Special Screenings, Krakow Film Festival Catching Waves, Films from Gdynia. More on the programme of the 42nd PFF

Special Screenings, Krakow Film Festival Catching Waves, Films from Gdynia. More on the programme of the 42nd PFF

There are 50 titles scheduled for the 42nd Polish Film Festival in the Main Competition, Visions Apart Competition and Short Film Competition, but Festival also sports numerous non-competition sections among them Special Screenings, films awarded at the Krakow Film Festival and the latest productions of filmmakers related to Gdynia.

Special Screenings

Special Screenings at the 42nd PFF will feature “The Son of Snow Queen” (2016) directed by Robert Wichrowski; screening on Thursday, 21st September, at 6 p.m. in Multikino. The film stars a prominent and beloved actor, Franciszek Pieczka, who will soon celebrate his 90th birthday.

The Festival will also host director Grzegorz Królikiewicz. You can meet him in Multikino after screenings of his two films: “Through & Through” (1973) on Thursday, 21st September, at 12 p.m. and “Killing Auntie” (1985) on Friday, 22nd September, at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.

We will pay homage to the history of world cinema with a Special Screening of the film “Lumière! L’aventure commence!” (2017) directed by Thierry Frémaux. The documentary shows fragments from more than a hundred of the first films ever made, including those shown for the first time. The screening will accompany a 2-day presentation event, a part of PKO Bank Polski Academy of New Film Technologies (21st22nd September).

Krakow Film Festival Catching Waves

Thanks to the co-operation between Polish Film Festival and Krakow Film Festival, viewers in Gdynia can watch selected films awarded in Krakow this year. The section boasts four titles: three best documentaries and an animated feature.

“The Beksińskis. A Sound and Picture Album” (Poland, 2017), dir. Marcin Borchardt. The opening film of the 57th Krakow Film Festival received a special mention at the International Documentary Film Competition and a recommendation to the European Film Award. Screening on Wednesday, 20th September, at 2.30 p.m.

“When God Sleeps” (USA, Germany, 2017), dir. Till Schauder. A documentary on the life of an Iranian musician, Shahin Najafi, punished with a fatwa for insulting Islam. Director of the film won the Golden Heynal. Screening on Wednesday, 20th September, at 3 p.m.

“The Ugliest Car” (Poland, 2017), dir. Grzegorz Szczepaniak, is a road movie awarded with the Golden Hobby-Horse in the National Competition. The section will close with “Strange Case” (Poland, 2017), dir. Zbigniew Czapla, a film that left the 57th KFF with the Silver Dragon and Silver Hobby-Horse for the director of the best animated film. You can see both films on Friday, 22nd September, at 7 p.m.

Films from Gdynia

Traditionally, Polish Film Festival can’t miss out films made by filmmakers related to Gdynia. This year, we will show four pictures documentaries and feature films on Wednesday, 20th September, at 1.30 p.m. in Gdynia Film Centre, screening room Morskie Oko.

“Face-Off” (2017), dir. Łukasz Ostalski. A documentary on the player, coach and founder of an amateur team of a new sport – lacrosse. Its director is a graduate of the first year of Gdynia Film School and the author of much-awarded short film “Mother”.

“Now, That’s Cinema” (2016), dir. Marcin Kossowski. A documentary short made during the 41st Film Festival in Gdynia, when ten winners of “The Call of Gdynia! Let Us Invite You to the Festival!” competition spent a special couple of days. Guest starring Andrzej Wajda.

“Mr Rudnicki and Cars” (2016), dir. Andrzej Mańkowski. A short film about Janusz Rudnicki, an inconspicuous copyeditor at a local newspaper, whose life changes unexpectedly.

“My Pretty Pony” (2017), dir. Maciej Barczewski. Directing and producing debut of a Gdynia Film School student of audio-visual production an adaptation of Stephen King’s short story “My Pretty Pony”.

Main Sponsors of the 42nd Polish Film Festival: PKO Bank Polski, PKN ORLEN. Organisers: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Polish Film Institute, Polish Filmmakers Association, Marshal of the Pomeranian Province, President of the City of Gdynia. Co-organisers: Telewizja Polska SA, HBO Polska, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Ministry of Economic Development.

The Festival begins on 18th September and ends on 23rd September 2017. Buy a ticket or a pass for festival screenings (CLICK)!

More information on films:

Krakow Film Festival Catching Waves

Films from Gdynia