The films represented by KFF Sales enjoyed great success at the 66th Krakow Film Festival. Productions from the agency’s catalogue won the most prestigious awards presented by international and national juries, confirming the high standing of Polish documentary film on the international stage.
In the international competition, the short documentary “The Tuners”, directed by Paweł Chorzępa, received the Silver Dragon for Best Short Documentary. The jury justified their choice as follows: “Discovering tension and suspense in the most unexpected of places, the film draws our attention to people who usually work in the shadows. This documentary elevates craftspeople to the status of key workers, while keeping the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end.” This is an Oscar-qualifying award.
In the Polish competition, Jakub Piątek’s film ‘Bacewicz x Bomsori’ won the Golden Hobby Horse for Best Short Documentary. The jury highlighted the exceptional power of the portrait of the protagonist, justifying their verdict with the words: “Once we fall in love with the protagonist, all theoretical justifications become irrelevant. For a simple and beautiful portrait in which one artist is reflected in another across the boundaries of time and space.”
Another award-winning title was Katarzyna Kultys’s “The House of Ants”, which received the Maciej Szumowski Award for exceptional social sensitivity. The jury praised this story, full of light and humour, which does not shy away from themes of conflict, helplessness and love, creating an intimate and honest portrayal of the relationship between a mother and son as they learn to understand one another.
The biggest winner among the films represented by KFF Sales was the documentary “Ticking the Devil”, directed by Maciek Nabrdalik and Piotr Małecki, which won no fewer than four awards. The film was honoured with the Golden Hobby Horse for Best Feature-Length Documentary, as well as Human Rights in Motion Award – the award of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , given to productions addressing contemporary challenges to democracy and human rights. The documentary also won the Audience Award and the Award for Best Editing.
In justifying the award of the main prize, the jury emphasised that the filmmakers had created a space for dialogue with the most difficult experiences and allowed the protagonists to speak about their own pain for the first time. Instead of iconic images from the front lines and war zones, the film focuses on the individual and on building an intimate relationship with their story.
The Krakow Film Festival took place from 31 May to 7 June,
more about the award-winning films