MOTHER

MATKA

The film-makers were right in assuming that a vocal commentary in this story would be absolutely redundant. The entire life experience of the main protagonist is engraved in the wrinkled face of a mother who, despite her old age, regularly covers a 450-kilometre distance to visit her son serving a prison sentence. These moments in a visiting room are all she can hope for to express her feelings: longing, persistent concern, her wise resignation to her lot. The camera follows her daily life in a poor village as she raises her grandchildren, prays, and waits. Will she live to see her son a free man? After all, he still has ten long years to serve.

FILM REPRESENTED BY THE KRAKOW FILM FOUNDATION

  • Genre: Dokumentalny
  • Running time: 11
  • Year: 2009

Director: Jakub Piątek

DOP: Michał Stajniak

Editing: Anna Dymek, Jakub Piątek

Production company: Mistrzowska Szkoła Reżyserii Filmowej Andrzeja Wajdy (obecnie: Wajda Studio), TVP S.A., Stowarzyszenie Filmowców Polskich - Studio Munka

About the director:

Jakub Piątek

Jakub Piątek

Born in 1985, he graduated from the Polish National Film School in Łódź. Before studying directing, he worked as a journalist and culture manager. His debut film, “Mother” (2009), produced by Wajda Studio, was screened at more than fifty international festivals and received several awards. In 2014 he completed the documentary “One Man Show”, which premiered in Krakow FF and DOK Leipzig. In 2018, he made a short feature film “Users” (premiere in Krakow and Slamdance). In 2021, his full-length feature debut “Prime Time” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and it is available on Netflix platform in all regions. In 2021 he started teaching fiction directing (Polish National Film School).

Filmography:

2021 – Prime Time

2019 – Users

2016 – Sensory Analysis

2014 – One Man Show

2009 – Mother

At festivals:

The Middle East International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi, 2009 (competition)

International Student Documentary Films Festival (Fidé), France, 2009 (competition)

GZDOC, Guaghzou, China, 2009 (screening)

DocPoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival, 2010 (screening)

DOX BOX International Documentary Film Festival, Syria, 2010 (competition)

Short Film Festival of Nice, Un Festival C'est Trop Court, France, 2010 (competition)

IndieLisboa - Lisbon International Independent Film Festival, Portugal, 2010 (competition)

London International Documentary Festival (LIDF), UK, 2010 (competition)

Manchester European Short Film Festival, UK, 2010 (screening)

6th New York Polish Film Festival, USA, 2010 (competition)

DOCAVIV Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival, 2010 (screening)

DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Canada, 2010 (competition)

Worldwide Short Film Festival, Canada, 2010 (screening)

Curtas Vila do Conde , Portugal, 2010 (screening)

Message to Man International Film Festival, St Petersburg, Russia, 2010 (screening)

Expresion en Corto, Mexico, 2010 (competition)

Festival Silhouette Courts Metrages, France, 2010 (screening)

Split Film Festival, Croatia, 2010 (competition)

Batumi International Art-​​House Film Festival — BIAFF, Georgia, 2010 (Grand Prix - Young Filmmakers Competition Section)

IX Open St.Petersburg Student Film Festival Beginning, Russia, 2010 (competition)

FIKE - International Short Film Festival, Portugal, 2010 (the Best Europeen Short Film)

International Festival for Cinema Schools FIDEC, Belgique, 2010 (competition)

Cortopotere ShortFilmFestival, Italy, 2010 (competition)

14th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic, 2010 (competition)

Polish Film Festival in America, Chicago, USA, 2010 (screening)

ALCINE - Festival de Cine de Alcalá de Henares / Comunidad de Madrid, 2010 (screening)

"Cinema Verite" Iran International Documentary Film Festival, 2010 (Grand Prize of the International Short Film Competition)

9th IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival, Bulgaria, 2011 (Best Documentary)

9. Festival International Signes de Nuit, France, 2011 (competition)

6th Kenya International Film Festival in Nirobi, Kenya, 2011 (screening)

56th Cork Film Festival, Ireland, 2011 (screening)

DocsDF 2012, Mexico, 2012 (screening)

The New Generation of Polish Filmmakers, USA, 2012 (screening)

1st Film Festival Buenos Aires Polonia, Argentina, 2013 (screening)

31st Festival Tous Courts -Aix en Provence, France , 2013 (screening)

42nd Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, France, 2020 (screening)