For the fourth time the Krakow Film Festival recommends feature documentary films for the European Film Awards. This year the official recommendation was given to “White Mama” (dir. Zosya Rodkevich, Evgeniya Ostanina), which was presented in this year’s international documentary film competition.
The world premiere of the film took place on May 30th in Krakow, attended by the filmmakers themselves and a large audience. Premiere screening during the Festival is one of the conditions for the recommendation to the European Academy Award.
“White Mama” is a feature documentary about a big family put to the severe test. Alina, who has six dark-skinned children born from her relationship with an Ethiopian man, decides to adopt a white boy, who is struggling with psychological problems. The film shows the attempts to accept, understand and fight for the good of the loved ones despite many adversities.
“White Mama” is a very powerful movie, and the protagonist is one of the most impressive characters that recently appeared on a screen” – says Vladan Petkovic, Russian film critic from the prestigious Cineuropa portal.
Rodkevich’s feature documentary debut “My Friend Boris Nemtsov” (2016) won the Golden Horn – the main award of the international documentary film competition – at the 56th Krakow Film Festival.
The European Film Awards, presented since 1988, are among the most prestigious film awards. The first winner was Krzysztof Kieślowski for his film “A Short Film About Killing”. This year’s award ceremony will take place on December 15th in Seville.
The Krakow Film Festival is among 10 European film festivals recommending films to the Best Documentary Film Award and among 15 festivals nominating a film in the Short Film category. The other festivals having this privilege are, among others, festival in Locarno, Venice, San Sebastian, Cannes, Berlin, Amsterdam and Lisbon.
In the short film category the Krakow Film Festival granted the European Film Award nomination (PRIX EFA KRAKÓW 2018 for the best European Film) to the film “Release the Dogs” (dir. Emmanuelle Fleytoux ), which during this year’s festival was awarded the Silver Dragon.
The 59th Krakow Film Festival will take place May 26th – June 2nd 2019.