Land of Oblivion”, a Polish co-production with Olga Kurylenko and Andrzej Chyra, at the Toronto International Film Festival

“Land of Oblivion”, Michale Boganim, a French-German-Polish co-production with Andrzej Chyra in one of the leading roles and with music by the exceptional Polish pianist and composer Leszek Mozdzer, will be shown at the Toronto International Film Festival, the most important film festival on the other side of the ocean. The Polish co-producer is Dariusz Jablonski and Apple Film Production, one of the leading film production companies in Poland.

The film was invited to take part in the Contemporary World Cinema programme during the festival in Toronto. The festival has been taking place since 1976 and showcases the latest trends in world cinematography. This year’s festival, the 36^th edition, will take place between the 8^th-18^th of September.

Michale Boganim’s film has already had the honor of being invited to another international festival. “Land of Oblivion” will have its world premiere at this year’s Venice Festival during the prestigious International Film Critic’s Week (Settimana Internazionale Della Critica), with only nine films of which seven will compete for the Golden Lion of the Future prize.

“Land of Oblivion” is Michale Boganim’s debut fiction film, who is a respected documentary director (her work includes the well-known “Odessa… Odessa!” which has been shown at 40 festivals). 25 years after the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, she shows the stories of several people and families whose lives were destroyed in the blast. The lives of the characters are seen in two different periods: during the day of the blast and ten years later.

Olga Kurylenko (Bond’s girlfriend in “Quantum of Solace”) and Andrzej Chyra star in the leading roles while the music was composed by the brilliant jazz musician and world-class pianist Leszek Mozdzer.

The co-producer of the film is Dariusz Jablonski and his Apple Film Production (www.applefilm.pl), one of the leading film production companies on the Polish market, which consistently makes films together with international co-production, collaborating with producers from all of Europe and beyond. “Land of Oblivion” is a French-German-Polish co-production which gained the support of the Polish Film Institute as well as the international fund Eurimages of the Council of Europe. The French company Le Pacte is responsible for international distribution.

SCREENINGS AT TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

Press&Industry: 8 september at 19h30 – Scotiabank Theatre 11

Official screening: 9 september at 17h15 – AMC 10

Screening: 10 september at 12h30 – AMC 10

Press&Industry: 13 september at 16h00 – Scotiabank Theatre 7

Screening: 17 september at 21h00 – TIFF Bell Lightbox 3

Land of Oblivion

France-Germany-Poland, 2011, 105’

DIRECTED BY: Michale Boganim SCREENPLAY BY: Michale Boganim, Anne Weil, Antoine Lacomblez CINEMATOGRAPHY: Yorgos Arvanitis, Antoine Heberlé MUSIC BY: Leszek Możdżer EDITED BY: Anne Weil, Thierry Derocles SOUND BY: Frédéric de Ravignan, François Waledisch SET DECORATION: Bruno Margery CAST: Olga Kurylenko, Illya Iosivof, Andrzej Chyra, Vyacheslav Slanko, Nicolas Wanczycki, Serguei Strelnikov EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION: Les Films du Poisson PRODUCTION: Films du Poisson, Vandertastic, Apple Film Production DISTRIBUTOR: Le Pacte

Izabela Wojcik

Apple Film Production, Head of Development

ul. Bagatela 10/12

00-585 Warsaw

Tel. +48 228518440

Fax +48 228518444

Mobile: +48501299277

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

www.applefilm.pl

PÁLL ADRIENN

Austria-France-Hungary-Netherlands 2010, 136 min.

The story retraces the wanderings of a nurse who goes mad from being surrounded by death and sets off in search of a long-lost childhood friend. Gathering her recollections, she embarks on a journey full of paradoxes of her own memories and of the people she encounters.

Director: Agnes Kocsis

Written by: Agnes Kocsis, Andrea Roberti

Producer: Ferenc Pusztai - KMH FILM

Cast: Éva Gábor, István Znamenák, Ákos Horváth

Distributor: Elle Driver

Awards and Festivals: "Un Certain Regard" - FIPRESCI Award, Cannes 2010

THE ABANDONED

Bosnia 2010, 85 min.

