DEAR READER
Film critics and audiences agree – the seventy-year history of Polish animated
film is full of mini masterpieces. Polish animation is synonymous with artistic craftsmanship and mastery and the titles that can be found in this selection have for many years been conquering world festivals and been an inspiration for artists throughout the world. Nothing highlighted the absurd reality of communist Poland more accurately than the animated films of the 1950s through to the 1970s. Metaphors and nonsensical humour easily passed the censors. The concise language of images, and often even of moving posters, needs no comment because it creates its own language. The great Polish tradition influenced the films of the late-twentieth century and more recent ones as well. They are often auteur works in search of new forms of expression, expanding the traditional form of the film. They are often avant-garde films, milestones in the history of audiovisual arts, which reach far beyond the traditional understanding of the animated film as a work of entertainment or being for children. However, they often refer to fairy-tale or dreamlike poetics, allowing the viewer, regardless of age or place of origin, to follow the unfettered imagination of the artist.
What we are presenting to you today is what the experts consider to be
the best in Polish animation. Presented here are both the most famous award-winning titles, groundbreaking works which have permanently etched themselves into the canon of animation films as well as new films by artists who are just beginning to conquer the international festivals. The representatives of three or even four generations of animators are united by a huge sense of creative freedom and independent imagination. Their projects are original in terms of style and the creative method, made by poets of image – free from both imposed commercial requirements and also the most common animation techniques.
Since its golden era of the 1960s, animated cinema has consistently been one
of the flagships of Polish culture abroad. I invite you to discover Polish animation with the help of this unique multimedia publication on the occasion of the jubilee celebrating 70 years of Polish animated film.
MAGDALENA SROKA
Director of the Polish Film Institute
MASTERS & PRIZES
MASTERS & PRIZES
The 70-year jubilee of Polish animation is an opportunity for celebration,
and there is a lot to be proud about as it has been a well-known brand since
the late fifties and sixties of the last century, the birth of what is known as the Polish school of animation, as evidenced by the two Oscars won – for "Tango"
by Zbigniew Rybczyński in 1983 and for "Peter and the Wolf" by Suzie Templeton (a Polish-British co-production) a quarter of a century later.
Polish animation was actually born much earlier, though there are no films as
proof of this, just.... the idea. Just three decades after the birth of the cinematograph,
Karol Irzykowski, a well-known critic, writer and translator, assessed the artistic potential of animated film as being very high, prophesying a bright future for it.
The first Polish animations, however, were rather a denial of the theories
and predictions put forward by Irzykowski. They were made to present the only proper
ideology of socialist realism, mainly as agitprop pieces for adults and children. It was
not until the turn of 1956 that a suitable climate was established for Jan Lenica and Walerian Borowczyk to create their films, which confirmed the powerful capabilities
inherent in the medium of animation. First in Poland, and then in France, they became pioneers of a different perception of animated films – not as a usable commodity but
as a work of art. Lenica and Borowczyk paved the way for others. The philosophical
and reflective stories of Mirosław Kijowicz or Stefan Schabenbeck, conveyed by
original line drawings and laced with satire, the films of Daniel Szczechura which were extremely condensed in structure, the "moving painting" of Witold Giersz and
Piotr Szpakowicz, the songs of Kazimierz Urbański exploring new forms of expression, the ascetic, poignant dramas with psychological depth by Ryszard Czekała, or the philosophical contemplations of Jerzy Kucia and many other artists all created a rich
and stylistically varied landscape of Polish animated cinema during the sixties and seventies of the last century. Abroad, it was called the "Polish school of animation".
Animated film contains elements both of the visual arts and of film art. Just
as the traditional movie was once called "animated photographs", so was animated
cinema called "animated visual art". Polish auteur animated cinema was usually not created by filmmakers passionate about visual arts, but by artists who had learned the craft of filmmaking not in schools, but directly behind the camera. That was back then, in those pioneering days, but today, for the past half-a-century, animation artists have been prepared for their profession by – in addition to the Łódź Film School – numerous art universities. A wide range of techniques is used, from traditional ones (drawing, puppets) through to more novel ones, such as cut-out animations, which have become a Polish specialty. "We were always annoyed with the tediousness of animation, so we decided to simplify it. Thus was born the cut-out. Out of our laziness" – defiantly admits Daniel Szczechura. Julian Józef Antonisz practised the non-camera method, that is, he drew or painted on film stock, and even scratched the soundtrack onto it by hand. "To make films, you do not need a camera; real cinema ceased to exist with the advent of the Lumière brothers" – he would say provocatively. The original, extremely laborious technique of so-called gypsum boards was invented by Piotr Dumała. For many years, he etched his drawings onto them, successfully bringing to the screen the full psychological nuances of the atmosphere of Dostoevsky and Kafka.
A very important place in Polish animation is held by Zbigniew Rybczyński,
who was constantly looking for new optical, kinetic, spatial technologies, trying to "liquidate the reality to be able to create everything oneself." These endeavours earned him an Oscar statuette for "Tango" (1982) – a completely hand-made, not computer-made film – which is still difficult to believe even today. Twenty years later, an artist coming from the completely different world of computer games graphics, Tomasz Bagiński, got an Oscar nomination for "The Cathedral", which was made in 3D.
Many masters of Polish animation – such as Witold Giersz, Jerzy Kucia, Piotr
Dumała, Marek Skrobecki and Mariusz Wilczyński – always impress with the artistic form, as evidenced by their latest projects, but they increasingly have their extremely gifted students hot on their heels.
