Movie reviews

And some more from before the lockdown:

SCRIPT FIESTA

I only went to lectures and the Pitch Fiesta this year so I decided to some it all up in one place:

Alicja Grawon-Jaksik discussed legal negotiations between script writers and producers. She spoke as if to people in the know and used too many legal terms

Pilar Alessandra was very down to earth and gave plenty of useful tips for budding script writers. Nothing I wouldn't have commonsensically known but it was fun and I felt relieved that my hunches were all confirmed.

Ilona Łepkowska and Krzysztof Rak sat up the Script Writers Guild and boasted about how useful it was going to be. So far they've helped the writer of "365 dni" ("365 Days") enter the official premiere of 'his' movie - the producers hadn't invited him. They also discussed what to avoid in contracts and how important it was to have a lawyer.

Joanna Solecka covered 'Audience Design'. She brushed over how to market and why it mattered.

Jakub Stokalski and Wojciech Setlak discussed game scripts. Both were open to ad hoc questions.

Michał Oleszczyk conducted a very insightful "Home Alone" analysis.

The producers' panel comprised of Leszek Bodzak, Renata Czarnikowska-Listoś both of who rambled and Michał Chaciński who cut right to the chase. The first two expected dramas and clearly considered writers to be artists, the latter one saw them as artisans since all scripts needed alterations anyway, he represented a private company and was sales-oriented.

Anna Bielak, Agnieszka Wasiak and Krzysztof Rak talked about script doctoring which was about everything and nothing at the same time.

Jolanta Dylewska told us how to write with the camera person in mind. That was truly revelatory. Turns out time passage, smells and flavours can be transferred onto the screen.

Agnieszka Kruk summed up what everyone knows about biographies anyway. She also cited her own example of working on a script which showed how badly maternity ruins your career.

Luke Davies talked about his "Beautiful Boy". He confessed to having been a heroin addict for 10 years in his 20s. He also mentioned a "poet in him" which explains why I found the film lacklustre, just like the meeting with him, in fact.

The Pitch Fiesta let me talk to several producers. However, most didn't do the stuff I was after. Unreasonably stiffly defined 13-minute sessions caused queues to the most versatile ones. The table numbers were in such a disarray it was hard to find out who was who. And, just like last year, some producers didn't turn up and others did but weren't on the list.

In a meeting with Andrzej Mularczyk, who wrote the cult "Sami swoi" comedy trilogy, Ślesicki, the Warsaw Film School Chancellor, said to him: "Ja jestem pewien, że jeszcze wiele wspaniałych rzeczy nam pan napisze." "Ale już nie przeczytam."- the elderly writer responded. ("I'm sure you'll write many more wonderful things for us." "But I won't be able to read them.") Later, when the interviewer said we had time, he made sure: "Czy pani ma prowiant dla naszych gości?" ("Have you got food provisions for our guests?") I heard a mention that Mularczyk had nicked Kapuściński's wellies, which got me intrigued but the long story was even better. It turns out Andrzej Mularczyk was scared when he heard about casting Wacław Kowalski in "Sami swoi" because 'Waciu' had been in 16-18 movies, never longer than 6 minutes. The writer hates going to film sets but then the director made him. The actor got off the carriage, like in the script, and approached Andrzej Mularczyk holding his arms as if he was going to punch him, next held him up and said: "Człowieku, ja się urodziłem, żeby to zagrać!" ("Man, I was born to act in it!"). The writer believes the movie phenomenon is down to the fact he depicted the communality of the fate of thousands of Poles. He admits the memorable lines came from his uncle on his father's side. In total, Mularczyk scripted the "Dom" series and 15 other TV serials and 18 feature movies. He prefers a radio drama to a movie since a radio play leaves the content to your magination. As for movie genres, he explained that: "dramat jest wtedy, kiedy spotykają sie dwie osoby, które muszą, a komedia, kiedy spotykają się dwie osoby, które nie powinny. Teraz komedia powinna być polityczna." ("a drama is when who meets are two people who have to, a comedy when who meets are people who shouldn't. Now a comedy should be political.")

Artur Wyrzykowski's dissection of "Portrait de la jeune fille en feu" ("Portrait of a Lady on Fire") was schematic, caused lots of disagreement with his interpretations in the audience, including my own discontent.

Natalia Borawska from Papaya Rocks lacked basic public speaking skills, used more 'ers'  than words, her presentation was superficial and she was grossly incompetent in the use of words.

This year the panels and Q&As were well organized, comprehensive, with plenty of time for questions. As for the presenters, some were wonderful, some incompetent. I was surprised many were film academy lecturers who have shot no movie themselves. What astonished me as well, several script writers don't think with images. I wonder why they deal in scripts rather than books. On the other hand, that explains why so many films and serials look so bland. One participant was so unprofessional that he even brought his baby/toddler with him. The kid caused awful disturbance, of course. The organizers were far too liberal with admissions to the festival.