The Abandoned is a look at the Bosnian war through the eyes of a boy who was born not as the fruit of love, but of hatred, and is part of a whole new people, nameless and unwanted, whose mothers were raped. The boy is in search for identity, for his biological parents.

Director: Adis Bakrac

Written by: Zlatko Topcic

Producer: Almir Sahinovic - HEFT Productions

Cast: Tony Grga, Mirsad Tuka, Mira Furlan

Awards and Festivals: FESTROIA International Film Festival - Special Jury Award "First Works Section" - Festroia International Film Festival, 2011

BETWEEN TWO FIRES

Poland-Sweden 2010

A young mother with her daughter escapes child trafficking in their home country Belarus, just to end up in a refugee camp in northern Sweden. In her vulnerable situation, she becomes an easy target for her surrounding. Soon enough she get put in front of extreme choices which turns her life to a nightmare.

Directed by: Agnieszka Lukasiak

Written by: Agnieszka Lukasiak

Producer: Peter Kropenin - Hob AB

Distributor: The Yellow Affair

Cast: Magdalena Poplawska, Simon Kassianides, Kamila Nowysz

DAD

Slovenia, 2010, 71 min.

A film about love. After a long time, father and son spend a day together. (One day is like a crystal, one's whole life reflects in it.) On a beautiful autumn Sunday, in the middle of majestic nature, the two human beings look like they are alone in the world. They must start all over again.

Directed by: Vlado Škafar

Written by: Vlado Skafar

Producer: Frenk Celarc - Gustav Film

Cast: Urška Kos, Sandra Ržen, Frenk Grdin, Rok Grdin

Awards and festivals: Veneţia 2010, Venice International Film Critics Week

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Croatia, 2010, 80 min

During a reality show a war starts in the real world, a global conflict between NATO and the Eastern alliance, but the producer will do anything to hide it from the contestants who fight for the big prize...

Directed by: Nevio Marasovic

Written by: Nevio Marasovic

Cast: Sven Medvesek, Natasa Dorcic, Ivana Roscic

Producer: Sasa Bjelic - Copycat Productions

Awards and Festivals:  57th Pula Film Festival: Best newcomer, Best screenplay, Critics award

THE TEMPTATION OF ST. TONY

Estonia-Finland-Sweden, 2009, 110 min.

It is the story of a middle-age man who wakes up in the dark forest described by Dante. An unusual problem overshadows his life more or less prosperous and peaceful - morality. It is possible to be a "good man"? And what does this means? On the way to a cleaner conscience in a more and more complicated reality, Tony will meet a few individuals specific to Estonian society today and will live exciting adventures, not without humor. And it seems that slowly but inevitably, the hero will lose his job, his family, and later the sense of reality and himself.

Directed by: Veiko Õunpuu

Written by: Veiko Õunpuu

Cast: Taavi Eelmaa, Ravshana Kurkova, Tiina Tauraite

Producer: Homeless Bob Production

Distributor: Olive Films

THE CHRISTENING

Poland, 2010, 86 min.

Michal has what he always dreamed of: a beautiful wife named Magda, a newborn son, his own firm. He chooses an old friend, Janek, to be the godfather of his child. This is just the beginning of Michal's plan, who asks his friend to take an interest in his wife... At the beginning the plan works out, but it becomes increasingly difficult for Michal to come to terms with it. Michal knows his deeply hidden past will inevitably come back to him...

Directed by: Marcin Wrona

Written by: Grazyna Trela, Dariusz Glazer

Cast: Andrzej Franczyk, Iwona Bielska, Krzysztof Czeczot

Producer: Odeon

APART THE COMPETITION

WEDDING IN BASARABIA

Romania, 2010, 90 min.

A young conductor from Bucharest and a pianist from Chisinau have recently married in Romania. The two are forced to make another wedding, this time in Basarabia, because the gift from the bride's relatives should gather an advance for an apartment. The second wedding is an opportunity for competition between relatives of young newly weds, a competition that highlights the differences in education, culture and political beliefs.

Directed by: Napoleon Helmis

Written by: Napoleon Helmis

Cast: Vlad Logigan, Victoria Bobu

Producer: Mediana Communications

Distributor: Asociaţia Film Romania

Awards and Festivals: / GOPO 2011 Award Nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a fiction feature film, best original music (feature film) and MTV Special Award for best kiss.

