The winners from Gdynia at the LGBT+ Film Festival!
Our film will be screened at the next important festival! This time, two award-winning productions from the 46th Gdynia Film Festival – "The Howling" and "The Cracks" – will be shown in the official selection of the 13th LGBT+ Film Festival. The event starts on 22 April in a hybrid formula: online and stationary in as many as eight Polish cities!
The LGBT+ Film Festival is the largest LGBT+ themed film festival in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. The programme of this year's edition consists of productions combining inclusiveness and diversity with a high artistic value. In addition to full-length features and documentaries, a record number of short films divided into blocks devoted to lesbian, gay, transgender and non-binary individuals will also be presented.
Our titles have been included in this festival's selection many times. The film "By the River" (dir. Agata Korycka), produced by our school, won in its 11th edition in the Best Short Film category, and also received the Audience Award!
Among the short films selected this year will appear our two very strong productions awarded at many prestigious film festivals – "The Howling" and "The Cracks".
We're keeping our fingers crossed for our two talented film crews! We are proud that you are not afraid to take on difficult topics in your films and that you fight for the visibility of underrepresented groups on the screen!
Below you will find the screening dates of both films as part of the LGBT+ Film Festival
THE HOWLING
dir. Bartosz Brzeziński
The black and white film of our graduate tells the story about the understanding of masculinity in Poland. It reminds us of how the slightest difference from its established pattern still evokes intolerance and aggression.
This directed by Bartosz Brzeziński film premiered at the 40th MŁODZI I FILM Festival, from where it brought the Journalists' Award. The title was also appreciated at the 46th Gdynia Film Festival, where the jury awarded it with a Special Prize.
The author of excellent cinematography for "The Howling" – our graduate Max Bugajak – was honored with the Golden Tadpole at the prestigious EnergaCamerimage festival, and the director was presented with a special award in the form of a Golden Statuette.
It is worth mentioning that "The Howling" is Brzeziński's second film to take part in the LGBT+ Film Festival. A few years earlier, his short "Instead" was included in the festival's official selection.
Stills from the film "The Howling". Cinematographer: Max Bugajak
Kuba grows up in a boring little village where nothing ever happens. He is raised by an alcoholic father who runs a sheep farm for a living. One day, an old acquaintance from the big city shows up in the village. The guest's visit comes at a time when the protagonist is entering a period of discovering his sexuality. Kuba quickly faces a difficult choice.
"The Howling" will be shown during this year's LGBT + Film Festival in the GAY SHORTS I block. Below are the dates and venues of the screenings:
Bydgoszcz, Kino Orzeł, Miejskie Centrum Kultury
- April 23, 8:30 PM
Gdańsk, Kino Kameralne Cafe
- April 24, 4:30 PM
Łódź, Kino Bodo
- April 25 6 PM
Warsaw, KinoGram, Fabryka Norblina
- April 22, sala 6, 6 PM
- April 28, sala 4, 7:30 PM
Wrocław, Kino Nowe Horyzonty
- April 27, 7 PM
THE HOWLING
CAST: Maciej Łączyński, Adam Stępnicki, Robert Czebotar, Mateusz Trojanowski, Jakub Onichowski, Bartosz Gomoła, Oskar Rybaczek
SCRIPT & DIRECTING: Bartosz Brzeziński DOP: Max Bugajak EDITING: Mariusz Gos SOUND: Adam Szlenda / Dreamsound MUSIC: Tomasz Mreńca ARTISTIC SUPERVISION: Barbara Pawłowska PRODUCTION MANAGER: Karolina Kałakajło PRODUCER: Maciej Ślesicki PRODUCTION: Warsaw Film School
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Bartosz Brzeziński – born in 1995, graduate of directing at the Warsaw Film School and a student of cultural studies. Creator of short films and music videos.
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THE CRACKS
dir. Magdalena Gajewska
"The Cracks" is a very intimate take at the role of women in society and the perception of femininity. The film of our graduate illustrates the problem of perceiving women who become mothers solely through the prism of their new role.
"The Cracks" participated at the prestigious European Film Promotion FUTURE FRAMES – Generation NEXT of European Cinema programme, and premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
The director received as many as two awards at the 46th Gdynia Festival: the "Zwierciadło" magazine award – Strong Entry and an award from the Dr Irena Eris brand. The actresses who played the main roles, Jaśmina Polak and Justyna Wasilewskia, received a joint Honorable Mention from the jury.
Stills from the film "The Cracks". Cinematographer: Adam Pluciński
Teresa falls into postpartum depression. She and her husband decide to temporarily move to her family home in a small town. On the spot, the protagonist meets her old flame from years ago – Anna. Feelings between the two women are rekindled, which soon confronts Teresa with an extremely difficult choice. . .
"The Cracks" will be shown during this year's LGBT+ Film Festival in the LESBIAN SHORTS II block. Below are the dates and venues of the screenings:
Bydgoszcz, Kino Orzeł, Miejskie Centrum Kultury
- April 26,4 PM
Poznań, Kino Pałacowe, Centrum Kultury Zamek
- April 24, 6:30 PM
Warsaw, KinoGram, Fabryka Norblina
- April 23, sala 7, 7:30 PM
- April 25, sala 4, 6 PM
THE CRACKS
CAST: Jaśmina Polak, Maciej Miszczak, Justyna Wasilewska, Fryderyk Gnap, Sandra Korzeniak, Maciej Robakiewicz
SCENARIUSZ I REŻYSERIA: Magdalena Gajewska ZDJĘCIA: Adam Pluciński MONTAŻ: Paweł Lichota DŹWIĘK: Miłosz Smyl, Szymon Guzik, Mikołaj Sosnowski POSTPRODUKCJA DŹWIĘKU: Natalia Sikorska MUZYKA: Piotr Nermer OPIEKA ARTYSTYCZNA: Robert Wichrowski PRODUCENT: Maciej Ślesicki PRODUKCJA: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa
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Magdalena Gajewska – born in 1994, director and screenwriter. She graduated in film directing at the Warsaw Film School. She is a bibliophile and an amateur chess player, interested in psychology and sociology of gender. She is an activist and feminist looking at social changes, wherever there is a fight for human rights. In her movies she tries to capture what is not obvious in human beings. She sees those seemingly insignificant fragments of human life and creates intimate and universal stories from them. |
Films by students of the Warsaw Film School are co-financed by the Polish Film Institute