SHORTS: “FIRST LAST SUMMER” IN A SEMIFINALS OF STUDENT OSCARS

Nastazja Gonera's film, which won the Silver Hobby Horse at the 61st Krakow Film Festival, has a chance to be nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the film community.

“First Last Summer” was selected as one of 92 semi-finalists out of over 1,400 entries from around the world. The film, created under the artistic supervision of Filip Bajon, was in the top 7% of all short films. The Student Academy Awards is an international competition, established in 1972. Each year prizes and financial grants are awarded to young filmmakers in the categories: Animation, Documentary, Live Action Narrative ,and Alternative/Experimenta

“First Last Summer” tells the story of a secret military centre, somewhere by the Polish sea, where a strange experiment is carried out – a group of scientists and military men transform repeating offenders into animals. The experiment is supervised by Gaia, a scientist and veterinarian of the future. She carefully picks convicts tp the needs of nature, looks after the animals and decides when they can be released into the wild to fulfil their role as revivalists of the species. It’s difficult, demanding work – also in terms of morality. She is aided, to the best of their ability, by her children – a young Bebe and teenager Janek. Until, in a newly arrived transport of convicts, U is also brought to the centre among murderers and rapists. The young girl immediately attracts Janek’s attention. She didn’t end up here by accident. It isn’t innocents who are sent to save the dying nature, but Janek is hell bent on helping her get out of this place. However, this means opposing his own family and a cause that is many times greater than himself. But it’s a beautiful summer, and the feeling that connects these two – a convict and a prison helper – could certainly have a future. If only it wasn’t the first summer of the end of the world… Whose lives would we be ready to sacrifice if nature had given us such a bill?