CinEast is a festival in Luxembourg, dedicated to films from Central and Eastern Europe. Since 2010, the festival gives awards both to full-length feature films and short films. This year, two Polish films won the Audience Award in this category. "Education" by Emi Buchwald was chosen the Best Short Documentary Film, whereas "Romantik" by Mateusz Rakowicz was chosen the Best Short Feature Film by the audience in Luxembourg.
In the film "Education," the pupils of a primary school have to learn to recite the poem "Science" by Julian Tuwim. The poetic phrase is sometimes hard to understand, some words have to be explained, but parents come to the pupils' aid. However, not all metaphors can be translated in an unequivocal way, and poetry clashes with the prose of life – particularly when a football match of Legia Warszawa is broadcast on television. Some will get As, others – Ds, but everyone will learn something during this lesson.
In contrast, "Romantik” is a short tale, using a tragicomic tone, which tells us that we have no control over our fate, even when it seems to us that we have achieved full happiness. Forty-something Stanisław takes his beloved Zosia for a mysterious and romantic journey. He wants to propose to her in the city of love. He does not expect that the next night will turn into the nightmare of his life, and the meticulously planned journey will prove to be far from his imaginations and expectations. A short tale, using a tragicomic tone, telling us that we have no control over our fate, even when it seems to us that we have achieved full happiness.
You can find more information about the festival here.