MAIN COMPETITION
BLOCK I
- Opowieść o chrzanowskiej cegle
Poland/2023/17 min. dir. Jerzy Bielawski, Maria Błaszczyk, Krzysztof Dolecki, Ewa Forczewska, Barbara Knap, Andrzej Mazur, Danuta Rawska, Elżbieta Traczyk, Czesław Zamorski
Hero of the story is an older man, who meets a talking brick and takes it for a walk.
Directors of the film are seniors (over 60 years old) from Bemowo district and other parts of the city, who took part in film workshops led by Łukasz Kamil Kamiński. Under his supervision the group wrote a script, acted, shot and edited the film. Shot in two days, it was an effect of film workshops.
2.Raiders of the Pepperoni Pizzas
Great Britain 2023/ 6 min. 46 s. dir. Alistair Kerr
A pizza guy tries to make a delivery but it proves to be a close encounter.
Alistair Kerr – I have been making clay animations since 2018 and have learned so much in this short time. I enjoy the challenge of puppet and set making and then animating my creations hoping I can entertain people worldwide.
3. Keeping Score
USA /2023/ 17min. 31 s. dir. Rene’ Rudge
A lonely, angry bigot and Vietnam Veteran bullies the staff and fellow patients at his assisted living facility.
Rene’ began acting in local theater in her early 20s, and went on to find work in film and TV commercials. She studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and served on the board of Seattle Women in Film. Rene’ studied screenwriting and filmmaking at The FilmSchool in Seattle, where she was privileged to be mentored by the late Stewart Stern.
4. La Fornace
Italy 2022/ 19 min. dir. Daniele Ciprì
In the depths of a timeless city, in a devastated and now unrecognisable world, together, we will discover the last-ditch survival plan of the Sicilian puppeteer Marcello.
Daniele Ciprì was born in Palermo in 1962. He is a director, screenwriter, director of photography, editor and professor at the Scuola di Cinema Focale. At the end of the 80s he began his work in tandem with Franco Maresco, with Cinico TV broadcast on Rai 3. In 2012 he decided to break away and face his first direction without the collaboration of his colleague, embarking on a long career in the cinematographic field. In 2020 he won the David di Donatello for the photography of the film “Il primo Re” by Matteo Rovere.
- Necktie Cinema
USA/2023/ 4 min. 6 s. dir. John Akre
What if neckties stopped trying to strangle us and showed us their movies instead?
John Akre is an animator who lives in Louisville, KY.
BLOCK II
1.Szczecin leży nad morzem ?!
Poland/2023/7 min. dir.Zbigniew Wróblewski
Film shows a port and harbor from Odra side and suggests that Szczecin is located at the sea.
Zbigniew Wróblewski – I’m retired, photographer by profession and film amateur. In the 1970’s I was making amateur films.
2. Japanese Buddhism
Japan 2023/ 29 min. 58 s. dir. Kazuya Ashizawa
We can understand the characteristics of Japanese people by looking at Japanese Buddhism. Honest, diligent, polite… Do these well-known temperament of Japanese people still exist today? The key lies in Japanese Buddhism, which has been the spiritual center of the Japanese people for more than 1500 years.
Kazuya Ashizawa is a award-winning film director based in Fukushima, Japan. He is continuoesly filming people around him in this place where he was born and grew up.
3. Sto lat… świetlnych
Poland 2023/ 12 min. 40 s. dir. Anna Papis, Barbara Zalewska, Lucyna Kwiatkowska, Grażyna Niewiadomska, Joanna Cichocka, Małgorzta Badelek, Andrzej Kowalczyk, Antoni Abramowicz, Krzysztof Grzelak, Mirosław Kłopotowski
Story of a Warsaw watchmaker, who during his birthday decides to make his dream come true – flying to space with his rocket.
Project was made by Photo Club KADR 50+ led by Senior’s Club “Służewiak” in housing association “Służew nad Dolinką”. Made in 2 years period with almost 12 thousand photos that led to 12 minutes film length. All the film elements were made by senior from Senior’s Club “Służewiak” in housing association “Służew nad Dolinką”. Actors in the film were seniors and kids from “Służew nad Dolinką” estate.
