“This film is about women,” von Horn said at Monday night’s awards ceremony at the Arnold Szyfman Polish Theatre in Warsaw. “I wish all Polish women that you regain the right to choose … It should be a very logical matter, and it’s unnatural that it isn’t.”
Top honors and record haul
Girl with a Needle, described as a dark fairy tale focusing on women’s social struggles, also won for editing (Agnieszka Glińska), music (Frederikke Hoffmeier), costumes (Małgorzata Fudali), makeup (Anne Cathrine Sauerberg), production design (Jagna Dobesz), cinematography (Michał Dymek), Best Supporting Actress (Trine Dyrholm), and Best Actress (Vic Carmen Sonne).
In a text message read by von Horn, lead actress Sonne thanked the Polish crew for their work, saying her character, Caroline, “believes life has more to offer than the hopeless cards she was dealt.”
Lifetime achievement award for Allan Starski
Veteran production designer Allan Starski, who won an Oscar for Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, was honored with a lifetime achievement award. Culture Minister Hanna Wróblewska called Starski an artist “who shaped cinema’s visual language for decades,” noting his work’s unique ability to evoke time and emotion onscreen.
Video messages from directors Agnieszka Holland, Janusz Kamiński, Spielberg, and Roman Polański paid tribute to Starski. The scenographer recalled his deep bond with the late Andrzej Wajda, saying, “Working on 14 films with him is what made me not only a scenographer but a filmmaker who loves cinema.”
Other winners
Marcin Koszałka’s White Courage, which had led the nominations with 15 nods, won two acting awards: Julian Świeżewski for Best Supporting Actor and Filip Pławiak for Best Actor. To nie mój film earned Maria Zbąska the Discovery of the Year prize, while Zone of Interest took Best Sound honors (Johnnie Burn, Tarn Willers). The Audience Award went to Xawery Żuławski’s Kulej. Two Sides of the Medal.
Eliza Kubarska’s Wanda Rutkiewicz. The Last Expedition won Best Documentary, Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall was named Best European Film, and Klara Kochańska-Bajon and Jagoda Szelc’s Mother Penguins prevailed in the Best TV Series category.
Last year’s Best Film Eagle went to Agnieszka Holland’s Green Border. Previous winners include Mariusz Wilczyński’s Kill It and Leave This Town, Jan Komasa’s Corpus Christi, Paweł Pawlikowski’s Cold War, and Jerzy Skolimowski’s EO.
(jh)
Source: PAP