SPECIAL MENTION FOR "ARENA" IN NEW JERSEY

16.06.2014

Last weekend, there increased the number of awards won by the latest film by Martin Rath, entitled "Arena." The film was given the special mention at the 33rd edition of International Film Festival in New Jersey.

"Arena" was the only Polish film in the set of 24 films which participated in the competition. The film by Martin Rath was appreciated by the jury and was given the special mention.  This is already the third foreign award for the graduation film by Martin Rath. Last year, in November, the film was given the Grand Prix award at the Cork Film Festival, and in January, the Vilko Filač award for the Best Cinematography was given to Bartosz Świniarski at the Kustendorf festival in Serbia.  Apart from short film, also documentary, experimental, animated and feature films were awarded.

Martin Rath is a student of Lodz Film School, and his "Arena" is the story of a young hitchhiker (Marcin Kowalczyk) who is taken in by the inhabitants of Bieszczady mountains.  Fascinated by the charisma of the people and the wildness of the place, he decides to undergo a test and in this way to constitute his presence in the mountains. 

The festival in New Jersey was launched in 1981, and its first edition took place a year later. Within the frames of the festival, unconventional films are presented, often with an experimental profile.  This year's edition took place from 30th  May to 14th  June.

You can read more about the festival here