4. Will & Tess
USA 2023 /14 min.50 s. dir. Ray Nomoto Robison
At 90 years of age, Tess must accept that it is time for roles to reverse. For decades she and her husband Will have been supportive and caring parents and now they need to allow their children to care for them. Will & Tess stars Marlyn Mason (Elvis Presley’s leading lady in The Trouble with Girls) and Mark Schneider (Babylon 5, Son of the Pink Panther).
Ray Nomoto Robison lives in Oregon. Upon graduating from Film School, Robison packed his Pontiac Sunbird and headed to fame and fortune in Hollywood. 48 hours later he was on his way back to his hometown in Montana. The big city life didn’t fit him. After bouncing around a number of media related jobs he landed a producer/director position with a television station in Southern Oregon. That was 37 years ago and Robison, now retired, is making movies that fulfill the passion inside him and he still believes that leaving Hollywood after just 48 hours was one of the best decision of his life.
BLOCK III
- Ten film nie ma tytułu
Poland 2023/ 3 min. 45 s. dir. Julian Zawisza
Mystery animation from Legnica.
Julian Zawisza – since childhood, he is interested in drawing stop motion animation. He leads film clubs Lanterna Magica, Akt in Legnica and Rycerz in Legnica field.
2.Night voices
USA 2023/ 23 min. 59 s. dir. Bradley Hawkins
A jaded talk radio host in a cycle of hopeless and demoralizing monotony makes a life-altering decision while on-air.
Bradley Hawkins is a retired high school film studies and humanities teacher from Lancaster, Pennsylvania who is now an award-winning film director, producer, screenwriter and the co-founder of the family-friendly film productions company, Dadley Productions.
3.Joan and Salvador
Spain 2023/24 min. 25 s. dir. Enric Roca
Two elderly friends share activities, despite having different life itineraries. Joan is an activist who defends the rights of the elderly and Salvador is a painter who is preparing his centenary.
Enric Roca – Sociologist, trained in the language of film within the context of non-professional cinema in the seventies. He worked as a critic in the local press, initiating a prolific production of short films. In recent years he has maintained an independent film production, which includes two feature-length documentaries: “Sospita de fe“ (2018) and “Belles fulles de tardor“ (2021).
4. The Antiquary
Portugal 2022/ 8 min. dir.Manuel Matos Barbosa
Every town has its collector or antique dealer, a mole who walks around in the ruin of things looking for stories or treasures. Vicente was a stingy old man, sparing with words. In his collection, the pixie of mercy that he admired so much was missing.
Manuel Matos Barbosa – Dean of Portuguese animation cinema. He was born and resides in Oliveira de Azeméis. A cineclubist, he was part of the group that started the creative movement of the current FPCA (Portuguese Federation of Cinema and Audiovisuals), of which management bodies he was also part. He has been a jury member at several national and international festivals. With an extensive filmography (comprising animation and documentaries), his films have been awarded in Germany, Andorra, Angola, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Belgium, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Mozambique, Portugal and Rhodesia. He is the author of “Vamos Andando”, one of the most significant documentaries of Portuguese cinema.
BLOCK IV
- Pewnego razu na cmentarzu
Poland 2023/18 min. 52s. dir. Janina Matejuk
Old lonely woman meets a man at the cemetery. This event drastically changes her view of life.
Janina Matejuk – On retirement I’ve returned to my youth passion that is amateur film. I make films about older people, their passions, sorrows, joy and their want to live life to the fullest.
2. Wings of Desire
Norway 2023/ 2 min. 46 s. dir. Liu Shok Han
Perhaps this is the angel of Win Wonders who accidentally fall on the earth. Or this is Peng of Zhuangzi who turns from a fish into a big bird. In fact, nowadays, it is not a dream for human to fly in the sky and sail on the sea. But why? We still feel that our hands are tied, and our feet are not allowed to be free. Is it the desire has tied us up? Or we ignore our desire?
Liu is a multimedia artist who was born and educated in Hong Kong where she worked as a graphic designer, animator, video producer and art management as well. After lived in north Europe for years, naturally, landscape and nature dominate her art creation. Currently, she is exploring the relationship between human and nature through digital drawing and animation.
