Flickerfest International Short Film Festival is one of the most important short film festivals, and its prestige is confirmed by the fact that the award-winning films can apply for an Academy Award nomination. This year, one of the qualifying awards, Flickerfest Award for Best Short Documentary Film, went to the documentary film "Close Ties" by Zofia Kowalewska.
"Close Ties" tell the story of the forty-fifth wedding anniversary. Barbara and Zdzisław could have been proud of themselves had it not been for the fact that the husband had abandoned his wife for his mistress for eight years. However, now they spend their old age together – though, as Barbara claims, if it was not for his aching legs, Zdzisław would still "kick about in Krakow." In spite of the former injuries, everyday problems with the accounting, the busy bathroom and moving the furniture, they are connected by a bond which is hard to define.
It is worth mentioning that for "Close Ties," this is the third award qualifying for the Academy Award (earlier, the film could apply for the nomination thanks to winning the Silver Dragon award at Krakow Film Festival), and the film is already included on the Academy Award short-list. The nominations will be announced on January 24, approximately at 2 p.m. Polish time. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
The full list of award-winners at Flickerfest is here.