KFF Industry, an event intended for film professionals taking place simultaneously with the 64th Krakow Film Festival, took place, as every year, at the turn of May and June. This year, we were visited by over 1 000 guests, including several hundred from abroad. The filmmakers held almost 1 100 individual meetings with outstanding experts and decision makers, over ninety of whom came to Krakow. 64 projects were presented during three pitchings and a co-production market.
Creators and producers of documentary, animated and short films, experts, international film festival programmers, sales agents, distributors, representatives of film funds, TV stations, online and VOD platforms participated in the KFF Industry events organized for the eighteenth time, which took place from May 27 to 1st of June. As every year, it was a week full of pitches, presentations, workshops and individual meetings. The program also included, for the second time, a series devoted to virtual reality and special meetings for members of the Visegrad Group countries. Guests who were unable to come to Krakow in person could watch some of the recorded project presentations and use the KFF Video Library on the Internet.
ANIMATED IN POLAND
The 12th edition of Animated in Poland took place during this year’s KFF Industry. Preparations for the pitches, which are the main point of the program of the KFF Industry animated section, were led by Maarten van Gageldonk, program director of the Kaboom Festival, the largest animated film festival in the Netherlands. The pitching itself involved 7 Polish short animated film projects in the production phase. After the presentations, moderated by Zofia Jaroszuk, producer of animated films, participants had the opportunity to talk to experts during individual meetings. The best projects were awarded prizes and special distinctions. The Sound Mind Studio award – a voucher from the Sound Mind Studio for 10 days of sound post-production for the film went to the project “The Beetle” directed by Kacper Bukartyk, Zuzanna Fluder, prod. Krzysztof Kuźnicki / Kamera Association. Fixafilm Award – a voucher for image post-production services worth PLN 10,000 was awarded to the creators of the project “Love Strike”, dir. Klaudia Prabucka, prod. Paulina Ratajczak / Las Sztuki Foundation, Munk Studio – Polish Filmmakers Association. WFF – Wrocław Feature Film Studio Special Mention – in-kind contribution: lending equipment and infrastructure and providing selected services worth PLN 30,000 was awarded to the project “The Beetle”, dir. Kacper Bukartyk, Zuzanna Fluder, prod. Krzysztof Kuźnicki / Kamera Association. The Crew United Special Mention – a three-year subscription to Crew United in Premium status – for the director and producer of the distinguished project “Pearl to the Sun”, dir. Karolina Walas, prod. Robert Sowa / Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow.
Another important part of Animated in Poland was Talent Market, prepared in cooperation with the Polish Animation Producers Association. Creators looking for a producer for their projects had the opportunity to meet with representatives of 5 Polish animation studios – Animoon, Krakow Animation Center, Laniakea Pictures, GS Animation and Letko. This year, also as part of cooperation with Young Horizons Industry, selected person participating in the Talent Market and interested in creating films and series for children and teenagers will have the opportunity to take part in the recruitment for the Young Talents program, which accompanies the international co-production forum in Warsaw, the industry part Young Horizons Festival. This distinction went to Damian Handzlik. As part of the Talent Market, workshops were also organized on software that is worth knowing when working in the animation industry, conducted by Robert Jaszczurowski and Łukasz Kacprowicz from GS Animation.
PITCHINGI DOCS TO START I DOCS TO GO
Another, already 10th DOC LAB POLAND session was held as part of KFF Industry, co-organized by the Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation. Each year, selected Polish documentary projects take part in intensive workshops, which culminate during KFF Industry – two pitching sessions take place: Docs to Start and Docs to Go, during which producers and filmmakers present the projects in progress. There were as many as 22 projects in total in this year’s edition, because as part of the DOC LAB POLAND & UKRAINE project, Polish creators were anagin joined by artists and producers from Ukraine.
The aim of the Docs to Go pitching is to present and promote the most interesting documentary films in the post-production phase, whose premiere is expected in the coming months. In this year’s workshops preparing producers and directors of selected 10 projects, the tutors were Rada Šešić – head of documentary program at Sarajevo FF and co-head of the Docu Rough Cut Boutique, Peter Jaeger – the founder of the one of the world’s leading sales agents for creative docs Autlook Filmsales and a consulting company – Jaeger Creative.
Pitching Docs to Start is a presentation of film projects in the development phase or first photos. Its goal is to obtain potential co-producers and funds necessary to further produce the film. Participants presented their projects to producers, representatives of television broadcasters, regional film funds and institutions co-financing film production, as well as selectors from the most important industry events in the world. The tutors in the Start session were Adriek van Nieuwenhuiyzen – head of the IDFA Industry, Guevara Namer – curator of the DOK Co Pro Market at DOK Leipzig and Ove Rishoj Jensen – for many years working for EDN, now head of the FIPADOC Industry Forum and his own consulting company – Paradiddle Pictures. 12 projects were presented as part of Docs to Start.
