WBC - Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem

WBC Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem

SPECIAL SCREENING

in cooperation with the Polish Institute

FRIDAY, 07.05.2010 at 4:30 pm (16:30 pm)

Rabbit a la Berlin

A film by Bartek Konopka (Script, Director) and Piotr Rosolowski(Script, Cinematographie)

A discussion with cinematographer Piotr Rosolowski follows this screening

A story about thousands of wild rabbits which lived in the Death Zone of the Berlin Wall. As if the green belt between the two walls was 'designed' for those animals - full of untouched grass, the predators stayed behind the wall and the guards made sure no one 'disturbed' the rabbits. They had been living there for 28 years, enclosed but safe. Unfortunately, the Wall fell down one day and the rabbits had to look for another place to live. The film is an allegory which brings closer the history of Eastern Europe as seen from the 'rabbit' perspective.

This is also the first film showing the story of the Wall and the reunification of Germany seen from such an unusual perspective – from the rabbits' point of view. It refers to the nature film convention, the Polish version is narrated by Krystyna Czubówna [famous Polish nature films narrator]. What is interesting – German commissioning editors were very enthusiastic about the idea of shooting a film about the difficult time in German history by two Polish men, from quite a surprising perspective.

'Królik po berlińsku [Rabbit a la Berlin] is a film made by four friends - enthusiasts who work together on each element of the film.

These friends are: Bartek Konopka – director, Piotr Rosołowski – cinematographer and co-scriptwriter, Anna Wydra– producer and Mateusz Romaszkan – editor.

BARTEK KONOPKA – SCRIPT, DIRECTOR

Born in 1972. One of the most awarded young polish filmmaker. His last 40' feature Three for the Taking won already 12 prizes all over the world (among them Grand Prix and Best Actor in Brest SFF and Best Debut in Message to Man SFF St Petersburg) . His previous docu The Goat Walker received Planete Prize on Berlinale 2004 among many other awards. This year he makes long feature debut The Fear of Heights.

PIOTR ROSOŁOWSKI – SCRIPT, CINEMATOGRAPHER

Born in 1977. Since 2002 he has been working as an independent cinematographer in Poland, Germany and Switzerland. He is also a co-author of awarded scripts of documentary films 'Ballada o kozie [The Goat Walker] and 'Królik po berlińsku [Rabbit a la Berlin]. He is the author of cinematography for the short film 'Auf der Strecke” which was nominated for this year's Oscars. He has been currently working in Transylvania on a full-length documentary film about Dracula.

Piotr will attend the screening at the Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem

"Rabbit ala Berlin" - Awards

17. Polish Festival of the Film Art “Prowincjonalia” Wrzesnia 2010, Poland (Best Documentary Award “Jancio Wodnik”)
Hot Docs Toronto 2009, Canada (Award for Best Mid-Length Doc)
Planete Doc Review Warsaw 2009, Poland (Magic Hour Award for Best Mid-Lenght Film)
Cracow IFF 2009, Poland (Golden Hobby-Horse in National Competition / Bronislaw Chromy Sculpture for Best Producer of Polish Short and Documentary Films)
Int. W. Puchalski Nature FF Lodz 2009, Poland (Jury Special Prize)
Hamptons IFF 2009, USA (Golden Starfish Award for Best Film of Conflict & Resolution)
Jihlava IDF 2009, Czech Republic (Silver Eye Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary)
Polish FF Chicago 2009, USA (Golden Teeth Award)