„THE MOTHER” SCORES A PRIZE IN PULA
A graduate fiction film “The Mother” by Łukasz Ostalski performs better and better at international film festivals. This evening the director received in person the award for the Best Short Film at the 60th Pula Film Festival.
Festival in Pula is the oldest Croatian festival screening short and full length films produced in Europe. The screenings are held in the Roman Arena in Pula while the best films of the festival receive the awards of Golden Arenas. The 60th anniversary edition of the festival started last Saturday, on July 15th while the opening ceremony was held with the participation of nearly 6000 spectators.This year 18 films were screened in the short film competition Europolis. A fiction “The Mother” by Łukasz Ostalski was the only Polish film in the programme. This evening the film was announced the Best Short Film of the festival.
30 minutes long “The Mother” is a story of a family facing a very difficult decision. 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. The film was produced by Gdynia Film School, where Ostalski studied Film Directing.
Since its premiere in March at Finnish Tampere Film Festival Ostalski’s film has received the invitation to screen at five foreign festivals. This month “The Mother” was given a Special Mention in Armenia during Golden Apricot Film Festival in Yerevan. The Croatian award is the second once – after the Audience Award in Tampere – the film scores.
The full verdict along with some further information on festival can be found at its official website