JERZY ARMATA
70 Years of Polish Animation
ONCE UPON A TIME… / Był sobie raz…
dir. Walerian Borowczyk, Jan Lenica
Writers: Walerian Borowczyk, Jan Lenica, Cinematography: Edward Bryła, Project Designers: Walerian Borowczyk, Jan Lenica, Music: Andrzej Markowski, Produced by: "Kadr" Film Unit (Warsaw), Rights: Kadr Film Studio, POLAND / 2013 / 19’ / colour An unconventional story about loneliness and alienation through an impromptu dalliance with the form (the film was made without a script): a collage of colourful geometric shapes and figures cut out from old newspapers. WALERIAN BOROWCZYK (1923-2006), JAN LENICA (1928-2001) – A duo of outstanding artists, from whom began – thanks to the penetration of entirely new content areas and also the exploration of new materials and techniques – the intensive development in Poland of auteur animation, which was treated not as a commercial craft, but as an art form. MAJOR AWARDS: 1957
Venice / Golden Lion of St. Mark
1958
Mannheim / Golden Duca
dir. Witold Giersz
Writers: Witold Giersz, Tadeusz Kowalski, Andrzej Lach, Cinematography: Jan Tkaczyk, Project Designer: Witold Giersz, Music: Waldemar Kazanecki, Sound Design: Jan Radlicz, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), Rights: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), POLAND / 1963 / 6’ / colour Full of suspense, humour and unexpected twists and turns, this is a story about the conflict between two colours, one of which embodies a toreador and the other a bull. Coloured blotches brought perfectly to life. WITOLD GIERSZ (1927) – A leading representative of the Polish school of animation. He started with traditional cartoon animation, as he was fascinated by colour as a material, but he abandoned it in favour of so-called 'moving painting'. He began to paint on celluloid, which produced excellent results (bringing coloured blotches to life). The winner of dozens of prestigious festival awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 1964
Oberhausen / Grand Prix
1965
Cannes / First Prize
1966
Melbourne / Honourable Mention
1966
Santa Barbara / Special Award
Masters & Prizes
RED & BLACK / Czerwone i czarne
70 Years of Polish Animation
SWEET RHYTHMS / Słodkie rytmy
dir. Kazimierz Urbański
Writer: Kazimierz Urbański, Cinematography: Jan Tkaczyk, Project Designer: Kazimierz Ubański, Music: Krzysztof Penderecki, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), Rights: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), POLAND / 1965 / 6’30’’/ colour A look at a swarm of bees. A combination of various animation techniques, icluding non-camera ones. The frames obtained in this way interact with realistic photography to create an abstract ballet of forms. KAZIMIERZ URBAŃSKI (1929-2015) – a script writer, visual designer, camera operator and director of cartoon, cut-out and combined animations as well as documentaries, a producer of audiovisual performances and teacher. A tireless experimenter, in his work he was constantly looking for new means of expression and ways of creating the film narrative. MAJOR AWARDS: 2013
Oberhausen / Grand Prix
2013
New York / Grand Prix
2013
London / Grand Prix
2013
Espinho / Grand Prix
2014
Chitose / Grand Prix
2014
Poitiers / Special Mention
dir. Mirosław Kijowicz
Writer: Mirosław Kijowicz, Cinematography: Henryk Ryszka, Project Designer: Mirosław Kijowicz, Music: Krzysztof Komeda, Sound Design: Mieczysław Janik, Edited by: Alojzy Mol, Produced by: Animated Film Studio (Bielsko-Biala), Rights: Animated Film Studio (Bielsko-Biała), POLAND / 1965 / 7’ / colour A biting satire on the lack of ideological orientation, hypocrisy and double standards. The head of a demonstrator contains so many other random items that it would be futile to seek the flag from the title in there. MIROSŁAW KIJOWICZ (1929-1999) – an outstanding representative of the Polish school of anima-
tion. The austere and ascetic vividness of his films, often taking the form of philosophical parables, greatly deepened the mental content: the greyness, loneliness and helplessness of modern man in relation to everything that surrounds him. The winner of many prestigious festival trophies. MAJOR AWARDS: 1965
Kraków / Silver Hobby-Horse
1967
Bordighera / Golden Araucaria
1967
Barcelona / Second Prize
Masters & Prizes
THE FLAG / Sztandar
70 Years of Polish Animation
THE VOYAGE / Podróż
dir. Daniel Szczechura
Writer: Daniel Szczechura, Cinematography: Wacław Fedak, Project Designer: Daniel Szczechura, Music: Eugeniusz Rudnik, Produced by: Studio Małych Form Filmowych Se-Ma-For, Rights: National Film Archive, POLAND / 1970 / 6’30’’ / colour A man is travelling on a train. He is looking out of the window, behind which a monotonous landscape passes by. He reaches his destination and he gets out. A short stroll. Then back on the train to go back. DANIEL SZCZECHURA (1930) – A leading representative of the Polish school of animation. Not only an outstanding animation artist, but also a documentary filmmaker. Also a highly regarded teacher. He creates auteur cinema, satirical at first but then becoming increasingly philosophical and reflective, with strong surreal elements full of poetic reverie. The winner of many important awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 1970
Kraków / Bronze Hobby-Horse
dir. Ryszard Czekała
Writer: Ryszard Czekała, Cinematography: Jan Tkaczyk, Project Designer: Ryszard Czekała, Music: Marian Pawlik, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw) – Kraków Branch, Rights: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), POLAND / 1970 / 10’ / black and white A son, whose education entailed many sacrifices, forgets about his old parents as they work hard farming their land. The parents miss their child. When he finally arrives, they cannot communicate with him. RYSZARD CZEKAŁA (1941-2010) – A writer and director of animated and feature films, and a visual artist. In his animated films, he applied the means of expression appropriate to live-action movies. His animated dramas, moving and with great psychological depth, revealed completely new subject areas for this field of cinematographic art. MAJOR AWARDS: 1970
Kraków / Golden Dragon
1970
Mannheim / Golden Ducat
1971
Adelaide-Auckland / Golden Southern Cross
Masters & Prizes
SON / Syn
70 Years of Polish Animation
A HARD-CORE ENGAGED FILM. NONCAMERA / Ostry film zaangażowany. Non-camera
dir. Julian Józef Antonisz