Every day, after the pitchings, project representatives held special one-on-one meetings with potential partners, producers, festival programmers, distributors, funds and television broadcasters – representatives of Sundance, IDFA, Hot Docs, HBO Max, Canal+, CPH:DOX, P.O.V., THE WHY, Cat&Docs, Women Make Movies, Thessaloniki IDFF, Trieste FF, FIPADOC and many others.
Two awards were granted for Polish documentary film projects in the post-production phase – DOCS TO GO. Institute of Documentary Film Special Mention – an invitation to the East Doc Platform was given to the creators of the film “Isabella”, dir. Joanna Janikowska, prod. Anna Gawlita, Marta Szymanowska / Kijora Film. The POLISH DOCS PRO Special Mention – support for international promotion and an invitation to one of the international documentary industry events went to the creators of “The World is Not (A) Mine”, dir. Natalia Koniarz, prod. Maciej Kubicki / Telemark.
A total of ten awards were awarded to Polish documentary film projects in the development phase – DOCS TO START – taking part in the Docs to Start pitching. IDFA Special Mention – an invitation as a guest project to the IDFA Forum was received by the creators of the film “My Dear Vira”, dir. Maryna Brodovska, Olga Chernykh, prod. Nataliia Sukach, Olga Chernykh / Cosmos Agency. FIPADOC Special Mention – an invitation as a guest project to FIPADOC Industry went to the creators of two projects: “Waltz from the Well”, dir. Tymon Nogalski, prod. Sławomir Richert, Katarzyna Tymusz / Warsaw Production Team and “In The Circle”, dir. Michał Bielawski, prod. Maciej Kubicki / Telemark. DOK LEIPZIG Special Mention – an invitation to the Co Pro Meetings in Leipzig was given to the creators of the film “Entr’actes”, dir. Yuriy Shylov, prod. Olha Tuharinova / Alarm Productions. The MX35 Award – equipment rental service worth PLN 10 000 went to the creators of “How I Became a Hijacker”, dir. Andrew Carter, producer Aleksandra Szczęsna / Hasko Film.
FIXAFILM Award – image post-production service worth PLN 15,000 went to the creators of “Theory of Survival”, dir. Paweł Chorzępa, prod. Joanna Chorzępa / Bees Film House. Multilab / Krakow Technology Park Award – image post-production service worth PLN 10 000 went to the creators of the film “En Garde”, dir. Mateusz Wajda, prod. Paweł Ziemilski / MX35. WFF – Feature Film Studio in Wrocław Special Mention – image and sound post-production service worth PLN 25 000 – the award went to the creators of “How I Became a Hijacker”, dir. Andrew Carter, producer Aleksandra Szczęsna / Hasko Film. FINA Award – in-kind contribution: archival materials worth PLN 50 000 were awarded to the creators of “Theory of Survival”, dir. Paweł Chorzępa, prod. Joanna Chorzępa / Bees Film House. The CANAL+ Award – PLN 12 000 in cash also went to the creators of “Theory of Survival”, dir. Paweł Chorzępa, prod. Joanna Chorzępa / Bees Film House.
CEDOC AND V4 CO-PRO MEETINGS
Another industry event as part of KFF Industry, co-organized by the Film Foundation. Władysław Ślesicki was CEDOC Market – Central European Documentary Co-Production Market – the only co-production meeting in Poland for documentary producers who are looking for Polish and foreign partners. The meetings were held one-on-one and round tables between producers invited to the market, as well as one-on-one meetings with the international documentary industry: producers, sales agents, television broadcasters, funds, as well as representatives of leading European training and pitching programs. This year, 35 documentary projects qualified for CEDOC Market. Three thematic round tables were held: Women’s Rights, Women’s Fights, Individual vs System, World of Passion: Sport and Art moderated by Debra Zimmerman (Women Make Movies), Heather Haynes (Hot Docs) and Rada Šešić (Sarajevo FF).
In cooperation with CEDOC, co-production meetings were also held for film professionals from the Visegrad Group countries – V4 Co-Pro meetings. Their aim was to initiate contacts between film producers and creators from the region in order to establish cooperation in the field of film production. V4 Co-Pro Meetings participants – producers from Poland, Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia met with Ukrainian producers to talk about co-production opportunities, took part in the panel discussion about the possibility of launching the ‘Visegrad Co-Production Fund’ with participation of the representatives of film institutions and producers organisations from Visegrad countries – Katarzyna Ślesicka (Andrzej Wajda Centure for Film Culture), Veronika Dvorackova (Institute of Documentary Film), Tomas Hudak (Slovak Film Institute), Marta Materska (Culture Institute of Jagiellonian University) and Małgorzata Prociak (Polish Producers Alliance / Polish Filmmakers Association). They also had one-on-one meetings with international experts: Stephanie Owens, Sundance FF / (USA), Outi Rousu – Pystymetsä Oy (Finland), Heather Haynes – Hot Docs (Canada), Michael Kaschner – ZDF (Germany), Robert Y. Chang – P.O.V. (USA), Christian Popp – TAG FILMS (France).
