„THE MOTHER” RECEIVES A SPECIAL MENTION IN ARMENIA

The tenth edition of the Armenian Golden Apricot Film Festival will end this evening. One of three Polish films selected to screen in short film competition Apricot Stones – “The Mother” by Łukasz Ostalski – will fly back to Poland with a special mention.

The festival, that was set up in 2004, carries the theme Crossroads of Cultures and Civilizations that  serves as a mantra for building cultural bridges and fostering dialogue between nations. Every year a festival displays a rich programme of fiction and documentary films that represent diverse ethnic groups, religions, and nations depicting a varied human experience. In 2005 a Canadian director or Armenian descendant Atom Egoyan was named the honorary chairman of the festival.

This year three Polish films were selected to the short film competition – Apricot Stones – “The big leap” by Kristoffer Rus and two student etudes – “Boo!” by Kordian Kądziela and “The Mother” by Łukasz Ostalski. There were 47 films produced all over the world that competed for the main award. On Saturday’s evening the jury comprising of the producer Edyta Janczak –Hiriart (France), director and journalist Pavel Finn (Russia) as well as film critic Stjepan Hundic (Croatia). Finally the Golden Apricot went to Israeli “Welcome and… our condolences” directed by Maria Sahakyan. A Polish “Mother” by Ostalski was given a Jury’s Special Mention.  

A diploma film by Łukasz Ostalski – a graduate of Gdynia Film School – is an impressive picture of a family that is to make a dramatic choice. Małgorzata - an important politician - is going to her home at the lake. Her son - a drug addict - needs her help. Małgorzata is asking her daughter for her support. At home they find Małgorzatas semiconscious son and a massacred body of a young girl. In the face of the tragedy, their relationship gets complicated, disclosing their hidden grudges. The mother has to make the most difficult decision in her life. 

Since its March premiere at the Finnish Tampere Film Festival, where the film received the Audience Award, “The Mother” is doing well at the European festivals. This month the film is screened as a part of the Pula Film Festival that has just started in Croatia yesterday, while in late August the film will be screened at Danish Odense Film Festival. 
 
 The complete list of the awarded films can be found at the official Golden Apricot website