“Joko” directed by Izabela Plucińska

Izabela Plucińska, a recognized filmmaker, previously awarded i.a. the Golden Dragon at the Krakow Film Festival and the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, presented her latest work “Joko” in the competition section of short films, winning the Award for the best original music for a short film, composed by Aliaksandr Yasinsky.

“Joko”, an adaptation of Roland Topor's drama, is made entirely of plasticine. The main character is a young boy who supports his mother and sister by working in a factory. On the second anniversary of his employment, Joko and his colleagues meet with foreign delegates who surprise them with an unusual request - they ask the employees to carry them on their backs. Despite his initial rebellion, the boy succumbs to peer pressure and the desire to earn money, which leads to the increasing domination of the delegates.

The film is produced by Animoon Sp. z o.o. (Poland), Las Sztuki Foundation (Poland), MAUR Film (Czech Republic) and Clay Traces (Germany). In Poland, the film is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and the West Pomeranian Film Fund POMERANIA FILM, and the strategic partner of the project is the Academy of Art in Szczecin.

„Lola and the Sound Piano” directed by Augusto Zanovello

The second awarded film is “Lola and the Sound Piano”  directed by Augusto Zanovello, which received the Jury Prize for a television program. This medium-length animation is a beautiful story about the need for mutual understanding, presenting the fate of Simon and the story of an extraordinary machine that helps him communicate with his surroundings. The film discusses the difficulties faced by people on the autism spectrum.

The animation, co-produced by Momakin in Łódź, for which the puppets were created in Łódź and the props and the titular piano in Wrocław, had its premiere in the competition TV Films category.

The film was produced by Komadoli Studio, Folimage, Momakin, Nadasdy Film in co-production with  Feature Film Studio in Wroclaw (WFF), EC1 Łódź – City of Film and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma, with the participation of RTS – Radio Télévision Suisse and France télévisions. The film was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The international sales agent is Prime Entertainment Group. Distribution in Poland: Momakin.

 Annecy International Animation Film Festival

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is one of the most prestigious events in the animation industry in the world. Every year in June, creators, professionals and animation enthusiasts from all over the world meet in the French city of Annecy. The festival, founded in 1960, offers a rich program including screenings of full-length films, short films, student films and animated series.

There are also workshops, discussion panels and the Annecy International Animation Film Market (MIFA), which is an important networking platform for industry representatives. The festival is known for its lively atmosphere and the promotion of innovative and artistic animation projects.

This year's edition was exceptionally successful for Polish animation. The festival selection included as many as nine Polish productions, five of which were co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.