POLISH FILMS COMPETITION 2020 LINE-UP!

Monday October 26th, 2020

We announce the line-up of the Polish Films Competition of the 28th edition of the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography EnergaCAMERIMAGE. In this competition the award goes to both the cinematographer and the director of the winning film.

25 YEARS OF INNOCENCE


photo by Robert Palka

One morning in 2000, Tomek Komenda's peaceful life falls apart in the blink of an eye.The 23-year-old gets arrested for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl. Despite a strong alibi, the evidence speaks against him, and in the court of second instance, he receives a heavy sentence. He goes through hell in prison while his mother keeps fighting for his acquittal. Years later, a police officer and two prosecutors question the credibility of the investigation, and shocking facts are revealed. The film recreates one of Poland's most prominent criminal cases of the last few decades.

Original title: 25 lat niewinności
Director: Jan Holoubek
Cinematographer: Bartłomiej Kaczmarek
Produced by: TVN Discovery Group
Polish distributor: Kino Świat
Country and year: Poland, 2020

EASTERN

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This law of vengeance, dating back to ancient times, is what drives two warring middle-class families living in a modern housing estate, somewhere in Poland. The Poland on-screen looks very much like today's Poland but is somewhat imaginary, as there is – unlike in reality – unrestricted access to firearms. Death sentences are executed by young women, daughters from the feuding families. The girls start to concoct a plan to stop the bloody vendetta, which brings a ray of hope into this grim, Western-like story.

Director: Piotr Adamski
Cinematographer: Bartosz Nalazek
Produced by: SFP - Studio Munka
Polish distributor: Against Gravity
Country and year: Poland, 2019

MAGNESIUM


photo by Anna Włoch

The 1920s and 1930s Polish-Soviet borderland is a troubled area, not because of the recent war, but because of the prowling, feuding bands of bandits and pillagers. The Polish gang is led by ruthless women. Before another woman – a law enforcement officer – steps in to save the day, Siamese brothers will put their devious plan into motion, and plenty of other eccentric characters will appear. The film, inspired by the prose of Sergiusz Piasecki, is full of morbid humour and combines patterns known from picaresque novels and westerns. The picture’s director has called it a ‘gangster tragicomedy’.

Original title: Magnezja
Director: Maciek Bochniak
Cinematographer: Paweł Chorzępa
Produced by: Aurum Film
Polish distributor: Kino Świat
Country and year: Poland, 2020

OVERCLOCKERS


© Jarosław Sosiński

A family tragedy sweeps 25-year-old Karol off his feet. Having to provide maintenance for his mother, the house, and himself, the enterprising young man ventures to build an airship using his late father's project. He drags two friends into the risky business along with a ruthless but wealthy businessman he met in dramatic circumstances. A girl also comes into Karol's life. A story about dreams and obstacles piling up on the way to their realisation. A story of friendship, love, and, above all, a story of people with a passion for flying.

Original title: Polot
Director: Michał Wnuk
Cinematographer: Michał Popiel-Machnicki
Produced by: WFDiF
Polish distributor: Next Film
Country and year: Poland, 2020

SUPERNOVA

A rural drunkard, a young police officer, and a cynical politician – what will bring these men together and irreversibly change their lives? What will make emotions get out of hand? The story takes place in modern times, over several hours, and wholly outdoors. It combines elements of drama and psychological thrillers. On the one hand, it is hyper-realistic, as it shows the present condition of Polish society from a local point of view. On the other, it is metaphorical, because it could happen to anyone, at any place and time, and gives a universal view of the human condition and the role of chance in our lives.

Director: Bartosz Kruhlik
Cinematographer: Michał Dymek
Produced by: SFP – Studio Munka, Canal+ Polska
Polish distributor: Forum Film Poland
Country and year: Poland, 2019

TRUTH MAKES FREE

In the late 1970s, Father Jan Zieja, Warsaw's legendary priest and a Polish patriot, is interrogated by a security service officer. The communist regime persecutes the priest for his activity in the fledgeling democratic opposition, and the interrogation becomes a canvas for the clergyman's recollections that depict his life against the background of Poland's dramatic history. The priest is faced with many challenges. How do you reconcile taking an active part in a war with the commandment "Thou shalt not kill"? Father Zieja's commitment to his values, above all truth, makes a strong impression on the interrogator.

Original title: Zieja
Director: Robert Gliński
Cinematographer: Witold Płóciennik
Produced by: WFDiF
Polish distributor: Telewizja Polska S.A.
Country and year: Poland, 2020