Polish Film Festival Los Angeles has been started on October 7 and will run until October 16. 2014 marks the 15th anniversary of this successful film festival that presents the best of Polish cinema in Hollywood every year. Here is the complete program of the festival for October 12 and 13:
Laemmle’s NoHo7 Theatre, 5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 (310-478-3836):
Sunday, October 12, 20114 (in person: Beata Pozniak, Ryan Cross, Janek Ambros, Jacek Bromski, Ludek Drizhal, Spenser Gibb, Kasia Smiechowicz, Daniel McVicar)
1:00 p.m. Doc.2: CHILDREN CALLING (Dzieci dzwonia) by Andrzej Mankowski (30 min.) There is a film about the Phone Hotline for Children and Youth 116 111. Consultants 116 111 work in a small apartment in Warsaw’s Saska Kepa. They receive daily more than 400 callings from the whole Poland. Fear of air accident, parting with a boyfriend, the father – an alcoholic, the teacher – an exhibitionist, sleepiness caused by swallowed just a dozen tablets – Consultant 116 111 must be able to face all the problems of the children…
TO FORGIVE ALL EVIL (Wybaczyc wszelkie zlo) by Grzegorz Linkowski (46 min.) Is a Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation possible? Two young historians Dr. Mariusz Zajączkowski (Polish) and Dr. Roman Kabaczij (Ukrainian) analyze unknown sensational facts concerning the talks and agreements between the AK (the Polish Home Army) and the UPA (The Ukrainian Insurgent Army) in May 1945. They show a unique set of archival photos presenting the Ukrainian and the Polish party during the preparations for their talks and during their negotiations which take place shortly after the Volyn tragedy, several months before the Operation Vistula, and which lead to the cessation of fratricidal fights as well as a common armed rebellion against the new communist power. At the same time, on the 70th anniversary of the Volyn tragedy, Polish pilgrims set out for Ukraine with the cross of Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko (from the St. Stanislaus Kostka parish in Warsaw). The pilgrimage occurs under the slogan “Overcome evil with good”. The pilgrims take part in lots of meetings with the Ukrainian community in Volyn trying to find a way to reconcile both nations. The film shows that painful memories don’t have to disunite.
3:00 p.m. Doc./Shorts2: THE PURPLE STORY (Purpurowa opowiesc) by Mateusz Madry (30 min.) A young reporter named Staszek helps an old man who got beat up by a gang of polish hooligans. When he finally comes home his whole life seems to fall apart until he is in a situation where he needs somebody to help him.
FRIENDS AT 33 RPM (Przyjaciele na 33 obroty) by Grzegorz Brzozowicz (57 min.) This documentary tells the story of an unusual friendship which lasted for over sixty years and connected two exceptional Polish artists – Roslaw Szaybo and Stanislaw Zagorski. Artists jointly studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts and belong to the so-called representatives of the Polish School of Poster. Zagorski in 1963 moved to New York. There designed book covers, magazines (Time Magazine) and vinyl (record labels Atlantic and Columbia). More than 20 years has worked with the famous pushpin graphic studio, and for 37 years he taught applied graphics at Temple University in Philadelphia. Szaybo in 1966 moved to London. Previously developed the concept of the famous series of graphic plate Polish Jazz. In London, he worked in a leading advertising agency Young & Rubicam. In 1974, he was, for 14 years, the position of creative director at the record company CBS. Since 1993, runs a photography diploma at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. Artists have gained worldwide fame primarily by designing records covers biggest stars: jazz (Miles Davis, Roland Kirk, Krzysztof Komeda), rock (Velvet Underground, Cream, The Clash, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen), soul and blues (Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker), pop (Cher, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkel), reggae (Bob Marley, Aswad) and classical music (Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein). This uplifting documentary is full of anecdotes, carefully chosen iconography and bears great soundtrack with the music of the era (polish jazz).
SAPPHIRE by Ryan Cross (6 min.) SAPPHIRE is the story about a family torn by marriage. Clinton, the oldest brother of two, has finally found the love of his life and is ready to start a family of his own. Paul, the younger brother surprises Clinton with an unexpected visit to try to change his mind before it’s too late.
