‘Lesson Learned’ and ‘Under the Grey Sky’ Win at the 23rd BellaTOFIFEST International Film Festival!
‘Lesson Learned’ by Bálint Szimler won the On Air Main Competition, and ‘Under the Grey Sky’ by Mara Tamkovich won the Polish Competition From Poland. The Golden Angels for Artistic Insolence were awarded to Kazik Staszewski and Mirosław Baka. The FLISAK Award of the Mayor of Toruń went to Katarzyna Warnke. The Pola Negri Film Award funded by the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship was presented to actress Agnieszka Dulęba-Kasza. The Ryszard Bugajski Award for Best Director in the Polish Film Competition was awarded to Monika Majorek.
On Friday, July 4th, the Closing Gala of the 23rd BellaTOFIFEST IFF took place at CKK Jordanki. We learned the names of the winners of the International Competition for First and Second Feature Films On Air, as well as the Polish Competition From Poland.
Honorable mentions and the Grand Prix of the main On Air competition were awarded by a jury consisting of Gabriela Muskała, Jowita Budnik, Anna Maliszewska, Andrzej Konopka, Piotr Trojan, and Tomasz Wasilewski.
The festival’s Grand Prix was awarded to Lesson Learned, directed by Bálint Szimler.
“The main award goes to a bold, painful, yet humorous film, in which the school becomes a terrifying microcosm of oppression and manipulation. A precisely crafted allegory of a violent social and political system that destroys and dehumanizes. We were captivated by its original form, precise storytelling, and excellent acting performances. The tragicomic tone makes the story about how easily a person can be broken even more painful,” stated jury members Tomasz Wasilewski and Anna Maliszewska.
The jury also decided to award three honorable mentions: to Myriem Akheddough, lead actress in We Believe You, directed by Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys, as well as to Manas, directed by Marianna Brennand, and Christy, directed by Brendan Canty.
The From Poland competition, in which the winner is selected by the festival audience, was won by Under the Grey Sky, directed by Mary Tamkovich.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed to the making of this film. I value this recognition all the more because in the country whose story it tells, this film wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you to the actresses and actors who poured their hearts into this project. This award, like every award the film receives, belongs not only to us, but also to the people who allowed us to tell their story,” said the director.
Golden Angels for Artistic Insolence were awarded to Mirosław Baka and Kazik Staszewski.
“At drama school, we were taught that acting requires humility. I took it all to heart, but apparently not well enough, because here I am receiving an award for defiance. This year marks exactly 40 years since my film debut. After these 40 years, I can say with full certainty that in both life and acting—sometimes with humility, sometimes defiantly—the most important thing is to follow your own path. And somewhere near the end of that path, sit down in a chair and quietly hum to yourself… ‘I did it my way’,” said Mirosław Baka on stage.
“I would really like to thank you for this wonderful award. Less than two hours ago, I had a meeting with the festival audience. Someone asked me—since when do I accept awards? I’m not quite the award-rejecting type anymore. They also asked what it means to be a defiant artist. And I got a bit flustered. You see, you have to find a golden mean. It can’t be only defiance or only humility. There has to be a bit of both,” said Kazik Staszewski.
The FLISAK Award of the Mayor of Toruń, presented to talented artists associated with the region, was awarded to Katarzyna Warnke.
“You can probably tell I’m very emotional. I come from the Polish provinces—Grudziądz. Coming to Toruń felt like going to a big city. I’d like to mention the people who contributed to my development in Grudziądz: Ms. Barbara Polak, Professor Czarski, Professor Chmielewska, Jerzy Leszczyński, Professor Poprzęcka, Krzysztof Globisz, Jerzy Trela. I want to say that today’s youth really need our attention. Let’s not disappear into our phones, and let’s not let them disappear into theirs. Let’s see their potential, their interests. Let’s lead them to places where they can learn something. For me, attention is synonymous with love—and that is the most beautiful thing we can give them,” said the artist.
The Pola Negri Film Award funded by the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship was awarded to actress Agnieszka Dulęba-Kasza.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better date to receive such an important award. 4 and 7 are my favorite numbers. Today is July 4th, and it’s my birthday—47! Thank you so much! I must say, my life began to change in a magical way after we made the film Seasons in Toruń,” said the actress.
For the first time, the Ryszard Bugajski Award for Best Director in the Polish Film Competition From Poland was presented. The recipient was Monika Majorek, director of Where Do We Begin.
“Thank you very much. It is a great honor for me to receive an award named after such a remarkable director. I also thank the creators and organizers of this festival for creating a place where conversations with the audience are truly honest, long, and stay in your mind all day,” said the director.
The evening was crowned by a concert from one of Poland’s most acclaimed artists — Kazik Staszewski. The recipient of the Golden Angel for Artistic Insolence gave a dazzling performance, ensuring that the Closing Gala of the 23rd BellaTOFIFEST IFF will be remembered as a landmark in the festival’s history.
Szymon Szatan
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Dofinansowano ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury — państwowego funduszu celowego.
