In the first details of the KFF Industry programme to be revealed, we invite you to a series of unique meetings with outstanding filmmakers – acclaimed documentary filmmakers from the UK and the US, who will be coming to Krakow this June. The masterclasses will be led by this year’s winner of the Dragon of Dragons Award – Kim Longinotto – and the multiple Oscar-nominated American director Jay Rosenblatt. Marc Isaacs will talk about his latest film – “Synthetic Sincerity”, which will open the Krakow Film Festival.
During the 66th Krakow Film Festival, the KFF Industry section will once again serve as a forum for an intensive exchange of knowledge and experience. The programme will include masterclasses and case studies featuring exceptional documentary filmmakers, who will share their techniques, approach to their subjects and creative process. Each event offers a different perspective on contemporary documentary filmmaking. These events will also be open to the festival audience.
Case Study: Marc Isaacs’ ‘Synthetic Sincerity’
2 June, 4.00–5.00 pm Potocki Palace. An event supported by the British Council.
A meeting with one of the most fascinating contemporary British documentary filmmakers, Marc Isaacs, will offer a chance to take a look behind the scenes of his latest film, ‘Synthetic Sincerity’, which will open this year’s festival. The director is known for his exceptionally close, empathetic approach to his subjects and for creating intimate, personal portraits.
During the case study, Isaacs will talk about the filmmaking process – from the initial idea, through concept development, to production and editing decisions. His new film blends documentary and fictional elements – and it’s not always easy to tell where one ends and the other begins. How did the idea for the film come about and develop? What was the collaboration with the subjects like? This case study will show how the filmmakers developed a humorous yet moving narrative structure that transcends conventional formulas and conventions.
more information.
Master Class: Kim Longinotto
3 June, 2.30–3.45 pm Potocki Palace. An event supported by the British Council.
One of the highlights of the programme will be a meeting with Kim Longinotto – a legend of documentary cinema and this year’s laureate of the Dragon of Dragons Award for her contribution to the development of world documentary cinema. For years, her films have focused on strong female protagonists and addressed social issues, often within cultural contexts rarely depicted in Western cinema.
The masterclass will be an opportunity to discover the director’s unique style – working without traditional narration, relying on observation, and building the narrative through situations. Longinotto will discuss her philosophy of documentary filmmaking, the ethics of working with subjects, and how to create cinema that is socially engaged yet universal and moving.
More information.
Master Class: Jay Rosenblatt
4 June, 4.00–5.00 pm Potocki Palace
The masterclass will also be led by Jay Rosenblatt – an American director who has been nominated for multiple Oscars, he has been creating cinema that explores human emotional and psychological experiences for years. During the event, Rosenblatt will discuss the sources of his cinematic explorations, his work with archives and found footage, and the ways he translates personal emotions into the language of cinema. The conversation will be complemented by excerpts from selected films, offering a glimpse into his distinctive style and how he creates evocative, often essayistic cinematic forms. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the artistic journey of a filmmaker whose works have been presented at venues including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as in cinemas and film institutions around the world.
The masterclass is organised in collaboration with ‘Świetlica Filmowa’ – an educational project run by the Krakow Festival Office.
More information.
Admission is free to all events.
KFF Industry co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and City of Krakow, Polish Filmmakers Association and Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Partnrs: Fundacja Filmowa im. Władysława Ślesickiego, Stowarzyszenie Producentów Polskiej Animacji, Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe, Krakow Film Commission, KIPA – Krajowa Izba Producentów Audiowizualnych, FINA – Filmoteka Narodowa-Instytut Audiowizualny, Festiwal Muzyki Filmowej, TVP, Akademia Sztuk Pięknych w Krakowie, British Council, Institute of Documentary Film, DAE – Documentary Association of Europe, DOK Leipzig, IDFA, FIPADOC, Ji.hlava IDFF, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Festival dei Popoli, Sound Mind Studio, Xanf, No Problemo Music, Crew United,