Yesterday, the 24th edition of the Polish Film Festival in America (PFFA) has ended. It is one of the biggest Polish film showcase, and in this year’s poll of weekly magazine the New City Chicago was chosen – “Best International Film Festival in Chicago”.
Since 1994 every year audience of the Polish Film Festival in America selects the most interesting movie of the event, this year the Golden Teeth award (of camera) was given to:
MY FATHER’S BIKE (MÓJ ROWER) directed by Piotr Trzaskalski, produced by Federico Film (feature film)
and ARGENTINIAN LESSON (ARGENTYŃSKA LEKCJA) directed by Wojciech Staron, produced by Staron Films & TVP SA (documentary film).
In addition, special, audiences and film critics’ awards were given:
The SPECIAL JURY PRIZE of the 24th Polish Film Festival in America for Outstanding Artistic Values in feature film went to MANHUNT (OBŁAWA) directed by Marcin Krzysztalowicz, produced by Skorpion Arte and to documentary film – MAN AT WAR (WIRTUALNA WOJNA) directed by Jacek Bławut, produced by Jacek Blawut Film Production & HBO Poland.
The CHICAGO FILM CRITICS AWARD of the 24th Polish Film Festival in America went to YUMA directed by Piotr Mularuk.
The “StarTech Glass” AUDIENCE AWARD for the Most Popular Film of the 24th Polish Film Festival in America got film LETTERS TO SANTA (LISTY DO M.) directed by Mitja Okorn.
The PFFA PRESIDENT’S AWARD of the 24th Polish Film Festival in America for Particularly Universal Values in feature film went to 80 MILLION (80 MILIONÓW) directed by Waldemar Krzystek and to documentary film – VERA GRAN (WIERA GRAN) directed by Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz.
The “DISCOVERING EYE” EMERGING ARTIST AWARD for the Most Promising Director of a Feature Film of the 24th Polish Film Festival in America got BARBARA BIAŁOWĄS for BIG LOVE and for Documentary Film – JAKUB POLAKOWSKI for MAN WITH A PLASTIC BAG (CZŁOWIEK Z REKLAMÓWKĄ) and KUBA MACIEJKO for BON APPETIT.
In the last two weeks Chicago, like every year, became the capital of Polish cinema. The Festival’s public had a chance to see nearly 70 new Polish feature and documentary movies mostly with English subtitles, including: ELLES by Małgośka Szumowska, WOMAN IN THE FIFTH by Pawel Pawlikowski, SUPERMARKET by Maciej Zak and the awarded movies.
Since 1997, the Polish Film Festival in America honors with a special award “Wings” the Polish or of Polish descent artists for outstanding achievements in the field of film art beyond Poland. The International Selection Committee is headed by Krzysztof Kamyszew, Founder and Honorary President of the Festival.
This year’s “Wings” award was given to Polish-born internationally acclaimed director – Pawel Pawlikowski. His debut feature film, shot on 16mm film LAST RESORT earned him international recognition and critical acclaim, and 2001 the British Academy Award (BAFTA) for “Most Promising Newcomer in the British cinema”. His next feature film MY SUMMER of LOVE won Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film at BAFTA Awards, the Best European Film award from the European Film Academy, the Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in British Film and many others.
Polish Film Festival in America, was established in 1989, during the transformation time of the political system in Poland. Within twenty-four editions of the Festival were showed more than 1,200 Polish feature films, documentaries, animated and experimental.
The main organizer of the festival is the Society for the Arts, which for more than 25 years, successfully takes also an active part in campaigns of Polish entry for the Academy Award for a Foreign Language Film category and in campaigns of Polish filmmakers. The Society for the Arts works with major public relations firms in the promotion and distribution of Polish films in America.
At the request of the Chicago audience the movie MY BIKE by Piotr Trzaskalski will be shown once again on November 25, 2012, and THE CHASE by Marcin Krzyształowicz – on November 21, 2012.
Source: Polish Film Festival in America