More than 150 titles on the menu at Toruń’s Tofifest
- Twelve films are in the running for the Golden Angel in the official competition of the “rebellious festival” that unspools from 18-25 October
Sunday will mark the start of the 13th edition of Tofifest in Toruń, an event branded as a “rebellious festival”, which will present over 150 titles until 25 October. The main thrust of the gathering is the official competition, ON AIR, which brings together 12 features by directors hailing from all over the world. The majority of these films, the best of which will take home the Golden Angel statuette, will be presented as Polish premieres; standing out among them are feature debuts, a number of works awarded at major festivals and a few treasures unearthed by the selectors.
Polish cinema is represented in competition by The Here After [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Magnus von Horn
film profile] by Magnus von Horn (read the interview), which tells the story a young criminal making the difficult return to his rural community. This co-production between Poland, Sweden and France was presented in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and snagged a number of Golden Lions at the most recent Gdynia Film Festival (for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Editing).
Sweden is also present on the line-up with Granny’s Dancing on the Table [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Hanna Sköld, the story of a young girl living with her father, a tyrannical religious fanatic. The movie had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival before being screened at San Sebastián, in the New Directors section.
The issue of African migrants seeking a safe haven in Europe lies at the very heart of Mediterranea [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Carpignano
film profile] by Italy’s Jonas Carpignano (watch the video interview), an important spokesperson on the racism and hostility encountered by refugees in Europe.
Among the other European titles in competition, we have the Croatian production You Carry Me [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ivona Juka
film profile] by Ivona Juka, a jigsaw puzzle of a film made up of the various interweaving stories of different characters, which has occasionally been compared to Crash and 21 Grams. Also of note is the Icelandic feature Rams [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Grimur Hakonarson
film profile] by Grímur Hákonarson (the winner of Un Certain Regard at Cannes – watch the interview) and the winner of the Cannes Caméra d'Or, Land and Shade [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Colombian director César Augusto Acevedo (co-produced by Colombia, France, the Netherlands, Chile and Brazil).
The 2015 Tofifest official competition is rounded off by the Venice Golden Lion winner From Afar by Lorenzo Vigas (Venezuela, Mexico), Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (USA), 600 Miles by Gabriel Ripstein (Mexico, USA), Sleeping Giant by Andrew Cividino (Canada), Mina Walking by Yosef Baraki (Afghanistan, Canada) and Viaje by Paz Fábrega (Costa Rica).
(Translated from French)
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