HELLO! HOW ARE YOU?

Romania, 2010, 105 min.

After 20 years of happy marriage, Gabriel and Gabriela did not feel any attraction to each other. After they spend a few nights communicating online with a stranger, both fall in love - not knowing that actually found each other again. One day the meeting of the two virtual lovers is inevitable...

Directed by: Alexandru Maftei

Written by: Lia Bugnar

Cast: Ionel Mihăilescu, Dana Voicu

Producer: Rollin Studio Romania

Distributor: Voodoo Films/ M-Appeal

URSUL

Romania, 2011, 83 min.

The Bear is a road-movie placed in Romania of 90's. The new manager of the State Circus is trying to solve financial problems of the institution by selling the only bear - old and dying - to a German hunter. But driven by a passion for craft and love for the bear, the artists of circus are against the director and follow him to the place where he goes to do the transaction.

Directed by: Dan Chişu

Written by: Dan Chişu

Cast: Şerban Pavlu, Mihai Constantin, Cosmin Seleşi

Producer: Libra Film

Distributor: Transilvania Film

Awards and Festivals: Best Pitch Award at Cottbus Film Festival in Germany

THE TAKE-OFF

Romania, 1971, 81 min

Valedictorian of a school of flying, a pilot is obliged to do two years probation in utilitarian aviation. The one who dreamed himself as a supersonic master, finds himself a poor "air driver". Life and the elder commander will g9ive him a though lesson.

Directed by: Timotei Ursu

Written by: Constantin Stoiciu

Cast: Liviu Ciulei, Emil Hossu, Emanoil Petruţ, George Motoi

Producer: Filmstudio Bucureşti

FIRST ROMANIAN FAIR DEDICATED TO FILM INDUSTRY

GOLDEN CARPATHIAN PLOIEŞTI EUROPEAN FILM & FAIR is the first Romanian fair dedicated to the film industry, organized in Romania by Ploiesti City Hall, Ministry of Culture, National Centre of Cinematography, RADEF Romania Film and the European Association for Cultural Integration. The first edition will run from August 25 to 28 in Ploiesti and is exclusively dedicated to Eastern European productions. The organizers plan that, in this unique event, directors, producers, distributors and other representatives of East European film industry to meet in a professional atmosphere, to submit films to sell or buy rights to broadcast or production or to find co-producers for future productions.

Golden Carpathian Ploieşti European Film & Fair is the first event organized in Romania, which, in addition to the film festival for Eastern Europe, contains a film fair component to support the Romanian producers.

Golden Carpathian Ploieşti European Film & Fair is strongly supported by the Municipality of Ploiesti, which permanently invests in cultural and educational events and in sports. By investing in cultural and sports programs of quality and scale, Ploiesti City Hall intends to transform the city into a metropolis offering the same alternative as a big city like Bucharest.Ascultaţi

Through this event, National Centre of Cinematography wants to offer a real support to Romanian film productions in order to facilitate the promotion and distribution abroad. During the round tables, debates and meetings, producers and distributors invited will be able to present their films to the interested parts, just as it happens at the fairs held in Cannes or Berlin. Unlike a simple film festival, Golden Carpathian Ploieşti European Film & Fair creates a market for film producers and distributors in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is the place where you can buy or sell the rights of films produced in this region to agents and film distributors around the world, the place where you can promote movies and find co-producers for future productions.

Ascultaţi

Citiţi fonetic

10,000 euro for the best filmmakers

The seven multi-awarded East European films will be screened in premiere in Romania in the official competition of Golden Carpathian Ploieşti European Film & Fair.

The film competition Ploiesti European Film & Fair offers Golden Carpathian Award for Best Picture worth 5,000 euro, and for best director and for the best screenplay in the value of 2,500 euro each and includes, in premiere in Romania, seven feature films recently presented or awarded at type A European film festivals.

