This year, for the second time in a row, Locarno Film Festival proved favorable to Polish short films! Last Saturday “Battleheart” by Tomek Matuszczak, screened in the competitive Pardi di domani section was awarded a special mention.

At the Saturday’s closing ceremony Tomek Matuszczak – whose film was the only Polish title in the competition – was given a special mention of Cinema & Gioventù jury that noted the following: "For its outstanding aesthetics, the beauty of photography, scenery and acting, we would like to reward “Battleheart” that resumes many time re-interpreted history of Romeo and Juliet with great originality and talent”.

“Battleheart” shows the life of two young people living in the same unsafe housing estate in of the Polish small towns that has for years been the battle ground of two rival groups of football fans supporting Czarni and Pogoń. Maciek and Julka, contemporary equivalents of Romeo and Julia, are caught on the two opposite sides of the warring club factions and their love triggers a series of tragic events. “Battleheart” was produced in frame of “30 minutes” programme by Munk Studio in coproduction with Vostok8. The Locarno screening was the first international performance of the film.

There was however another Polish feature of the Locarno’s closing gala – an award for Jan Czarlewski, that represented Switzerland in the national competition and was awarded a Silver Pardino for his fiction “Stammering Love”. His earlier film “Ambassador and me” was screened in the end of May at 52. Krakow Film Festival.

The 65th edition of Locarno Film Festival was held between 1st and 11th August.

More on the festival can be found at its official website

AUGUST 2012