Warsaw Bets on Young Protagonists and Timely Topics: ‘The Role of Filmmakers Is to React’
variety.comMarta Balaga Ahead of its 39th edition, Poland’s Warsaw Film Festival is betting on timely topics. “The role of filmmakers, and artists in general, is to react,” says festival director Stefan Laudyn. “For years, we have been showing films that criticize the situation in various countries, not just in Poland.
We try to avoid puff pieces.” While there is space for “lighter topics” as well, supporting Ukraine – and Ukrainian filmmakers – remains one of the priorities. “We initiated the first solidarity action with Ukraine back in 2014, after the annexation of Crimea, we also supported Oleg Sentsov.
Last year, we featured the entire Ukrainian competition from Odesa International Film Festival, which couldn’t take place due to the war.” This year, eight Ukrainian productions and co-productions will be shown at the fest.
Including “Diagnosis: Dissent” by Denys Tarasov, about punitive psychiatry used by the KGB, and Taras Dron’s “The Glass House,” where a businesswoman has to search for her missing daughter. “The war is still ongoing and it’s an open wound.
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