At the end of the holiday season, the Student Film Summer at DAFilms.com moves on to Łódź, Poland housing the Lodz Film School (The Leon Schiller National Higher School of Film, Television and Theatre in Lodz). The academy is educating future directors, animators, cinematographers, TV professionals, actors and, last but not least, documentary filmmakers. Watch contemporary short documentaries by emerging talents from Poland!
Founded in 1948, the Lodz Film School is one of the oldest universities of this type. It was originally to be moved to Warsaw as soon as the city destroyed by war was rebuilt, however, that never happened. The first years of its existence produced the most notable alumni, including Andrzej Munk, Janusz Morgenstern and Andrzej Wajda who co-founded the Polish Film School. The university was known as one of the most liberal places in the country controlled by the communist regime. Similarly to Prague’s FAMU, the students organized screenings, debates and discussion clubs. Renowned film theorist Jerzy Toeplitz was the school’s rector at that time.
The school prides itself on its alumni winning multiple awards, including three Academy Awards (Roman Polanski, Andrzej Wajda and Zbigniew Rybczyński), Golden Palms from Cannes and Golden Bears from Berlinale. The most distinguished documentarists from Łódź include Kazimierz Karabasz, one of the founders of the Polish Documentary School and holder of the Golden Lion from Venice Film Festival. Another famous filmmaker to have studied in Łódź is Marcel Łoziński who was nominated for the Academy Award in the short film category for his film 89 mm from Europe. Krzysztof Kieślowski, multiple award winner, is yet another documentary filmmaker from Łódź.
Our selection includes the film IT WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL by Anna Morawiec telling the story of Aleksandra who has decided to live on Mars because the Polish social system has nothing to offer her and will not secure her. CAMP tells of a summer camp for children aged nine to seventeen. Their parents send them there to become strong-willed and primarily to lose weight. However, it soon turns out that the children are highly stressed at the camp which only increases their appetite. TO FLY OR NOT TO FLY depicts the life of scientists who go on bird watching expeditions in the hardest conditions. The film captures unspoiled nature as well as the difficult task of its observers. ROGALIK silently observes various households and their members. The film gives an insight into everyday activities, the personal and often private space with a specific atmosphere.
Discover contemporary films made by students from Poland! Until September 6, you have a chance to watch all of the films for free.
DAFilms.com is powered by Doc Alliance, a creative partnership of 7 key European documentary film festivals. Our aim is to advance the documentary genre, support its diversity and promote quality creative documentary films.