Films entering the competition are:

• Pál Adrienn - director: Agnes Kocsis, France-Austria-Hungary-Netherlands co-production 2010
• The Abandoned - director: Adis Bakrac, Bosnia 2010
• Between Two Fires - director: Agnieszka Lukasiak, Poland-Sweden co-production 2010
• Dad- director: Vlado Škafar, Slovenia, 2010
• The Show Must Go On - director: Nevio Marasovic, Croatia 2010
• The Temptation of St. Tony - director: Veiko Õunpuu, Estonia, 2009
• The Christening - director: Marcin Wrona, Poland, 2010

In front of City Hall Ploiesti, inside the park, the following Romanian films will be screened apart the competition:

• Wedding in Basarabia - director: Napoleon Helmis, 2009
• Hello, How Are You? - director: Alexandru Maftei, 2010
• The Bear - director: Dan Chişu, 2011
• The Take-off - director: Timotei Ursu, 1971

East European film industry is still in obscurity that has nothing to do with the artistic value of films. Apart from a few manufacturers and distributors who managed to make themselves known through the type A festivals, most industry representatives in the area are known only in the country of origin.

During the last five years, Romanian cinema has been continually growing and a new wave of Romanian directors is increasingly appreciated worldwide. Under these conditions, creating a "market" film in Romania has become a necessity.

Ploieşti - the ideal film colony

Located halfway between the congestion of the Capital and the relaxation of the mountain, city of Ploiesti is the ideal location for organizing such an event. Dated since the time of Mircea the Old, the city is a major transport hub linking the capital to Transylvania and Moldova, with direct access to the amazing Prahova Valley.

Hotel Central is located in the center of Ploiesti, in the most developed area of the city in terms of tourism, at only 45 km from Henri Coanda International Airport. Built in a classical style, completely renovated in 2008, Hotel Central offers a wide range of high quality services, keeping the tradition that made it famous. The hotel has 166 rooms, four restaurants, four conference rooms, a terrace, bar, night club and a spa.

For this event, stands fully equipped to facilitate discussion will be built indoors. Golden Carpathian Ploieşti European Film & Fair offers to its participants the possibility to create their own event. Market's team will make available all necessary to organize a conference or a private party, as well as rental space for screenings.

To help participants, Golden Carpathian Ploieşti European Film & Fair will provide Info Points, opened throughout the event, where participants will be able to photocopy, scan, fax or phone anywhere in the world, private rooms that will include televisions, DVD players, filter coffee, water and unlimited internet access for private meetings or private screening rooms, and an office of the market where they can talk directly with the organizers or the PR department.

For more information, please contact me.

Thank you,

Corina Chercheş

PR Manager

0723.842.848

Dear colleagues,

I would like to inform you about the non-competitive section "DoCma: Animated Reality" at the 6th International Film Festival Cinematik in Piestany, Slovakia, which presents the films that interconnect documentary and animation. I would be very glad if the topic attracted your interest and if you could inform your dear readers about this section or about the festival in general.



IFF Cinematik is young and perspective festival. Its main competition Meeting Point Europe presents the best European films made in 2010 and 2011, chosen by a panel of 17 young European critics. This year's retrospective is dedicated to French script-writer and director Jacques Audiard.


For more information you are welcome to visit our website http://www.cinematik.sk/en/ or if you have any question, please, do not hesitate to ask.



All the best,

Tomas Hudak
PR assistant, IFF Cinematik

„Rose” by Wojciech Smarzowski (director of “Dark House”) will screen in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 36th Toronto International Film Festival marking the film’s world premiere. It is a 6^th film supported by the Polish Film Institute that joined the line-up of Toronto as well as the other 5 which are international co-productions:

“In Darkness” by Agnieszka Holland

“Elles” by Małgośka Szumowska

“The Flying Machine” by Geoff Lindsey, Martin Clapp and Marek Skrobecki

“The Woman in the Fifth” by Paweł Pawlikowski

and “Land of Oblivion” by Michale Boganim.

Agata Kulesza

Copryright: WFDiF

“Rose” synopsis: In the years following the Second World War, the indigenous inhabitants of the Mazurian lakes region became second class citizens to the new authorities. Through the eyes of a Polish Army office, we follow the struggle of a nation doomed to annihilation by two conflicting nationalisms. It would seem that these hard times leave no room for love. But love comes and brings hope.

“Rose” was screened in the main competition of the 36^th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia and Marcin Dorociński won an award for the Best Actor In a Leading Role. The Journalist’s Award went also to the “Rose”.

