Authors Spotlight results

Moving stories, intriguing observation of everyday life, and the author’s voice and the form of the story – these are just a few elements that distinguished the competition films presented as part of the Kamera Akcja Festival. During this year’s edition, 24th films from all over the world were shown, from Taiwan through Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Lebanon to Iran and Brazil. During the closing of the Festival, we learned the verdict of the International Competition Authors Spotlight.

MAIN JURY: Ewa Puszczyńska, Mariola Wiktor, Łukasz Knap.

Category: Best Short “Live Action”

• MAIN PRIZE, including a cash prize of PLN 1,000
  A Day, That Year, dir. Stanley Xu, Taiwan
  Justification: For the ability to condense emotions, the photogenicity of a five-year-old actor, the gift of observing everyday life and capturing the nuances revealing the poignant experience of a child that will change it forever.
• DISTINCTION and DAFilms distribution award with film promotion
  Fruits and Vegetables, dir. Maciej Jankowski, Poland
  Justification: For a portrait of authentic heroes and an image of a warm, full of mutual love, and at the same time humorous relationship between a mother and her son, in spite of a world that rejects, superficially evaluates and stigmatizes.

Category: Best Animation

• THE MAIN PRIZE, including a cash prize of PLN 1,000 and an award from – soundmaking – the possibility of professional recording of the sound of the next film
  The Fourth Wall, dir. Mahboobeh Kalaee, Iran
  Justification: For the spontaneity and visual momentum of the animation, the perfect combination of various techniques, imagination and fantasy, sense of humor, creativity and ironic portrayal of patriarchal patterns and family rituals hidden in the tiny space of the home kitchen.
• DISTINCTION
  The Visit, dir. Mateusz Jarmulski, Poland
  Justification: For rejecting the anthropocentric perspective, reflection on the limits of humanity, relationships between nature and culture, the interpenetration of the human and animal worlds, and the courage to pose fundamental questions.

This year, the audience also decided which etude or animation they liked the most. After counting all the votes, the results are as follows: Fruits and Vegetables, dir. Maciej Jankowski.

For several years, separate jury has been composed of the winners of the Film Knowledge and Social Communication Olympics. This year, according to them, the best film turned out to be There is no peace of mind, directed by Karol Ulman. Justification: For the courageous exploration of an intriguing concept that encourages reflection on the ethicality of combining technology, nature and ourselves.

The 13th Camera Akcja Festival will be held from October 13-16, 2022: stationary in Łódź and online on the Think Film platform (October 17-20). The Festival is implemented thanks to co-financing from the budget of the City of Łódź. Co-financed by the Minister of Culture, National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund, the Polish Film Institute and the University of Łódź – patron of the Festival.