POLISH DOCUMENTARY YET AGAIN WINS IN PERM
11th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival "Flahertiana" in Perm, Russia, came to an end. The winners have already been announced, and Polish documentary films are yet again among the best!
Last year’s success of Paweł Loziński’s "Chemo" at the festival in Perm has been repeated by “The Last Day of Summer” by Piotr Stasik, receiving “Silver Nanook” Award for the best short film. On hearing the news, Piotr Stasik said that he was “very happy, especially because the film was shot in Russia”. Moreover, FIPRESCI Jury prize was awarded to Jakub Stożek’s "Out of Reach".
Piotr Stasik’s film is a look at modern Russia through the observation of everyday life of cadet school students in Penza, 700 km away from Moscow. The director focuses on several characters, portraying how the time in school affects their lives, how they change, and what their desires are. The school is seen as a serious establishment, which in some way puts an end to carefree childhood. Distinguished for cinematography, the film also receivedGolden Frog at PLUS CAMERIMAGE Festival.
“Out of Reach” by Jakub Stożek is a story of two teenage girls, Karolina and Klaudia, who were raised for most of their lives without a mother. Due to the complex family situation the sisters had to learn how to be more responsible and independent than their peers. They make an impressively mature decision to get in touch with their mother and rebuild family relations.
The International Documentary Film Festival “Flahertiana” in Perm appears to be the most interesting presentation of documentary films in Russia today. The Flahertiana festival is named after the man hailed as one of the founding fathers of documentary film, Robert Flaherty (1884-1951), an American director renowned for “Nanoon of the North” (1922). From the event’s first edition, Flaherty oeuvre serves as an inspiration for the organisers to give the festival a unique character.
More about the festival at: www.flahertiana.ru/eng/2011.