The film also stars: Agata Kulesza (“Suicide room”), Jacek Braciak (“Edi”), Malwina Buss, Kinga Preis (“Dark House”), Marian Dziędziel (“The Mole”, “Dark House”). Piotr Sobociński was the film’s director of photography while Mikołak Trzaska composed the score.

The film was produced by WFDiF and co-produced by Lightcraft Warsaw, Oko Film Studio, Perspektywa Film Studio and Tor Film Studio. The distribution of Wojciech Smarzowski’s film in Poland is handled by Monolith Films.

Best regards,

Olga Domżała

Olga Domżała

Film Sales Support & PR Manager

Polish Film Institute

Krakowskie Przedmieście 21/23

00-071 Warsaw PL

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

Mobile: +48 695 363 335

Plus Camerimage, an international film festival dedicated to the art of cinematography, takes place November 26 - December 3, 2011 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The festival is accepting submissions for its documentary film competition until September 30, 2011.

Application deadline: September 1, 2011
Please find the application here: http://www.dokweb.net/en/east-european-forum/entry-form/
Organized by: Institute of Documentary Film

East European Forum 2011
October 24 - 30, 2011 / Jihlava, Czech Republic

• approx. 50 international commissioning editors, buyers, sales agents, distributors, film fund and festival representatives
• public project presentations
• Feedback Round Tables - discussions with CE's and funders
• Oportunity to take part in all the industry events that are organized by IDF in Jihlava (East Silver market, Doc Launch presentation, Project Market, industry screenings, co-production breakfasts, networking dinners etc.)

This year, the Institute of Documentary Film opens the 11th edition of East European Forum. EEF is the region's largest meeting place for East European documentary filmmakers and European commissioning editors, distributors, buyers and film funds representatives in Eastern Europe. Filmmakers and independent producers attend the event to offer their projects for co-production, pre-sales and other forms of financial support. Over 80 documentary films have been completed with the direct support of the East European Forum (here...) Over the years, the East European Forum has become a prestigious platform that has since 2001 hosted more than 550 East European filmmakers and producers, over 200 commissioning editors, buyers and festival programmers. The workshop, industry programme and public presentations of East European Forum will host more than 250 documentary professionals.

EAST EUROPEAN FORUM / DATES
Application deadline: September 1, 2011
EEF workshop: October 24 - 28, 2011
Public presentations and Feedback round tables: October 29 - 30, 2011
Networking events during the industry programme: October 27 - 30, 2011

WHO IS IT FOR?
East European Forum welcomes directors and producers with their own creative documentary projects. The filmmaker teams (director and producer) must attend both the East European workshop and the pitching sessions. At least one member of the team must be proficient in English. East European Forum focuses mainly on Central and East European creative projects, with the director or producer or both from the East and Central European region.

PARTICIPATION FEE
EUR 100 / selected project + EUR 250 fee for accommodation per project

For more information and the application please go to: http://www.dokweb.net/en/east-european-forum/entry-form/