PRESENTATIONS AND MEETINGS WITH EXPERTS
KFF VR # 2 is the second meeting of producers and creators in the field of immersive media organized by members of the New Narrations KIPA Section. During the panels, they focused on discussing the issue of financing VR projects in Poland, distribution possibilities on local and global markets, and strategies for reaching the audience with innovative artistic projects. During the panel “Possibilities of financing VR projects in Poland”, representatives of key institutions financing VR projects in Poland presented the possibilities co-production. The panelists in this section were: Marta Modzelewska (Creative Europe), Marta Obłuska (CRPK) and Joanna Szczerbińska (National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute). The meeting was moderated by Joanna Popińska. In addition, during the EVOLVER case study – the distribution success of the VR project in Poland was presented by Marcin Marczyk. The fascinating project of the Marshmallow Laser Feast group was presented as part of the BMW Art Club implemented by BMW. For 2 months in 2023 in Warsaw, over 8,000 people put on VR glasses to experience Evolver. We will talk about the background of the creation of this exhibition. Tom C. Hall (Infinite Frame Media) and Sönke Kirchhof (INVR.space GmbH), award-winning producers of VR projects, talked about how to reach the audience. They discussed topics including: a way to gain an audience for immersive artistic works in a space dominated by technology, games and entertainment.
Crew United workshop “Not as black as it is painted or self-promotion on the film market“ focusing on developing skills in self-promotion and networking in the audiovisual industry, were let by Anna E.Dziedzic from Crew United Poland. The subject of the wokshop concerned such issues ad: How to utilize available tools to improve visibility and effectively position yourself? How to take care of the portfolio? How to plan a strategy for building professional contacts? Traditionally the legal panelogranised in co-operation with Lassota Krawiec Law Firm. The attorneys, Marcin Lassota i Wojciech Krawiec, answered the questions regarding the remuneration models for film creators.
KFF Industry Meetings
KFF Industry Meetings were divided into two parts – for short and animated filmmakers and for documentary filmmakers. These meetings are addressed to producers, filmmakers and other professionals involved in film promotion and take the form of 15-minute individual consultations. Participants had the opportunity to meet with twenty-nine sales agents and programmers from all over Europe and the USA, including representatives of Cannes Film Festival, CPH:DOX, DOK Leipzig, New Europe Film Sales, FIPADOC, Jihlava IDFF, Hot Docs, Cat&Docs, Fortissimo Films, 3 Box Media, Miyu Distribution and many others. Documentary meetings were preceded with the presentations of international documentary film festivals and sales agencies and discussions with programmers and agents.
Master Classes
Every year during the Krakow Film Festival, the organizers offer the opportunity to participate in a special Master Classes with an outstanding filmmakers. This time there were two meetings with the winners of the Dragon of Dragons – Godfrey Reggio and Jacek Petrycki.
Jacek Petrycki spoke about the international response to some of the films he co-created, the importance of archiving, the found footage phenomenon and how these techniques may contribute to the development of authentic narratives in documentary cinema. The creator of “Koyaanisqatsi” met with the participants remotely, to talk more about his incredible creative docummentary filmmaking. The meeting was screened at the Kijów Cinema and via social media.
Networking Events
KFF Industry is also a great opportunity for networking. Filmmakers and experts present in Krakow had the opportunity to talk in less formal circumstances during daily Industry Drinks (hosted by team4set, Polish Animations, DOC LAB POLAND, Institute of Documentary Film and Warsaw Film School), Night in Kazimierz, where representatives of film festivals traditionally met at Alchemia, and then a WFO concert with music by Krzysztof Komeda took place. The day before, on festival Tuesday, a networking party organized by team4set took place at Hevre. At the a Cruise on the Vistula River and famous Industry Party, we celebrated the tenth anniversary of cooperation between KFF Industry and DOC LAB POLAND.
Partners of KFF Industry 2024: Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation, Polish Animation Producers Association, KIPA, KBF, Krakow Film Commission, ASP w Krakowie, Krakow Technology Park, DAE – Documentary Association of Europe, Institute of Documentary Film, DOK Leipzig , Thessaloniki IDFF, Festival dei Popoli, Wroclaw Feature Film Studio, Fixafilm, Sound Mind, Crew United, Lassota Krawiec
Partners of KFF Video Library are : DOK Leipzig, Institute of Documentary Films, Festival dei Popoli, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
The project was made possible with financial support from: the Visegrad Fund, the Polish Filmmakers Association the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage within a frame of the Polish Creative Industries Development Center Progaramme “Rozwój Sektorów Kreatywnych” and the Municipality of Kraków.
Media patronage: Business Doc Europe, Modern Times Review, Film&TV Camera, Magazyn Filmowy SFP, Polish Docs, Polish Shorts, Polish Animations
KFF Industry is organised and produced by the Krakow Film Foundation. The event takes place during the 64th Krakow Film Festival.
fot. Tomasz Korczyński / KFF, Maciej Zygmunt / KFF