The Frozen River Film Festival offers its audience an extremely diverse and rich programme that seeks to educate and also engage them in socially important topics. The festival welcomes international documentaries that present unique perspectives on environmental, social, cultural, and sports issues.
This year’s programme has also included a Polish film. Paweł Łoziński’s documentary stole the jury’s heart and received a special mention.
In the film, Paweł Łoziński seeks an answer to the question: Can anyone be a film protagonist? Can you fit the entire world in a single frame? The director watches people from his balcony. Both young and old, they walk by smiling, sad, thoughtful, staring at their phones. Residents of the neighbourhood, or casual visitors, ordinary passers-by. The author approaches them, asks questions, talks about their life and how they’re doing. Standing there with his camera for over 2 years, he created a place for dialogue, a secular confessional where everyone can stop and tell others about themselves. Every person carries their own riddles and secrets. They can’t be easily labelled. Life can’t be imagined. The Balcony Movie is a radical return to the early days of cinema, when it was people who approached the camera. Perhaps one just needs to stop and stay a while to see more?
You can read more about the festival here.