IDF welcomed the following commissioning editors in previous editions of EEF:
Sabine Bubeck-Paaz (ZDF/ARTE, Germany), Madeleine Avramoussis (ARTE THEMA Strasbourg, France), Hans Robert Eisenhauer (ARTE G.E.I.E. Germany/France), Leena Pasanen (YLE Teema, Finland), Iikka Vehkalahti (YLE, Finland), Philippe Van Meerbeck (VRT, Belgium), Wim Van Rompaey (Lichtpunt, Belgium), Cees Van Ede (NPS, Netherlands), Franz Grabner (ORF, Austria), Martin Stoll (Czech TV, Czech Republic), Björn Arvas (SVT, Sweden), Caroline Mutz (ARTE THEMA, France), Marijke Rawie (AVRO, Netherlands), Kathrin Brinkmann (ARTE/ZDF, Germany), Bert Janssens (Humanist Broadcasting Foundations, Netherlands), Philippe Muller (ARTE G.E.I.E., France), Heino Deckert (MAJA.DE Film, Germany), Esther Van Messel (First Hand Films, Switzerland), Nick Fraser (BBC 4, UK), Mette Hoffmann Meyer (TV2, Denmark), Flemming Grenz (DR TV, Denmark), Jordi Ambros (TV3 CAT), Caroline Behar (France 5, France), Marijke Huijbregts (AVRO, Netherlands), Rasa Miskinyte (LRT, Lithuania), Dr. Claudia Schreiner (MDR/ARD, Germany), Andrzej Titkow (PTV, Poland), Christian Popp ( RBB/ARTE, Německo), Sari Volanen (YLE, Finland), Jenny Westergaard (YLE, Finland), Elisabeth Hulten (ARTE France, France), Rada Šešič (Jan Vrijman Fund, Netherlands), Charlotte Gry Madsen (DR TV, Denmark), Christiane Hinz (VRD, Germany), Katarzyna Malinowska (TVP Kultura, Poland), Claudia Nedelescu (TVR, Romania), Marek Šebeš (Czech TV, Czech Republic), Andras Monory Mesz (MTV, Hungary), Joke Goovaerts (Lichtpunt, Belgium), Heribert Schneiders (MDR, Germany), Jessica Raspe (AVRO, Netherlands), Jane Jankovic (TVO, Canada), Viola Salu (ETV, Estonia), Vera Bonnier (SVT, Sweden), Klara Toth (Duna TV, Hungary), Flora Gregory (Al Jazeera English, UK), Margje de Koning (IKON, Netherlands), Lejla Babovic (BHRT, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Claudia Bucher (ARTE, France), Rudy Buttignol (Knowledge, Canada), Cynthia Kane (ITVS International, USA), Wilbur Leguebe (RTBF, Belgium), Cynthia López (PBS, USA), Jenny Ross (Al Jazeera English, UK), Milka Pavlicevic (ZDF/ARTE, Germany), Alex Szalat (ARTE France, France), Rahdi Taylor (Sundance Documentary Fund, USA), Lois Vossen (ITVS, USA), Sandra Whipham (producer, consultant, UK), Katja Wildermuth (MDR, Germany), Adam Gee (Channel 4, UK), Tom Casciato (WNET.ORG/THIRTEEN, USA), Andrew Catauro (American Documentary / POV, USA), Caroline Coutts (Knowledge Network, Canada), Carl Otto Dethlefsen (DR, Denmark), Silke Heinz (MDR, Germany), Dušan Jurčík (CT, Czech Republic), Marje Jurtshenko (ERR, Estonia), Hanka Kastelicova (RTV Slovenija, Slovenia), Tomasz Kolankiewicz (TVP, Poland), Vanja Kranjac (TV B92, Serbia), Jutta Krug (WDR, Germany), Milan Kruml (TV Nova, Czech Republic), Daniela Kuzmanova (BNT, Bulgaria), Mirka Lammi (YLE TV2, Finland), Cyntia Lopez (American Documentary, USA), Monika Mikušová (Slovenská televízia, Slovak Republic), Alena Müllerová (CT, Czech Republic), Rialda Ocuz (BHRT, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Hjalmar Palmgren (SVT, Sweden), Martin Pieper (ZDF, Germany), Igor Pozgaj (RTRS, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Outi Saarikoski-Schimberg (YLE co-productions, Finland), Charles Schuerhoff (PBS International, USA), Martina Šantavá (HBO, Czech Republic), Jana Škopková (CT, Czech Republic), Gena Teodosievska (MRT, Macedonia), Barbara Wiessing (IKON, The Netherlands), Kamila Zlatušková (CT, Czech Republic).

Czarny czwartek. Janek Wiśniewski padł (Black Thursday), the latest film from Antoni Krauze, will screen in Main Competition at the 35^th Montreal International Film Festival. Black Thursday will compete for the festival's grand prize against Kret (The Mole) by Rafael Lewandowski. The Montreal screenings will also mark both films' world premiere.

The Montreal International Film Festival lineup also includes Lęk wysokości (Fear of Falling) by Bartek Konopka (nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Short Subject category in 2010 for Rabbit a la Berlin), screening in the First Films World Competition (also a world premiere), and Księstwo (Heritage) by Andrzej Barański, screening in the Focus on the World section of the festival.