Writer: Julian Józef Antonisz, Cinematography: Marek Dumnicki, Krzysztof Stawowczyk, Project Designer: Julian Józef Antonisz, Music: Julian Józef Antonisz, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw) – Kraków Branch, Rights: National Film Archive, POLAND / 1979 / 7’49’’ / colour Made using non-camera technology (drawn and painted directly onto film stock), a funny story about the decline of cultural life as a result of ... the removal of street kiosks which used to be plastered with posters. JULIAN JÓZEF ANTONISZ (1941-1987) – He consistently made non-camera films (drawn or painted directly on film stock) and he also experimented with non-camera sound. His animation work is the art of absurd humour, often with a reflective element, an avalanche of surprising ideas offered in an expressive, highly rhythmicised form. MAJOR AWARDS: 1980
Kraków / Bronze Dragon
1980
Kraków / Golden Hobby-Horse
dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński
Writer: Zbigniew Rybczyński, Cinematography: Zbigniew Rybczyński, Project Designer: Zbigniew Rybczyński, Music: Janusz Hajdun, Sound Design: Mieczysław Janik, Edited by: Barbara Sarnocińska, Produced by: Studio Małych Form Filmowych Se-Ma-For, Rights: National Film Archive, POLAND / 1980 / 8’14’’ / colour Within the four walls of one room, events take place simultaneously involving various tenants from different times. A sophisticated formal experiment and, at the same time, a telling philosophical metaphor. ZBIGNIEW RYBCZYŃSKI (1949) – Hailed by critics as the "Pope of Video", the "Méliès of Video" and a "Video Genius", he always impressed with his unconventional ideas and their perfect implementation. He is constantly looking for new techniques, means of expression and narrative possibilities. The winner of many prestigious awards, including the 1983 Oscar for his brilliant film "Tango" (1980). MAJOR AWARDS: 1981
Kraków / Bronze Hobby-Horse
1981
Oberhausen / Grand Prize
1981
Huesca / Special Award
1981
Annecy / Main Prize
1981
Annecy / Audience Award
1983
Oscar
Masters & Prizes
TANGO / Tango
70 Years of Polish Animation
SOLO IN A FALLOW FIELD / Solo na ugorze dir. Jerzy Kalina
Writer: Jerzy Kalina, Cinematography: Jan Tkaczyk, Project Designer: Jerzy Kalina, Music: Bohdan Mazurek, Sound Design: Witold Popkiewicz, Edited by: Hanna Michalewicz, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), Rights: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), POLAND / 1981 / 7’ / black and white An old man prepares for work. He shaves, washes and gets dressed. He harnesses his horse to the plough. He starts ploughing. The hard, monotonous work is accompanied by the patriotic song "Ukochany kraj, umiłowany kraj"... JERZY KALINA (1944) – A screenwriter and director of animated films and documentaries, and also a sculptor, action artist, performer, stained glass artist, production designer and theatre director. His films, made using various animation techniques, take on weighty socio-political issues in an ironic way. The winner of numerous prestigious festival awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 1982
Kraków / Silver Hobby-Horse
dir. Jerzy Kucia
Writers: Jerzy Kucia, Ewa Gołogórska, Cinematography: Andrzej Jeziorek, Marek Norek, Project Designer: Jerzy Kucia, Music: Marek Wilczyński, Edited by: Andrzej Jeziorek, Unisława Głażewska, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw) – Kraków Branch, Rights: National Film Archive, POLAND / 1984 / 9’38’’ / black and white A touching study of loneliness and passing. In the memory of a woman, the memories of past years are revived. The present is mixed with the past, the indicative mood with the conditional mood, reality with imagination. JERZY KUCIA (1942) – A maker of animated films, artist, producer, and teacher. He creates films devoid of action in the traditional sense of the term, but rather makes films of philosophical reflection, penetrating into areas hitherto uncharted by animation – the world of man's inner experiences. He often replaces the logic of the consequences of events with the logic of memory. The winner of many significant awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 1984
Toronto / Grand Prix
1984
Hiroshima / Special Mention
Masters & Prizes
SPLINTERS / Odpryski
FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
Animated film has always won the most trophies of all Polish cinema at the world's most prestigious festivals. The Polish school of animation, of which the leaders in the sixties and seventies of the last century were Witold Giersz, Daniel Szczechura, Mirosław Kijowicz and
Kazimierz Urbański, was just as highly valued around the world – as evidenced by the veritable avalanche of trophies at the most important festivals – just like the "proper" Polish school representatives, such as Andrzej Wajda, Andrzej Munk and Jerzy Kawalerowicz. Both Roman
Polański and Andrzej Żuławski were inspired by Polish animation. The music for many short animated films was composed by Krzysztof Penderecki.
The most spectacular award for Polish animation is the Oscar for "Tango" (1980)
won by Zbigniew Rybczyński in 1983, which opened the door to an international career for this extraordinary artist. Nearly twenty years later – in 2002 – Tomasz Bagiński received an Oscar
nomination for his computer-generated "Cathedral" (2002), and in 2008 the statuette of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, also in the category of best short animated
film, was awarded to the Polish-British co-production "Peter and the Wolf" (2006) by Suzie
Templeton, a spectacular puppet version of Sergei Prokofiev's ballet. In 1975, the film "Step", which was made in France by a Polish artist, Piotr Kamler, won the Grand Prix in Annecy and was
voted the best film of the lat 30 years.”. Also awarded at Annecy were such films as "Labyrinth" by Jan Lenica, "Everything is a Number" by Stefan Schabenbeck, "Cages" by Mirosław Kijowicz, "The Roll-Call" by Ryszard Czekała, "Reflections" by Jerzy Kucia, "Walls" by Piotr Dumała and "Chick" by Michał Socha. Recent years have also been extremely fruitful: in 2011, "The Lost Town
of Świteź" by Kamil Polak was named best debut at Annecy and "Paths of Hate" by Damian Nenow received a mention at Fatizze. The Polish-Romanian co-production, "Crulic. The Path
to Beyond" by Anca Damian, won the highest award – the Annecy Cristal, while in 2013 best animation in the student short film competition went to Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi's "Ab ovo".