3.Why We Ride
USA 2023/ 25 min. 6 s. dir. Gib Jaffe
Why We Ride is a psychological portrait of a group of over-50 bicyclists. They all ride together in a grand master’s cycling club. It explores themes of aging, finding joy and finding community.
Gib Jaffe has had an extensive career as a film and tv editor. This is his third foray into directing. His other directing credits include “Wings of the Wind” (1975) and “Erich Von Stroheim: Hollywood Outsider” (2018). He is one of the bicyclists featured in “Why We Ride”.
4. The Intimacy (post-off)
USA 2023/19 min. 22s. dir. Andrzej Dudziński
Are you ready for a journey into the deepest corners of the human psyche? See what happens when an individual loses control of their intimacy. What if we say we do it for their own good? How much truth is there, and how much manipulation? We all have our limits, but what happens when someone starts to cross them? How far can we go to achieve our goals?
Andrzej Dudziński – documentary and short film maker, TV screenwriter, books writer. The director’s achievements include the production of 48 documentary films (2023). Dudziński is also the author of scripts about 200 episodes of series broadcast on TV stations, and 17 books (2023), including novels and reportages. Lately he explores experimental filmmaking.
BLOCK V
1. Liczy się sztuka
Poland 2022/28 min. 34 s. dir. Kazimierz J. Bihun
Memory of erotic film festival “Ewka ’87”. With rich illustrated films that were awarded during the festival, documentary was created based on interview with the director given to film studies graduate, writing her PhD thesis on amateur film movement in PRL.
Kazimierz J. Bihun – Independent filmmaker coming from amateur movement, now member of Polish Filmmakers Association. Award winner on national and international festivals, including: “TELLY AWARD 98” in Cincinnati for “Hollywood Dreamland”, Grand Prix for “Życie jest takie jakie jest”, 2 miner’s Oscars, etc.
2. If Not Now
Great Britain 2023/15 min. dir. Jill Daniels
A poetic essay film addressed to my Jewish immigrant great-great grandmother, Rebecca, who lived and died in Brick Lane in London’s East End, a place in transition. Her death haunts my memories. The film shows that there is a grand circularity, of nothing ever, ever going away; that resistance to fascism in the past may be a catalyst for resistance today.
Jill Daniels is a British filmmaker. She has won many awards, including best protagonist for Resisters at ProToPost Communist Film Festival in 2023 and best documentary for Breathing Still at the Small Axe Radical Short Film Festival in 2019. Her book Place, Memory and Autobiography: Experiments in Documentary Filmmaking was published in 2019. Her website is www.jilldanielsfilms.com
3. Still life at home
Germany 2023/15 min. dir. Jens Nagels
There were times when it was better to stay at home to avoid health hazards. One sat there and looked around, rediscovering beauty in the old familiar, which otherwise hid from the everyday gaze. In this way, one learned to explore again the beauties of one’s own home.
Jens Nagels – 1970-1975 Completed painting studies in Düsseldorf at Professors Andre Thomkins and Alfonso Hüppi. 1981-1986 Completed studies in Visual Communications at the University of Kassel at Prof. Gunter Rambow Various exhibitions with photographs at home and abroad Various Filmfestival
SENIOR TOPIC COMPETITION
1.Lex Drewiński w kosmosie
Poland 2022/ 47 min. 47 s. dir. Marek Osajda
We all know his posters. We pass them on the streets, but we don’t know who their author is. It’s Lex Drewinski, who fell in love with cinema and poster art as a young boy. During his career, he won more than two hundred national and international awards. Professor Lex Drewinski mainly shows the weak sides of our world: hatred, aggression, arrogance, unjustice, cruelty and wars.
Marek Osajda – Graduated History at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and Journalism in Warsaw University. He worked in television in Szczecin, and was a journalist in „Kurier Szczeciński”. Marek Osajda created ecological magazine „Zielona Arka”.
2.The Forger of Flowers
Spain 2022/8 min. 49 s. dir. Alex Duck
A recently widowed old smith, spends his days remembering and dreaming of his wife while he continues to care for the garden that she loved so much. The flowers in the garden begin to die one after the other, and he helplessly watches as the memory of his wife dies with them.
