There Are People in the Forest
Poland2023animated10'Międzynarodowy konkurs krótkometrażowy (2023)Konkurs polski (2023)
Polish-Belarusian border from a bird’s eye view. Refugees, who are trying to cross it to get to Poland, are hiding in the forest. Sometimes they meet people who want to help them or the representatives of the services that drive them back behind the wall separating the two countries. As if in a computer game, they need to go back to square one or the game is over. Based on the author and witnesses’ accounts, the animation depicts the terrifying humanitarian crisis which has been going on since 2021. Animated in the style of a child’s drawing, it is not just a film about suffering but also about the determination of people looking for a new home and the virtuous response of Polish people.
Awards
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2023 Short film competition
Award for the best European film - KFF candidate to European Film AwardsSpecial Award
- directed by
- Szymon Ruczyński
Szymon Ruczyński was born in Hajnówka, Poland, in 2000. Currently student of an Animated Film and Special Effects department at the Polish National Film School in Lodz. He grew up in Bialowieza, a village in the centre of the ancient Bialowieza Forest which is the source of inspiration for his award-winning films "Reason" and "The Wildwood Diptych". In 2021 and 2022 Szymon participated in bringing humanitarian aid to the refugees hiding in the forest. He uses mixed animation techniques to tell stories about socially relevant problems he witnesses.
- cinematography
- Szymon Ruczyński
- script
- Szymon Ruczyński
- animated by
- Szymon Ruczyński
- sound
- Szymon Kucharski
- editing
- Szymon Ruczyński
- production
- Agata Golańska (Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L.Schillera w Łodzi)
- Photo
- Trailer