A Season for Youth

Although it seems to go against the rhythm of nature, in the autumn Kraków presents promising, fresh and youthful aspects of cinema.

Anita Piotrowska

What links the Mastercard OFF CAMERA festival, postponed from its usual setting in April and May to September, with Etiuda&Anima held in November? Although they have very different profiles, both events showcase up-and-coming artists, award them their first prizes and serve as a perfect opportunity to develop lasting working relationships. They also have an educational angle, featuring workshops, debates and lectures. First and foremost, however, both festivals present top quality cinema to Cracovian audiences. Etiuda&Anima brings together the finest student films and artistic animations, while OFF CAMERA presents feature films made by passionate, frequently avantgarde filmmakers. At times, the events intertwine personal themes, such as when a student making a debut at Etiuda&Anima goes on to present their production at OFF CAMERA. Let’s look at Marcin Wrona: his short film Magnet Man was awarded the “Golden Dinosaur” at the 2002 Etiuda&Anima festival, and nine years later he received the firstever Polish Film Noble at OFF CAMERA for The Christening. Similarly, the Czech director Marek Najbrt was awarded at Etiuda&Anima for Invention of Beauty in 1996, and in 2010 he received the Krakow Film Award at OFF CAMERA for Protector. You could say it is a Cracovian festival synergy... Additionally, in 2014 the Polish Film Institute awarded both festivals a joint prize for their contribution to world cinema. OFF CAMERA was launched in autumn thirteen years ago. Led by Szymon Miszczak and his team, the event has strived to bring together seemingly contradictory ideas: the spirit of artistic independence and glamour intending to attract wide audiences. Successive editions, headquartered at Pod Baranami Cinema, have been increasingly taking over the city with outdoor screenings in myriad locations including rooftops and meetings with audiences at marquees at the Main Market Sqaure and Szczepański Square. The festival programme has also been gradually expanding. As well as the two competitions (for international and Polish films), the festival includes numerous accompanying events including SerialCon, the Pro Industry zone and the screenwriting competition Script Pro. There is also a competition for amateur filmmakers using just their mobile phones. The red carpet has been graced by artists including Peter Weir, Melissa Leo, David Thewlis, Jane Campion, Luc Besson, Roland Joffé, Costa-Gavras, Roman Polański and Gabriel Byrne, many of whom have left their hand imprint at Kraków’s Avenue of Stars. Most importantly, though, OFF CAMERA is beloved by the public, with Cracovians filling local studio cinemas in search of an alternative to mainstream cinema and to artistic pretensions. In comparison with other independent film festivals, Kraków’s event strives to be more audience-friendly. Etiuda&Anima also has its very own loyal audiences, channelling the spirit of film discussion clubs. During its 27 years, the festival has expanded beyond a review of student films – and beyond its venue at the Rotunda club. The festival continues to seek new sites, having visited Kijów Cinema in 2018 where the packed audience watched George Dunning’s cult Yellow Submarine on the 50th anniversary of its release. Etiuda&Anima also has travelling instalments. Directed by Bogusław Zmudziński, the event has been showcasing up-and-coming filmmakers since its earliest days. Many acclaimed artists made their debut here, including Saša Gedeon, Bohdan Sláma, Julia Loktev, György Pálfi, Leszek Dawid, Bartek Konopka, Anna Kazejak, Ágnes Kocsis, Jan P. Matuszyński and Agnieszka Smoczyńska. In 2005, the organisers decided to expand the festival beyond student cinema by adding the Anima competition for professional filmmakers. Etiuda&Anima became a setting for bringing together art school students with their teachers and heroes. Educators are awarded special prizes, with previous winners including Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Marcel Łoziński and Werner Herzog. In 2015, the festival was visited by none other than William Kentridge, awarded the prestigious ASIFA prize for significant contribution to the promotion and preservation of the art of animation. Not many festivals can boast such an acclaimed guest! Etiuda&Anima also commemorates past masters of cinema. This year’s event pays tribute to the film historian and theorist Alicja Helman who passed away earlier this year. We will see her favourite film Death in Venice (shown on traditional celluloid!) and Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri’s acclaimed documentary The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, exploring the difficult life of Björn Andrésen portraying Tadzio in Luchino Visconti’s 1971 film. The event brings together the old and the new: the original cinematic masterpiece and a contemporary commentary on its production.

One of the sections of this year’s OFFCAMERA was held under the banner “Crisis Has Many Names”. Both festivals apply tried-and-tested formulas developed during the crisis, featuring hybrid and online events. Of course nothing can truly replace cinema screenings attended by special guests from home and abroad, outdoor spectacles or live concerts. However, last year’s Krakow Film Festival, the first event in Poland to move online due to the pandemic, showed us that even a virtual event can be enjoyable. The main thing is maintaining links with the audience, which can be secured by presenting an attractive programme and by excellent online communication. In spite of the continuing uncertainties, Kraków’s festivals continue to thrive. It turns out that the city’s cinematic map – regardless of the time of year – can incorporate major sponsored events heavily promoted in the media and more niche festivals aiming to showcase budding talents and trends.

→International Festival of Independent Cinema Mastercard OFF CAMERA←

→28th Etiuda&Anima International Film Festival←