Alex Duck – Director and screenwriter, living in Gran Canaria (Spain), where he has shot several short films as “Cogiendo polvo” (winner in the Notodofilmfest in the ’30 seconds’ category) or “Sophía” (Festival Internacional de Quito, Muestra de Lanzarote).
3. Hugo
Argentina 2022/ 12 min. 20 s. dir. Gonazalo Emanuel Chinelli
Drama centered on a widower and estranged from his family, who spends most of his time locked up in his house, fighting against the loneliness of his days.
Gonazalo Emanuel Chinelli – Graduated from Photography at the “Martin A. Malharro” School of Visual Arts and Audiovisual Communication from the National University of Mar del Plata. Audiovisual experience of 7 years, mainly focused of the Photography area, including music videos, commercials, short films and feature films.
4.Ramiro, pastor for life
Spain 2022/21 min. 42 s. dir. Eduardo Margareto
The short film recounts a daily life of Ramiro Arias, a 92-year-old pastor who dedicated his entire life to a trade as worthy and important as any other.
Eduardo Margareto – He is a graphic editor in ICAL News Agency in Castilla y León. He has directed some documentaries, including “Almas del Camino” (2010) and the trilogy on emigration “Partir”, filmed in Cuba; “Volver”, in Argentina (2011), and “Vivir”, in Mexico, which is to be produced. In 2016 he made the documentary “Canal de Castilla. El sueño ilustrado”; and in 2019 he directed “Cuba Crea”, which was awarded a Special Mention at the Festival del Mar in Uruguay.
5. Indelible
USA 2021/ 8 min.52 s. dir.Shane Rock Nelson
The spirits of a cranky 97-year-old man are lifted when he plays the piano for memory care patients. His music eases their angst and elicits indelible memories, momentarily freeing them from the trap of dementia.
Shane Rock Nelson is an award-winning filmmaker who makes movies all day, every day at his video production company Omni-Fusion.com Mr. Nelson has made over 50 music videos (Foo Fighters, Allen Stone, Motion City Soundtrack) and dozens of action sports films, most notably: “Like A Lion” The True Story of Legendary Skier Tanner Hall for Red Bull Media. His work has aired on countless networks from ESPN to NBC & MTV and his movies are available on Netflix and have sold in big box stores and specialty boutiques all over the world.
6. The last party
Italy 2022/ 19 min. 59 s. dir. Matteo Damiani
Celeste, 70 years old, left alone after the death of her husband, would like to do what she has never dared to do in many years of marriage: dance at the festival in the small town where she lives. During the preparations for the festival, she is unexpectedly visited by Teresa, the sister she has not seen for many years.
Matteo Damiani has worked as AD for Roberto Faenza, Andrej Konchalovskij and Susanna Nicchiarelli. As a director he made the documentary “Grandi ma piccoli” and in 2022 he made the short film “The Last Party” starring actresses Dora Romano and Luisa De Santis.
7. W domu wszystko dobrze
Poland 2023 /16 min. 59 s. dir. Karolina Ford, Mirosław Kłopotowski
Two paramedics, Leszek and Darek are coming to their last call of the day. During standard visit, there are events that will change Leszek’s life forever.
Karolina Ford – director, screenwriter, producer. Graduated Universita Degli Studi Roma Tre in Rome. Scholarship holder of the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in the field of culture. Fan of magical realism, sea and her dog.
Mirosław Kłopotowski – graduated Wajda School. Editor. Debuted with documentary “Here’s Hoping”, his first edited feature film was “Wróbel” (official seleciton in Polish Film Festival 2022 in Gdynia).
8.The little surprise
Colombia 2021/ 7 min. 20s. dir. Daniel Marroquín Botero
Nidia is a lonely and extremely organized old woman who becomes the detective of her neighborhood to find the responsible of the unpleasant surprises that the pet of another resident leaves around recurrently.
Daniel Marroquín Botero, Colombian screenwriter and director. He is the director of the shortfilms “120cm” (2016), “El Regalito” (2021), and the writer of “Hypnofatso”, a comedy feature in development.