Archive of films Kamchatka / Kamczatka

Poland
2013, 77 min

Section: Forum of Independents - Competition
Year: 2013

The protagonist of this intimate drama is a man doing time in prison who is given the chance to attend his mother’s funeral. Instead of a warm reception, he receives stony glares from his family and the atmosphere at the gathering is steeped in animosity. This feature directorial debut betrays the author’s previous experience in the documentary film genre.

Synopsis

This intimate drama about a reclusive family follows a man called Stacho who is serving a prison sentence. Following the unexpected suicide of his mother he is released from prison so that he can visit his family and attend the funeral. The family gathering is, however, seething with silent reproaches and suppressed motives which drain all emotion from the reunion, with the exception of fleeting moments where the physical tension is suddenly palpable. The director’s feature debut betrays his past experience as a documentary maker: his film captures the situation realistically, deliberately avoiding superfluous context and literal explanations. The latent and yet clearly tangible hostility and mutual incomprehension clearly permeate the various scenes, though at certain points they give way to violent eruptions of physical expression. The circumspect camerawork of Michał Sobociński, scion of a distinguished family of film photographers, co-creates the overall raw tone of the film and helps to amplify its impact.

About the director

Jerzy Kowynia never studied film, his university studies focused on philosophy. He was twenty-nine by the time he codirected his first documentary film. Even though his first release came at the end of the 1980s, he didn’t start filming regularly until the late 1990s. In subsequent years he regularly made documentaries for Polish state television. One of his first great successes was the short documentary Lenin of Krakow (1997), which recalled a historical event – Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s visit to Krakow – and won awards at various festivals. Kowynia has made a number of movies in cooperation with Jerzy Ridan as co-scripter. After more than twenty years in the film business, Kamchatka (2013) is his directorial debut in the realm of feature film.

Contacts

Sagittarius Film
Kunickiego 10, 30-134, Krakow
Poland
Tel: +48 126 360 314
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.alfasagittarius.eu

LBYL Films Sales and Distribution
894-896 Manhattan Avenue, 11222, New York, Brooklyn
United States of America
Tel: +1 347 227 8847
Fax: +1 347 227 8847
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.lbylfilms.net

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About the film

Color, DCP
International premiere

Section:	Forum of Independents - Competition

Director:	Jerzy Kowynia
Screenplay:	Jerzy Kowynia
Dir. of Photography:	Michał Sobociński
Editor:	Wojciech Anuszczyk
Producer:	Jerzy Kowynia
Production:	Sagittarius Film
Cast:	Tomasz Sobczak, Edyta Torhan, Lidia Bogaczówna – Popiel, Jerzy Król, Thymn Chase
Contact:	Sagittarius Film, LBYL Films Sales and Distribution

www:	filmkamczatka.pl

Guests

Jerzy Kowynia

Film Director / Producer

Edyta Torhan

Actress

Tomasz Sobczak

Actor

Ewa Kowynia

Producer