In the same year, the jury awarded the Annecy festival's Special Crystal Award for
lifetime achievement to Jerzy Kucia. Two years later, the distinguished artist was awarded the ASIFA (International Animated Film Association) award for – as was stated in the verdict – "the achievements and accomplishments of life." In 2012, another doyen of Polish cinematography – Witold Giersz – received the prestigious CIFEJ (Centre International du Film pour l'Enfance et la Jeunesse) for Lifetime Achievement. Masters receive trophies not only for "lifetime achievements", but also for their current work, the best example of which is the new animated film by Piotr Dumała, "Hipopotamy", which has garnered dozens of international awards, including at Banja Luka, Bilbao, Bucharest, Montreal, Nicosia, Ottawa, Riga, Saguenay, Santiago and Zagreb.
In this veritable avalanche of festival trophies which has fallen on Polish animated
cinema in recent years, however, the list is dominated by young artists, including the pupils of Daniel Szczechura, Jerzy Kucia, Hieronim Neumann, Piotr Dumała, Marek Skrobecki and Mariusz Wilczyński who teach the difficult art of animation in higher art and film schools in Warsaw, Kraków and Łódź. Several important awards have been won by movies of... debutants: "Refrains" (2007) by Wioletta Sowa, "The Lost Town of Świteź" (2010) by Kamil Polak, "Ziegenort" (2013) by Tomasz Popakul and "A Blue Room" (2014) by Tomasz Siwiński. Some of the highest awards at prestigious festivals have been won by those who are still students: in 2010, the Grand Prix at the "Animator" International Festival of Animated Film in Poznań went to Piotr Szczepanowicz for his short film "Hidden" (2009), made at the Łódź Film School, and three years later the success of her colleagues was repeated by Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi with her etude "Ab ovo" (2012), made at the same place.
But the festival record holder is Tamás Ducki, whose four-minute "Baths" (2014) has
already been awarded at dozens of events, including at Baden, Banja Luka, Belgrade, Berlin, Bilbao, Budaörs, Helsinki, Hiroshima, Cairo, Kecskemét, Kraków, Leeds, Mexico City, Moscow, Newport Beach, Nicosia, New York, Poznań, Washington and Zagreb.
A festival craze. Animated cinema in Poland is becoming increasingly diverse in its
generics, in terms of genres and the industry, due to the increasing number of international coproductions.
JERZY ARMATA
70 Years of Polish Animation
FALLEN ART / Sztuka spadania
dir. Tomek Bagiński
Writer: Tomek Bagiński, Project Designer: Rafał Wojtunik, Music: Fanfare Ciocarlia, Sound Design: Kuba Pietrzak, Wojtek Mularczyk, Post Meridian Productions, Producers: Jarek Sawko, Piotr Sikora, Tomek Bagiński, Produced by: Platige Image (Warsaw), Rights: Platige Image (Warsaw), POLAND / 2004 / 5’40’’ / colour A forgotten military base somewhere at the end of the world. There are decorated officers who have now become useless for the army. There, on a remote island far from the civilised world, they can do whatever they want. TOMEK BAGIŃSKI (1976) – He creates auteur cinema for adults, using computers in the filmmaking process in Poland in a most creative way, with excellent command of the means of expression. The winner of dozens of festival awards, he received an Oscar nomination for "The Cathedral" (2002). He makes his films at Platige Image. MAJOR AWARDS: 2005
Beverly Hills / Golden Palm
2005
Stuttgart / Animago Award
2005
Linz / Golden Nica
2005
Tehran / Grand Prix
2005
Tirana / Grand Prix
2006
BAFTA
dir. Piotr Dumała
Writer: Piotr Dumała, Project Designer: Piotr Dumała, Music: Alexander Balanescu, Sound Design: Jacek Hamela, Edited by: Beata Walentowska, Paweł Dębski, Producers: Piotr Furmankiewicz, Mateusz Michalak, Produced by: Fumi Studio (Warsaw), Rights: Fumi Studio (Warsaw), POLAND / 2014 / 13’ / colour In the river, naked women bathe with their children. A group of men are hiding and peeping at them. They decide to approach. The meeting takes an extremely dramatic turn, inspired by events in the lives of hippos. PIOTR DUMAŁA (1956) – Screenwriter and director of animated films and feature films, visual artist and teacher. In his animation, he uses traditional line drawings, as well as a method he invented by himself using gypsum boards, and also computer technology. Often inspired by literature (Franz Kafka, Fyodor Dostoyevsky), he has won dozens of festival awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 2014
Nicosia / Grand Prix
2014
Ottawa / Grand Prix
2014
Bilbao / Cine Club Fas Award
2014
Montreal / Grand Prix
2015
Riga / Main Prize
2015
Santiago / First Prize
Festival Favourites
HIPOPOTAMY / Hipopotamy
70 Years of Polish Animation
PUSSY / Cipka
dir. Renata Gąsiorowska
Writer: Renata Gąsiorowska, Project Designer: Renata Gąsiorowska, Music: Vlodymyr Antoniv, Sound Design: Ewa Bogusz, Producer: Marcin Palatyński, Produced by: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, Rights: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, POLAND / 2015 / 8’22’’ / colour A young girl – the heroine of this tale full of pure-nonsense humour – spends an evening alone. But that's no reason not to have some fun. However, not everything goes the way she dreamed. RENATA GĄSIOROWSKA (1991) – A student of animation and special effects at the Cinematography Department at the Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź. Her multiple festival award-winning "Pussy" (2015) was her school etude, made under the artistic tutelage of Mariusz Wilczyński and Joanna Jasińska. MAJOR AWARDS: 2016
Leipzig / Audience Award
2016
Los Angeles / Grand Jury Prize
2016
Chicago / Eye Exploration Award
2016
Clermont-Ferrand / Main Prize
dir. Marta Pajek
Writer: Marta Pajek, Project Designer: Marta Pajek, Music: Michelle Gurevich, Sound Design: Michał Jankowski, Edited by: Marta Pajek, Producers: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Grzegorz Wacławek, Produced by: Animoon (Warsaw), Rights: Animoon (Warsaw), POLAND / 2016 / 15’ / colour The protagonist of this perverse story – maintained in surreal poetics – is a woman who in her daily bustle constantly stumbles. When she gets up, she discovers that her house has unexpected properties... MARTA PAJEK (1982) – A graduate of the Faculty of Graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where she studied animation under Professor Jerzy Kucia. Her two auteur films made to date – "Sleepincord" (2011) and "Impossible Figures and Other Stories II" (2016) – have been honoured with more than a dozen major festival awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 2016
