“THE BALCONY MOVIE” AND “ANGELS OF SINJAR” ALMOST CERTAIN TO GET EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS NOMINATION

The European Film Academy has just announced the Documentary Film Selection of 13 feature-length films from which the nominations for the European Film Awards will be selected. This prestigious group includes Paweł Łoziński's “The Balcony Movie” and Hanna Polak's “Angels of Sinjar”.

Awarded since 1988 by the members of the European Film Academy, the European Film Awards are the most prestigious awards given to European films, considered the equivalent of the American Oscar. The current head of the academy is Agnieszka Holland, who replaced Wim Wenders in this position. The first winner of the award was Krzysztof Kieślowski for A Short Film About Killing. Several Polish films had received these nominations – and often won.

Communion by Anna Zamecka or Piotr Stasik's 21 x New York – Polish documentaries that were nominated to and even received the Academy Award (Communion) may soon be joined by Paweł Łoziński's The Balcony Movie and Angels of Sinjar by Hanna Polak. Both productions have just been included on the prestigious shortlist of thirteen documentaries to make it to the final pool of films nominated for the European Awards. The film which receives the highest number of votes from Academy members, and thus the nomination, will be announced on 8 November. Winners will be revealed on 10 December during the awards gala in Reykjavik.

The documentary by Paweł Łoziński seeks to answer the questions of whether everyone can be a film protagonist, whether the entire world can be contained within a single frame? Director Paweł Łoziński watches people from his balcony. Both young and old, they walk by smiling, sad, thoughtful, staring at their phones. Residents of the neighbourhood, or casual visitors, ordinary passers-by. The author approaches them, asks questions, talks about their life and how they're doing. Standing there with his camera for over 2 years, he created a place for dialogue, a secular confessional where everyone can stop and tell others about themselves. Every person carries their own riddles and secrets. They can't be easily labelled. Everyone's story is unique and life can't be imagined. The Balcony Movie is a radical return to the early days of cinema, when it was people who would approach the camera. Perhaps one just needs to stop and stay a while to see more?

The film is produced by Lozinski Production and co-produced by HBO Max and Mazowiecki Fundusz Filmowy. KFF Sales&Promotion is the international sales agent responsible primarily for the film's overseas distribution and festival promotion.

Angels of Sinjar by the Academy- and Emmy-Award nominee Hanna Polak is a heartrending cry for justice. An exposé of a terrible crime against humanity, it reveals the horrors of a forgotten genocide and the people who are denied all of their rights—but it’s also a testament to their courage and strength.

Hanifa and Saeed barely survived the hell that ISIS inflicted on Yezids – the religious minority living in the Sinjar region of northern Iraq. The severely wounded Saeed, shot and left for dead, manages to crawl out of a mass grave before ISIS fighters have the time to bury the victims of the massacre – most of his loved ones among them. Hanifa is able to escape kidnapping, but her five younger sisters are enslaved by the Islamic State. To keep her promise to her dying father, Hanifa embarks on a heroic, deadly mission to find her sisters and bring them home

The film is a Polish-German co-production. It is produced by Hanna Polak Films, Saxonia Entertainment.

A list of all selected titles can be found here.