Black Thursday is the story of workers' strikes in December 1970 that were met with a brutal reaction from the communist authorities. The film is based around a Gdynia shipyard worker named Brunon Drzywa, who died during the riots after having been shot in the back at a local train station. Black Thursday received support from Agnieszka Odorowicz, General Director of the Polish Film Institute, and from Wojciech Szczurek, mayor of Gdynia.

The film features a leading cast of local actors from the Gdansk area: Marta Honzatko, Marta Kalmus-Jankowska, Michał Kowalski, with Wojciech Pszoniak, Piotr Fronczewski and Witold Dębicki in supporting roles.

Since the film's premiere in February 2011, Black Thursday has received wide acclaim from audiences, with over 672,000 admissions to date. This places the film fourth on the list of the most watched Polish films of the year.

As director of Black Thursday, Antoni Krauze received Special Recognition of the international jury at this year's Polish Film Festival in Gdynia.

Black Thursday was produced by the Gdynia-based production company Nordfilm. Jacek Petrycki was the film's director of photography, while Michał Lorenc composed the score.

Photo by: Marysia Gasecka

Fear of Falling previously won awards at the 36^th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia (Award for Best Film by a First-time or Second-Time Director), and at the 38^th Ińsko Film Summer (Best Polish Film). The screenplay written by Piotr Borkowski and Bartosz Konopka received an award in the Hartley-Merrill screenwriting competition in 2009. Fear of Falling is the first full-length feature film produced by Munk Studio of the Polish Filmmakers Association. The film's artistic supervisor was Agnieszka Holland.

International sales of Fear of Falling will be handled by Wide Management (the Eye on Films Label, established in January 2011). The film's production was co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.

Bartosz Konopka, a graduate of the Jagiellonian University, also a graduate of film directing at the Radio and Television Department of the University of Silesia and of two courses at the Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing, is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of the young generation. His film Królik po berlińsku (Rabbit a la Berlin) received awards at multiple film events, including Hot Docs in Toronto, and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Short Subject category in 2010.

Krzysztof Stroiński and Marcin Dorociński.

Photo by Mateusz Skalski

The Mole is a feature debut of Rafael Lewandowski and the cinematographer credit goes to Piotr Rosołowski. “The Mole” was produced by Metro Films and co-produced by KUIV Productions, Silesia-Film, Non Stop Film Service, Le Frensoy – studio national des arts contemporains, Vertigo, Trafik. The film received the financial support from the Polish Film Institute and City of Bielsko-Biała.

It tells the story of Paweł (played by Borys Szyc) who is the son of a 'Solidarity' activist. His wife is Ewa, the daughter of a miner who had been killed during mine strike riots under communism. One day a photo of Paweł's father (Marian Dziędziel) is published in a paper. He is accused of having collaborated with the communist secret police in the 1980s (with "The Mole" as his code name), and of having informed on his collegues during the strike.

The film was screened in the main competition of the 36^th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia and Marian Dziędziel won an award for the Best Actor In Supporting Actor. The film also stars: Wojciech Pszoniak, Magdalena Czerwińska, Sławomir Orzechowski and Bartłomiej Topa.

Copyrights: Kino świat

Heritage by Andrzej Barański was recently shown at the 36^th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia and Karlovy Vary Main Competition, marking the film's international premiere. The film was supported by the Polish Film Institute. It tells a story of Zbyszek who is a promising football player, until a knee injury sidelines his career. He decides to become a poet, but takes a job at a liquor warehouse in the meantime. Dividing his time between work and writing, he falls behind on his law studies. When his knee heals, he is offered a position on a good football team. Unfortunately he will not make it to the tryouts – the local farmers just happened to form a road blocade…

The film stars: Rafał Zawierucha, Michał Anioł, Aldona Jankowska, Henryk Gołębiewski, Jan Wojtyński.

Copyrights: Skorpion Arte

The Montreal International Film Festival runs from August 18 through August 28, 2011.

