Roma biopic awarded at Karlovy Vary Film Festival

Jowita Budnik as Papusza. Image: next-film

Papusza, which was one of 14 international features competing in the Main Competition, was given the Jury's Special Commendation.

Shot by husband and wife team Krzysztof Krauze and Joanna Kos-Krauze, the film explores the bittersweet fate of the poet, who became the first Roma writer to be translated into Polish, but ended up being banished by the community she grew up in.

Papusza (Bronislaw Wajs under her Polish name) was born in 1908, and was discovered by writer Jerzy Ficowski, who lived with the Roma for a time after the Second World War. After Poland introduced a law in 1950 bringing about the forced settlement of the Roma, she fell out of favour with her fellow Roma, and spent some time in a mental asylum.

Meanwhile, Tomasz Wasilewski won in the East of the West competition for up and coming directors in Central and Eastern Europe.

Wasilewski's Floating Skyscrapers (Plynace wiezowce), a film about a young athlete's discovery of his homosexuality, took the 20,000 dollar prize, which is open solely to debut and second films.

Hungarian WWII drama film Le Grand Cahier won the coveted Grand Prix Crystal Globe in the Main Competition, with producer Sandor Soth picking up the prize for director Janos Sasz.

Polish director Agnieszka Holland (In Darkness, Europa Europa) chaired the jury this year.

Meanwhile, maverick US film-maker Oliver Stone was presented with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to world cinema. (nh)

US director Oliver Stone with his Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema, at the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. EPA/Stringer

Source: IAR