This year we’re celebrating the 60th anniversary of the yongest district od Krakow – Nowa Huta. It was built as a model socialist city in the age of Stalinism. Communist era has fortunately gone, but the quartier remains. And it is good for us.
In August there are two interesting events connected to this jubilee. The first one is a spectacular outdoor music show titled “Here, where Jan Kiepura used to sing”. The concert (Kraków Stop), prepared with energy, is simultaneously a part of Jan Kiepura European Festival, which is held every year in August in Krynica. Apart from songs from the repertoire of genial tenor, born in Sosnowiec, impressive ballet and choir performances, classic opera and operetta pieces, and musical compositions are included in the programme of this evening event. Bogusław Kaczyński will led the gala.
Featuring Małgorzata Długosz, Maria Meyer, Dariusz Stachura, Tadeusz Szlenkier, Witold Matulka, Adam Szerszeń, Liudas Mikalauskas (he awarded with Gold Medal of Adam Didura International Opera Singers Competition), Łódź Music Theatre Ballet, Silesia Philharmonic Symphonic Orchestra (conducted by Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk). The music show will take place 16th August on Roses Av. In the centre of Nowa Huta.
The second event mentioned above is “Nowa Huta Film Festival 1949-2009”. As the organizers (KorboTurbina Association, os. Szkolne 25, [email protected]) say:
Not many people know that in the ranking of the most filmed cities, Nowa Huta comes second only to Warsaw, with over 300 films made: mostly short reports and documentaries. There were also some feature films produced, e.g.: ”Człowiek z marmuru” (Man of Marble) by Andrzej Wajda, ”Pamięć” (Memory) by Kazimierz Karabasz and the little-known “Zagubione uczucia” (Lost Feelings) by Jerzy Zarzycki. For four years now the Nowa Huta Film Chronicle has run in weekly episodes shown at the Sfinks cinema and on TVP Krakow channel, which is a sensational record for Poland. There were over 150 episodes made, each composed of 3 short films about the people and events in Nowa Huta; that makes a total of nearly 500 “mini-presentations of Nowa Huta.”
The most important of these films will be presented to a wide audience during the Nowa Huta Film Festival. Their selection reflects an attempt to show the full historical spectrum of Nowa Huta (from the starting phase of its building to modern times). The presentation includes films produced in the Documentary Films Studio (WFD), Educational Films Studio (WFO), Polish Television (TVP S.A.) (Channel 1 and 2, TVP Info), TVN (History), “Nowa Huta” Amateur Film Club (Amatorski Klub Filmowy), and ones made by independent creators. Archival films will be made available by the National Film Archive (Filmoteka Narodowa), particular television centres, “Nowa Huta” AFC and individuals, including from abroad. KorboTurbina Association (Stowarzyszenie KorboTurbina) is the festival organiser; Mr Jerzy Ridan, chair of the Krakow division of the Polish Filmmakers Association (Stowarzyszenie Filmowców Polskich) is its programming director.
A competition for films about Nowa Huta will be run during the Festival. It will cover films made within the last twenty years (1989-2009) by Polish and foreign creators, including non professionals. The deadline for entry applications: 15th June 2009. The deadline for delivering films to the Selection Jury Panel (on DVDs): 1st July 2009. Films chosen by the Selection Jury Panel will be presented during public competition shows; results will be announced during the final concert of the Nowa Huta Film Festival. Gold, silver and bronze prizes of “KORBOTURBINA” and also prize money will be awarded.