Belgrade / Special Honor
2016
St. Petersburg / Main Prize
2017
Berkley / Grand Prix
Festival Favourites
IMPOSSIBLE FIGURES AND OTHER STORIES II / Figury niemożliwe i inne historie II
70 Years of Polish Animation
SEXY LAUNDRY / Seks dla opornych dir. Izabela Plucińska
Writer: Izabela Plucińska (based on the play by Michele Riml), Project Designers: Izabela Plucińska Agata Rojek, Teresa Otulak, Monika Gajewska, Music: Normand Roger, Pierre Yves Drapeau, Denis Chartrand, Sound Design: Normand Roger, Pierre Yves Drapeau, Denis Chartrand, Edited by: Dirk Schreier, Rudi Zieglmeier, Producers: Izabela Plucińska, Robert Kern, Marc Bertrand, Paulina Ratajczak, Produced by: Clay Traces GbR, National Film Board of Canada, Fundacja Las Sztuki, Rights: Clay Traces GbR, POLAND / GERMANY / CANADA / 2015 / 12’ / colour An erotic comedy created entirely using modelling clay, inspired by the play by Michele Riml dedicated to the erotic life of a couple who have been married for twenty-five years and have become numb from their routine lives. IZABELA PLUCIŃSKA (1974) – A graduate of design from the Faculty of Textile Art and Fashion Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, as well as the film schools in Łódź and Potsdam, where she studied animation. She specialises in plasticine and clay animation. She developed her own animation technique, through which she manages to achieve the effect of a smooth transfer of colours and even of "painting" with plasticine. MAJOR AWARDS: 2016
Poznań / Audience Award
dir. Kamil Polak
Writer: Kamil Polak (based on the poem by Adam Mickiewicz), Project Designer: Jacek Rokosz, Music: Irina Bogdanovich, Sound Design: Luigi Allemano, Edited by: Kamil Polak, Producers: Stanisław Dziedzic, Zbigniew Żmudzki, Kamil Polak, Eliza Oczkowska, Co-Producers: Luc Toutounghi, Denis Friedman, Paweł Partyka, Marcin Łunkiewicz, Produced by: Human Ark Studio Co-produced: Se-Ma-For (Łódź), Archangel SA, Denis Friedman Productions, National Film Board of Canada, Telewizja Polska SA, The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, Partyflex System, Zielony Pomidor, Rights: Human Ark Studio, POLAND / DENMARK / FRANCE / CANADA / SWITZERLAND / 2010 / 20’ / colour A superb adaptation of the romantic ballad by Adam Mickiewicz, a Polish poet of the Romantic period. A full-of-suspense story about a mysterious lake, at the bottom of which lies an enchanted medieval town. KAMIL POLAK (1980) – A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and of the Cinematography Department at the Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, where he studied animation. His epic film "The Lost Town of Świteź" (2010), which took seven years to make and impresses with its scale and artistic values, was his film debut. MAJOR AWARDS: 2011
Las Palmas / Main Prize
2011
Annecy / Award for Debut
2011
Palm Springs / First Prize
2011
New York / Main Prize
2012
Rimini / Grand Prix
2012
Mogilev / Grand Prix
Festival Favourites
THE LOST TOWN OF ŚWITEŹ / Świteź
70 Years of Polish Animation
ZIEGENORT / Ziegenort
dir. Tomasz Popakul
Writer: Tomasz Popakul, Project Designer: Tomasz Popakul, Music: Stuart Dahlquist, Paweł Cieślak, Sound Design: Michał Fojcik, Edited by: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Tomasz Popakul, Producer: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Produced by: NoLabel (Kraków), Rights: NoLabel, POLAND / 2013 / 19’ / colour A busy father tries to teach his son to work as a fisherman. The introverted boy-fish will have to face his first serious challenge in a world full of unrest and mysterious events. TOMASZ POPAKUL (1986) - A graduate of animation and special effects from the Cinematography Department at the Łódź Film School. His award-winning debut "Ziegenort" (2013) was made under the artistic tutelage of Mariusz Wilczyński. He is inspired by the poetics of comics and his works often use 3D computer graphics. MAJOR AWARDS: 2013
Oberhausen / Principal Prize
2013
New York / Main Prize
2013
London / Grand Prize
2013
Espinho / Main Award
2014
Chitose / Grand Prix
2014
Poitiers / Special Prize
dir. Suzie Templeton
Writers: Suzie Templeton, Marianela Maldonado, Cinematography: Hugh Gordon, Mikołaj Jaroszewicz, Project Designers: Suzie Templeton, Marek Skrobecki, Jane Morton, Music: Sergei Prokofiev, Sound Design: Chimney Poland, Edited by: Suzie Templeton, Tony Fish, Producers: Alan Dewhurst, Hugh Welchman, Co-Producer: Zbigniew Żmudzki, Produced: BreakThru Films, Se-Ma-For (Łódź), Rights: BreakThru Films, Se-Ma-For Film Production, POLAND / GREAT BRITAIN / 2006 / 32’ / colour A puppet adaptation of the famous ballet by Sergei Prokofiev. Peter - a small, sensitive boy - is able to cope with the oppressive reality represented by the cruel wolf with the help of his friends. SUZIE TEMPLETON (1967) - A British director, writer and animator specialising in stop-motion animation. The Polish-British co-production which she directed - the puppet animated film "Peter and the Wolf" (2006) - was honoured by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with the Academy Award for best animated short film in 2007. MAJOR AWARDS: 2007
BAFTA / nomination
2007
Annecy / Main Prize
2007
Annecy / Audience Award
2008 Oscar
Festival Favourites
PETER AND THE WOLF / Piotruś i wilk
70 Years of Polish Animation
KIZI MIZI / Kizi mizi dir. Mariusz Wilczyński
Writer: Mariusz Wilczyński, Project Designer: Mariusz Wilczyński, Music: Franciszek Kozłowski, Mariusz Wilczyński, Sound Design: Michał Kosterkiewicz, Franciszek Kozłowski Edited by: Krzysztof Szcześniak, Produced by: Telewizja Polska S.A., Rights: Telewizja Polska S.A. (Polish Public Television), POLAND / 2007 / 20’ / colour A story within a story, a melodrama full of poetry but also suspense. She is a mouse, he is a cat, and the other one - is also a male cat. Love, betrayal and the pain of loneliness, all to the rhythm of melancholy blues. MARIUSZ WILCZYŃSKI (1960) - A writer, director, painter, performer and educator, he graduated from the Fine Arts Academy in Łódź (1986). He creates auteur cinema in which he often uses a strange, surrealistic narrative based on the logic of dream associations. He has exhibited in many galleries around the world, and a retrospective of his films was held in New York's Museum of Modern Art.
