KITES
Written, directed: Beata Dzianowicz
Cinematography: Jacek Petrycki , P.S.C.
Editing: Katarzyna Maciejko-Kowalczyk P.S.M.
Sound: Jarosław Roszyk
Production manager: Dorota Rozowska
Cooperation: Jacek Szarański, Nooria Habebi
Producer: Krzysztof Kopczyński
Co-financed by: The Polish Film Institute
Film developed with the support of the Media programme of the European Community and the Polish Script Agency
Distribution: Journeyman Pictures (www.journeyman.tv)
More information at www.eurekamedia.info and www.journeyman.tv
Under the working Title LEARNING TO WATCH, the film has been developped at the Ex Oriente Film 2004
The condition to take part in the “Critic’s Week” – as in the case of other sections – international premiere. The “Critic’s Week” exists since 1990 and is a significant part of the festival, considered one of the most important festivals in the world. “Kites” have been watched at two screenings by at least 800 people. A large part of them took part in a discussion with the director and the producer of the film.
“Kites”
"Kites" had a simple starting point: cameras + youth + Afghanistan. Few people believed that it would succeed. CAMERAS? But there is no electricity! But not so long ago it was impossible there to record a human image. And the dust?! The cameras will be broken after three days and the nearest service is presumably in Moscow, isn’t it? Unless there is no problem at all because they will get stolen on the first day, since they steal there a lot, don’t they? Forget the cameras, but the YOUTH?! They don’t have a TV set at home, and half of them have never been to a cinema and now they are supposed to have camera in their hands and what are they supposed to do with it? And if they do anything will these “works of art” enchant European audience? And that AFGHANISTAN! Everybody knows everything about Afghanistan because at least once a week you can see it in the news, because either something has been blown out or there is the polish army present there or the Taliban, someone has been kidnapped or has been released, every two weeks you have a catchy headline. And is there anything interesting in this Afghanistan at all?That’s what many friendly people said to us. But well, everyone can be wrong and we went shooting. When you have finally seen the film tell us whether it was worth it.
“Kites” are about a documentary film course held by Polish film makers in an Art School in Kabul in the fall of 2006. In the verdict the jury stated: “ Beata Dzianowicz has made a film that shows with sensibility, respect and subtlety the relationship between teachers and students, between young men and young women and between the young film students and their society. We also like the way it shows the development of creativity without being heavy handed or obvious.”
The film is a part of the “Afghan Triptych”, which is also made up of the documentary film “Stone Silence” (director and producer Krzysztof Kopczyński, Pitched at East European Forum 2005), since it’s premiere in October 2007 shown on several festivals in several countries and awarded many times and Witold Krassowski’s photography exhibition “Afghanistan” (producer Krzysztof Kopczyński, Eureka Media), awarded by the International Red Cross.
“Kites” is the last film edited by Katarzyna Maciejko-Kowalczyk and it owes a lot to her talent and sensitivity.
The film was coproduced by Eureka Media and the Channel 2 of TVP S.A., co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, developed with the support of the Media Programme of the European Community and Polish Script Agency. The Polish Humanitarian Organization helped in the realization of the production. Journeyman Pictures, United Kingdom is the international distributor of the film (www.journeyman.tv).