19/01/2009

The 2008 season was marked not only by excellent audience figures (34.1m admissions - see news), but also by a dynamic domestic production. With almost 60 features films, 2008 seems very far from the low periods of 2004 and 2005 (19 and 20 domestic productions respectively) and represents a significant increase over 2007 (39).

This upturn owes much to Poland’s new film law and the creation of the Polish Film Institute. Added to this is the new funding system aimed at Polish productions and co-productions. Moreover, the impact of the decentralisation trend in production and the creation of several regional funds is starting to be felt.

The 100th anniversary of Polish film, 2008 brought major success for domestic productions. Suzie Templeton’s Peter and the Wolf (90% of which was produced by Lodz studio SE-MA-FOR) won the Oscar for Best Animated Short and Andrzej Wajda’s Katyn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrzej Wajda
interview: Michal Kwiecinski
film profile] was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

Around 40 awards were also scooped by 27 titles by Polish directors, including 15 narrative features. Among the prize-winners were Andrzej Jakimowski’s Tricks, Dorota Kedzierzawska’s Time to Die, Malgorzata Szumowska’s 33 Scenes from Life [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Michal Rosa’s Scratch [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

Moreover, Jerzy Skolimowski’s Four Nights With Anna [+see also:
trailer
film profile] was well received at the latest Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Unfortunately, 2008 also saw the deaths of several major figures in Polish film: actors Gustaw Holoubek, Wienczyslaw Glinski and Jan Kociniak; actor-director Jan Machulski, Stanislaw Rozewicz, Wladysław Slesicki, Piotr Lazarkiewicz and DoP Edward Klosinski.

(Translated from French)