dir. Marek Skrobecki
Writer: Antoni Bańkowski, Cinematography: Mikołaj Jaroszewicz, Project Designer: Marek Skrobecki, Music: Wojciech Lemański, Sound Design: Michał Kosterkiewicz, Edited by: Teresa Miziołek, Producer: Zbigniew Żmudzki, Produced by: Se-Ma-For Film Production (Łódź), Rights: Se-Ma-For Film Production, POLAND / 2005 / 16’ / colour A metaphorical story about the persistence of waiting, hope and fulfilment. A man is the only customer in a restaurant. The waiter takes the order, then goes out. Time passes, covering everything with the patina of old age... MAREK SKROBECKI (1951) - A script writer, visual designer and director of animation, puppet and combined films. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź and the Łódź Film School, he makes children's films but mainly auteur parables for adults. Second unit director and production designer on "Peter and the Wolf" (2006) by Suzie Templeton. MAJOR AWARDS: 2005
Ottawa / First Prize
2006
Seoul / Special Mention
2006
Belgrade / Grand Prix
Festival Favourites
ICHTHYS / Ichthys
EMERGING ARTISTS
EMERGING ARTISTS
Young Polish animation is the result of the large amount of undeniable talents, but also the work of the great educators - Daniel Szczechura, Jerzy Kucia, Piotr Dumała, Marek Skrobecki, Mariusz Wilczyński, Hieronim Neumann. The masters have raised some worthy successors to themselves.
The works of the young filmmakers, both etudes made at university and also their professional debuts, feature a variety of styles, techniques and genres. The films combine various animation styles: moving drawings, painting, 2D and 3D, as well as the means of expression appropriate for a feature film or documentary (the latter especially greatly influenced Polish animation, resulting in the genre called animadoc). Young filmmakers often talk about themselves and the world around them, but they also love to create new, often very disturbing, worlds, proving that the only limit for an artist should be imagination. The so-called artistic tutors - most of them renowned animators - do not impose their own vision but they allow the young filmmakers to experiment, while only discreetly and wisely advising them. This results in movies which the masters can also envy. Let us look at a few outstanding young Polish artists. Tamás Ducki, the maker of “Baths” (2013), is probably the most highly awarded Polish film of recent years. He studied animation in Budapest and London, but feels best in Poland. He pursues his own cinema, but he’s happy to work with other renowned artists, including Jerzy Kucia and Anca Damian. He made a name for himself with his debut, “Life Line”, which was nominated for a Cartoon d’Or in 2007. Very quickly he developed his own original film style, in which melancholy combines with a sense of humour, poetry with the careful observation of reality. A different creative personality is Tomasz Popakul - an extremely efficient and skilled artist with a rich surreal imagination and the creator of the dark story told in the movie “Ziegenort” (2013). We can also find elements of surrealism and pure nonsense - but presented differently - in the student etudes and professional debuts of Michał Socha (“Chick”, 2008), Jakub Wroński (“The Mystery of Malakka Mountain,” 2012) and Tomasz Siwiński (“A Blue Room”, 2014). The tradition of creating a world saturated with danger, elusive horror and mystery comes from the classic works of Polish animation. Piotr Szczepanowicz operates in similar areas. He made the suspenseful student etude “Hidden” (2009), which won the Animator festival, beating off films from some of the
world’s most renowned professionals. Also full of suspense is the skilled 3D cinema created by Damian Nenow, creator of the festival award-winning and incredibly impressive action story (“Paths of Hate”, 2010). Coming soon to theatres around the world will be his full-length animation “Another Day of Life”, developed jointly with Raúl de la Fuente and based on a Ryszard Kapuściński literary reportage. A completely different style is characterised by the cinema of Marcin Podolec, creator of the poignant and funny “A Documentary Film” (2015). The asceticism of expression, saying shocking things in whispers, says a lot about his artistic temperament, which he has so far expressed in several excellent and very popular comics in Poland. A very different kind of sensitivity is typical of the work of Kamil Polak, who worked on his debut, an adaptation of Adam Mickiewicz’s nineteenth-century romantic ballad, “The Lost Town of Świteź” (2010), for seven years. But it was worth devoting so much effort to creating such a monumental piece of work, spiritually deeply immersed in the history of the Orthodox religion. As it has turned out, unfortunately, Polish animated film has been dominated by men throughout almost its entire history. There are very few exceptions. Women accompanied male directors in the background or made auteur films for children. In the past several years, however, this has changed completely. Artists such as Wioletta Sowa, Marta Pajek, Ewa Borysewicz and Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi have become leading figures in Polish animation. In their films, they describe the world from a female perspective, immersing the viewer in the womanly, girly, sometimes female hooligan’s sensitivity. They are endearingly direct and bold. Poetic subtlety characterises Sowa’s cinema (“Refrains”, 2007), the grotesque and irony is typical of Borysewicz (“To Thy Heart”, 2013) while melancholy and a sense of absurd theatre are characteristic of Pajek (“Impossible Figures and Other Stories II”, 2016). In turn, Kwiatkowska-Naqvi is still seeking her own style and in each project she is trying to implement a slightly different form (“Ab ovo”, 2013). Working in Germany, Izabela Plucińska creates sentimental and amusing animated plasticine films, and she has already built up a substantial body of work (“Sexy Laundry”, 2015). The most recent success by young Polish animators is the impressive debut of Renata Gąsiorowska - “Pussy” (2015). Young Polish animation never ceases to surprise us.