5:00 p.m. VIVA BELARUS by Krzysztof Lukaszewicz (101 min.) Based on the true story of Franak Viacorka and other Belarusian youth activists, the film Viva Belarus! depicts the life and fate of nonconformist youth living in “Europe’s last dictatorship.” The groundbreaking film tells the story of 23-year old Miron, whose true passion is music. When his concert triggers an anti-regime protest, Miron is held responsible. Despite a heart condition, he is forcibly drafted into the army. Serving in a remote unit, Miron faces ideological brainwashing and horrible living conditions. Through a hidden mobile phone, Miron informs his girlfriend Viera about the day to day life of a conscript. She posts his diary on the Internet and it soon becomes a sensation among young people. As a result, the regime tries to discredit Miron and crush his spirit.
7:00 p.m. LITTLE CRASHES (Male stluczki) by Aleksandra Gowin & Ireneusz Grzyb (82 min.) Little Crushes tells the story of Kasia, Asia and Piotr. The women live together and run a small business clearing out apartments when the owners move away or die. Piotr, who recently left his wife and quit his job, finds himself in competition with Kasia for Asia’s affection. Tensions increase and emotions run high but no one is prepared to make the next move, preferring to play safe instead, rather than risk crushing what they have. Essentially they manage to maintain this delicate balance but it seems inevitable that emotions cannot stay buried forever and eventually something has to give
PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE by Beata Pozniak (5 min.) An experimental short film based on a poem “People on the Bridge” written by Nobel Prize winner Wislawa Szymborska translated and narrated by Beata Pozniak. Visuals of Beata performing are intermingled with images of a 19th century Japanese woodblock print entitled “People on a Bridge” by Hiroshige Utagawa which provided the original inspiration for the poem.
RED BLUE AND PURPLE by Janek Ambros (6 min.) A man’s mind jumps back and forth between increasingly extreme versions of the individual and the collective.
9:00 p.m. ONE WAY TICKET TO THE MOON (Bilet na ksiezyc) by Jacek Bromski (120 min.) Set in 1969, ONE WAY TICKET TO THE MOON centers on two brothers as they travel across Poland in search of a few instant life experiences. When Adam is drafted into the Polish army and is sent to serve in the submarine section of the Navy, he sets off for the military base in Swinoujscie, along with his older brother Antoni. The two head for the Polish coast, a journey across Poland lasting several days and bringing about visits with old friends, as well as new acquaintances. Antoni’s plan is to make sure that the trip prepares his younger brother for life in the army— including losing his virginity— to avoid becoming the laughingstock of the unit.
Monday, October 13, 2014
7:00 p.m. DECEIVED (Oszukane) by Marcin Solarz (90 min.) Story of the complicated love between a mother and a daughter whose relationship is put to a difficult test. At the age of 18, Natalia discovers that she is not the biological child of her mother. It turns out that shortly after birth she was swapped with another child in hospital. The truth changes the lives of both women. Is love more important than being a blood relation?
9:00 p.m. TO KILL A BEAVER (Zabic bobra) by Jan Jakub Kolski (99 min.) He is an obstinate man with obvious internal demons, a fact which provokes apprehension in those around him and an impression of inspiring indomitability. Yet despite his desire to be alone, a woman intrudes upon the quiet of his unspecified plans. His benumbed feelings, which the director illustrates through a world full of minor mysteries, typify Eryk just as precisely as his fit body and sharp vision. Eryk’s behavior and even his relationship resist rational perception, allowing the film to touch on fundamental questions of human existence, its instinctiveness, as well as how it is marked by specific experiences. These the director reveals gradually, offering multiple ways of perceiving them. Manic memories lead to manic actions, but they remain veiled in an aura of mystery concerning both their nature and moral justifiability.
Laemmle’s Royal Theatre, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310-478-3836)
Sunday, October 12, 2014 (in person: Alek Pietrzak)
2:00 p.m. GABRIEL by Mikolaj Hermanski (83 min.)
CASPARADE (Kacperiada) by Wojtek Wawszczyk (11 min.)
5:00 p.m. Doc. / Shorts: JOANNA by Aneta Kopacz (40 min.)
STRONG COFFEE ISN`T THAT BAD (Mocna kawa wcale nie jest taka zla) by Alek Pietrzak (49 min.)
7:00 p.m. SHAMELESS (Bez wstydu) by Filip Marczewski (80 min.)
9:00 p.m. JACK STRONG by Wladyslaw Pasikowski (122 min.)
Monday, October 13, 2014
7:00 p.m. VIVA BELARUS by Krzysztof Lukaszewicz (101 min.)
9:00 p.m. WALESA. MAN OF HOPE (Walesa. Czlowiek z nadziei) by Andrzej Wajda (110 min.)
Informatio: www.polishfilmLA.org , 818/982-8827
Program subject to change without prior notice