Best regards,

Olga Domżała

Olga Domżała

Film Sales Support & PR Manager

Polish Film Institute

Krakowskie Przedmieście 21/23

00-071 Warsaw PL

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

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LOCARNO’S BEST DIRECTOR IN MISKOLC

Adrian Sitaru’s Din dragoste cu cele mai bune intentii (Best Intentions) won the best director’s award of Locarno International Film Festival. The Hungarian premiere of the Romanian-Hungarian co-production will be in September at CineFest competition. Sitaru’s previous work, Pescuit sportive (Hooked), started its journey in Miskolc, too, two years ago making a huge critic and festival hit. The leading actress, Maria Dinulescu was the guest of CineFest then - she is one of the greatest stars of the Romanian new wave, also to be familiar from California Dreamin’. Miskolc will welcome the filmmakers again: this time not only the director but also Emőke Vágási, the film’s Hungarian co-producer, Orsi Tóth, Orsolya Török-Illyés from the cast and Bogdan Dumitrache who has been awarded Best Actor in Locarno.

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Peter Muszatics

JAMESON CINEFEST - MISKOLCI NEMZETKÖZI FILMFESZTIVÁL
JAMESON CINEFEST - MISKOLC INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

2011. szeptember 17-25./September 17-25, 2011

www.cinefest.hu

Telefon (+36) 30 9277726

Press release

17.08.20011

The viewers of the Toronto International Film Festival will get a chance to see five Polish movies. All of them were supported by the Polish Film Institute:

In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland will screen in Special Screenings section which makes a World Premiere of the movie. It was made in co-production between Poland, Germany, and Canada. It tells the story of Leopold Socha, a Polish man who went from smalltime crook to hero during the course of the Second World War. Risking his own life and the lives of his loved ones, he saves a dozen men, women, and children from certain extermination and helps them survive almost 14 months in hiding. The role of Socha was played by Robert Więckiewicz. The film also stars Agnieszka Grochowska, Kinga Preis, Julia Kijowska, Marcin Bosak, and the German actor Benno Fürmann. The cinematographer credit goes to Jolanta Dylewska. In Darkness is the Polish candidate for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

On the set of In Darkness. Photo by Marcin Kułakowski, Polish Film Institute

Elles by Małgorzata Szumowska which tells the story of Anna (Juliette Binoche), a journalist writing an article about prostitution among university students. While working on her piece, she meets two young women, Charlotte (Anaïs Demoustier) and Alicja (Joanna Kulig), who bring her into the world of love for sale. A kind of world that is appalling, yet at the same time - to Anna's own surprise - somewhat appealing. The script written by Małgorzata Szumowska and a Danish scriptwriter Tine Byrckel was noticed during Cannes festival in 2009.

Photo by: Marion Stalens

The Woman in the Fifth by Paweł Pawlikowski. It is a story adapted from a Douglas Kennedy's best-seller, starring Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas and Joanna Kulig. Rick's life has got out of control - after leaving his wife he heads for Paris to find his daughter and happiness among the French bohemia. Meeting wrong people pushes Rick towards a fall but he gets to know Magrit, a mysterious émigré, who seduces him and appears to offer the hedonistic and uncomplicated life he craves.

Znieważnona ziemia(La terre outragée/Land of Oblivion) by Michale Boganim. It's a French/German/Ukrainian/Polish co-production starring Andrzej Chyra in one of the leading roles and with Leszek Możdżer's music. The Polish co-producer on this project is Apple Film Production. The film retraces the irreversible consequences of the accident at Chernobyl nuclear power station in 1986. The organizers of the International Film Critic's Week in Venice where the film will also appear wrote that Land of Oblivion is "the highest quality debut".

Copyright: Apple Film Production

The Flying Machine is a Polish-Chinese co-production with the support of the Polish Film Institute. The main producer of the film is BreakThru Films (Poland). From Academy Award Winding producer Hugh Welchman (Peter And The Wolf), The Flying Machine is a spectacular 3D adventure for the whole family, combining live action and stop motion animation. Starring Heather Graham and super-star pianist Lang Lang who also performs the soundtrack, Chopin’s timeless unforgettable music provides the inspiration for a modern fairy tale. The Flying Machine will screen in Kids Film Competition. The director of the acting part is Geoff Lindsey and the animation part Martin Clapp and Marek Skrobecki. The cinematographer credit goes to Krzysztof Ptak.

Copyrights: BreakThru Films

Best regards,

Olga Domżała

Olga Domżała

Film Sales Support & PR Manager

Polish Film Institute

Krakowskie Przedmieście 21/23

00-071 Warsaw PL

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Mobile: +48 695 363 335