JERZY ARMATA
70 Years of Polish Animation
TO THY HEART / Do serca Twego dir. Ewa Borysewicz
Writer: Ewa Borysewicz, Project Designer: Ewa Borysewicz, Music: Michał Augustyniak, Sound Design: Michał Jankowski, Michał Fojcik, Producer: Małgorzata Bosek, Co-Producer: Marek Serafiński, Produced by: Animaso (Warsaw), Co-produced by: Serafiński Film and Graphic Studio (Warsaw), Rights: Animaso, POLAND / 2013 / 10’ / colour A high-rise block. A girl meets a boy by the carpet-beater. She likes him, and he kind of likes her too. They joke around. The boy is cheating on her, however. That must hurt. She is left with nothing but the thought of revenge. EWA BORYSEWICZ (1985) - A graduate of the Graphic Arts Department at the Fine Arts Academy in Kraków, where she studied animation under Professor Jerzy Kucia. Currently, she is studying directing at the Krzysztof Kieślowski Radio and Television Department at the Silesian University in Katowice. "To Thy Heart" (2013) is her debut animated film. MAJOR AWARDS: 2014
Ljubljana / Grand Prix
2014
Žilina / Special Mention
dir. Tamás Ducki
Writer: Tamás Ducki, Cinematography: Katarzyna Zolich, Project Designer: Tamás Ducki, Music: Jean-Marc Petsas, Sound Design: Jean-Marc Petsas, Producer: Włodzimierz Matuszewski, Co-Producer: Kurban Kassam, Produced by: Studio Miniatur Filmowych (Warsaw), Peek and Boo, Rights: Studio Miniatur Filmowych, POLAND / 2013 / 4’ / colour Two women tired of life meet in the bath of the title and together - while maintaining fairly unconventional rituals - they swim. This time, however, they get into deeper water than usual. TAMÁS DUCKI (1982) - He graduated in animation directing at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest and the National Film and Television School in London. He made films in Hungary, France, Ireland and England, before finally coming back to Poland. His two films - "Life Line" (2007) and "Baths" (2013) - have won several dozen awards worldwide. MAJOR AWARDS: 2014
Helsinki / Main Prize
2014
New York / Main Prize
2014
Hiroshima / Special Award
2014
Mexico / Grand Prize
2014
Belgrade / Grand Prix
2016
Washington / Main Prize
Emerging Artists
BATHS / Łaźnia
70 Years of Polish Animation
AB OVO / Ab ovo
dir. Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi
Writer: Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi, Cinematography: Leyla Comert, Project Designer: Anita KwiatkowskaNaqvi, Music: George Antoniv, Sound Design: Marek Knaga, Edited by: Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi, Produced by: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, Rights: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, POLAND / 2013 / 5’18’’ / colour A fascinating animation about the beginning of human life - from the moment of conception until birth. The first months of fetal development, and its impact on the female body during pregnancy. A subtle journey through the female body. ANITA KWIATKOWSKA-NAQVI (1986) - A graduate of psychology at the University of Warsaw and animation in the Łódź Film School. In her short films, she approaches traditional animation techniques in an innovative way, creating hypnotic, poetic worlds. In addition to directing animated films, she is also involved in compositing and special effects. MAJOR AWARDS: 2013
Annecy / Main Prize
2013
Poznań / Grand Prix
2013
Xiamen / Silver Dolphin
2014
Maribor / Main Prize
2014
Banja Luka / Special Award
2014
Montreal / Special Mention
dir. Damian Nenow
Writer: Damian Nenow, Project Designer: Damian Nenow, Music: Jarosław Wójcik, Sound Design: Maciej Tęgi, Genetix Film Factory, Edited by: Damian Nenow, Producer: Marcin Kobylecki, Produced by: Platige Image (Warsaw), Rights: Platige Image, POLAND / 2010 / 10’ / colour A story full of suspense and unexpected twists about a fight between two fighter pilots. The monsters awakened in them during the fight leave behind only traces of blood - the paths of hate from the title. DAMIAN NENOW (1983) - A graduate of animation at the Cinematography Department at the Łódź Film School, he has made three short, award-winning animations. He is currently working on his first feature film, in which he combines the means of expression of animation and documentary - "Another Day of Life", an adaptation of the book by Ryszard Kapuściński. MAJOR AWARDS: 2011
Annecy / Special Mention
2011
La Coruña / Special Award
2011
Rio de Janeiro / Main Prize
2011
Los Angeles / Special Award
2011
Turin / Special Award
2011
Saint Louis / Main Award
Emerging Artists
PATHS OF HATE / Paths of Hate
70 Years of Polish Animation
A DOCUMENTARY FILM / Dokument
dir. Marcin Podolec
Writer: Marcin Podolec, Cinematography: Marcin Podolec, Project Designer: Marcin Podolec, Music: Wiktoria Nowak, Sound Design: Marcin Podolec, Edited by: Marcin Podolec, Produced by: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź Rights: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, POLAND / 2015 / 6’50’’ / colour A portrait, full of poetry, emotion but also humour, of a father whose children have left the family home. The main character of the animated documentary is the artist's own father, as well as his hometown of Jarosław. MARCIN PODOLEC (1991) - A student of animation at the Cinematography Department at the Łódź Film School. He is also involved in graphics and drawing. His comics have been published in Poland and also in France, Spain and Germany. His film "A Documentary Film" (2015), which won several festival awards, was his school etude. In 2016, he made his diploma film "The Gentle Giant". MAJOR AWARDS: 2015
Katowice / Black Horse
2016
Eger / Special Award
dir. Tomasz Siwiński
