Icons of cinema in Monopolis

The anniversary edition of the Camera Action Festival recalls the great figures who marked turning points in cinematography and constantly inspire contemporary critics and filmmakers. The moment that changed cinema forever was the premiere of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” (1960). It was during the first screenings that frightened audiences ran out of the cinema hall when the most famous murder scene appeared on the screen. Its production took as long as seven days, more than 70 camera settings were used, and Bernard Herrmann’s legendary violin melody only enhanced the feeling of discomfort. Thirty-three percent of the effect of Psycho is due to the music,” admitted Alfred Hitchcock. At the 15th FKA, a restored director’s version of this all-time film will be presented, with shots that were previously removed by the censors. Also returning to the screens will be the legendary Greta Garbo in Ernst Lubitsch’s deft and brilliantly executed sophisticated comedy “Ninotchka” (1939), based on a screenplay by Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch. Stalin will not be pleased – there were voices during the premiere. “Ninotchka” is a satire on the Soviet Union and at the same time a subtle praise of Western capitalism, which didn’t need sophisticated promotion – the slogan ‘Garbo laughs!’ on the poster was enough for the MGM studio to advertise the film, whose charm has lasted for 85 years. The magic of cinema? Greta’s immortal charm? The effect of her (u)laughter? I think all of the above at once,” critic Jacek Lubinski praises. Also on the program of the Icons of Cinema section is Dorothy Arzner, the only woman working as a director in Hollywood of the 1930s and 1940s. Her “Dance, Girl, Dance” (1940) is ahead of its time as a female portrait of self-realization, artistic struggle and at the same time a milestone in the development of dance film, which in 2002 was included in the list of 100 most important films of the American Society of Film Critics. In leading roles, audiences will see Academy Award-winner for lifetime achievement Maureen O’Hara (“Green Valley”) and multiple Emmy Award winner Lucille Ball (“The Lucy Show”).

The 15th Kamera Akcja Festival will be held from 24 to 27.10.2024 in Łódź and from 14 to 23.10.2024 online on the Think Film platform. The task is implemented thanks to a grant from the budget of the City of Łódź. Subsidized by funds from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Cultural Promotion Fund, the Polish Film Institute and the University of Łódź – the festival’s patron. The main partners of the festival are Monopolis and the Film School in Lodz. The Kamera Akcja Festival and the Festiwal Człowiek Mediów w Zagrożeniu form the “Lodz Film Festival” cooperation network. Passes at attractive prices on sale only until October 10, 2024.