Writer: Tomasz Siwiński, Project Designer: Tomasz Siwiński, Music: Remi Boubal, Sound Design: Vega Prod, Edited by: Tomasz Siwiński, Producers: Roy Dyens, Zbigniew Żmudzki, Produced by: Sacrebleu Production, Co-produced by: Se-Ma-For Film Production (Łódź), Rights: Se-Ma-For Film Production, Sacrebleu Production, POLAND / 2014 / 15’ / colour A dream-like poetic story about a man who struggles with his own fears and bad memories. He is plunged into mental chaos, from which will slowly emerge what is most important. TOMASZ SIWIŃSKI (1982) - He studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań and he graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Kraków, where he studied animation under Professor Jerzy Kucia. "A Blue Room" (2014), which won several festival awards, was his film debut. He is also involved in painting and photography. MAJOR AWARDS: 2014
Vila do Conde / Main Prize
2014
Querétaro / Special Award
2015
Bezons / Special Mention
2015
Hong Kong / Main Prize
2015
Kraków / Silver Hobby-Horse
2015
Lenzing / Special Award
Emerging Artists
A BLUE ROOM / Niebieski pokój
70 Years of Polish Animation
THE CHICK / Laska
dir. Michał Socha
Writer: Michał Socha, Project Designer: Michał Socha, Music: Meritum – SZCZ, Sound Design: Jarosław Wójcik, Maciej Tęgi, Producer: Michał Socha, Produced by: Platige Image (Warsaw), Rights: Platige Image, POLAND / 2008 / 5’ / colour A pure-nonsense poetic love story, full of surreal humour. First, the meticulous preparations. Finally they meet up. A woman and a man. But the charm of a femme fatale is fatal... MICHAŁ SOCHA (1981) - He studied animation at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. His film "Chick" (2008), which won awards at many festivals, was his graduation film, made under the supervision of Professor Hieronim Neumann. In 2014, he created an opening scene for an episode of "The Simpsons" in a similar surrealistic style. MAJOR AWARDS: 2009
Kraków / Silver Hobby-Horse
2009
Annecy / Special Mention
dir. Wioletta Sowa
Writer: Wioletta Sowa, Project Designer: Wioletta Sowa, Music: Leszek Możdżer, Sound Design: Andrzej Artymowicz, Radosław Skłodowski, Edited by: Wioletta Sowa, Produced by: Society of Creators of Animated, Experimental and Video Films "Studio A" (Kraków), Rights: Society of Creators of Animated, Experimental and Video Films “Studio A” (Kraków), POLAND / 2007 / 13’ / colour Three generations of women. The memories that accompany them form a repeating weave of emotions and fate. When the youngest is on the verge of womanhood, she recalls the letter which her grandmother left her. WIOLETTA SOWA (1972) - A graduate of the Graphic Art Department at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, where she studied animation under Professor Jerzy Kucia. At the The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, she defended her doctoral thesis. In addition to animation, she also makes short films and documentaries and she has won many significant awards. MAJOR AWARDS: 2008
Kraków / Silver Hobby-Horse
2008
Miskolc / Main Prize
2009
New York / Special Award
Emerging Artists
REFRAINS / Refreny
70 Years of Polish Animation
HIDDEN / Ukryte
dir. Piotr Szczepanowicz
Writer: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Project Designer: Kacper Czyczyło, Sound Design: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Edited by: Piotr Szczepanowicz, Produced by: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, Rights: The Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź, NoLabel (Kraków), POLAND / 2009 / 7’10’’ / colour A perverse story of a man who, during his daily dinner, suddenly and unexpectedly finds himself taking part in an unexpected event, and it will make him discover a very uncomfortable truth about himself. PIOTR SZCZEPANOWICZ (1981) - He studied educational and artistic pedagogy at the University of Opole and is a graduate of animation at the Cinematography Department at the Łódź Film School. His school etude "Hidden" won the "Animator" International Animated Film Festival in Poznań. He is also involved in the editing and production of animated films. MAJOR AWARDS: 2010
Poznań / Golden Pegasus
dir. Jakub Wroński
Writer: Justyna Nowak, Cinematography: Jakub Wroński, Project Designer: Jakub Wroński, Music: Adrian Jakuć-Łukaszewicz, Miłosz Wośko, Sound Design: Agata Chodyra, Edited by: Jakub Wroński, Producers: Małgorzata Gałysz, Piotr Furmankiewicz, Co-producer: Jakub Wroński, Produced by: Fumi Studio (Warsaw), Rights: Fumi Studio (Warsaw), POLAND / 2012 / 21’ / colour A magic realism crime-story and fairy tale in one, about the journey of a precocious six-yearold boy to Shanghai and the rocky mountain of Malakka, which will start a series of questions about the secret life of his famous father. JAKUB WROŃSKI (1982) - A graduate of animation from the Cinematography Department at the Łódź Film School. Honoured with numerous valuable awards, "The Mystery of Malakka Mountain" (2012) is his professional debut. He also makes animated commercials, visuals for music, music videos, as well as working on the post-production of animated films.
MAJOR AWARDS: 2012
Banja Luka / Special Award
2013
Brno / Main Prize
Emerging Artists
THE MYSTERY OF MALAKKA MOUNTAIN / Tajemnica góry Malakka
Project initiator
Texts written by Jerzy Armata Design and layout Krzysztof Iwański Coordinators Ewelina Gordziejuk PAPA Maria Gradowska-Tomow PFI Cooperation Adriana Prodeus Publisher
70 Years of Polish Animation co-organized by:
Partners:
National Film Archive
Society of Creators of Animated, Experimental and Video Films “Studio A”
Project financed by
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