“I'M HERE” GETS ANOTHER SPECIAL MENTION
This time, Julia Orlik's animation was recognised in Cyprus. The Countryside Animafest jury decided to honour the film with a special mention.
Countryside Animafest Cyprus was established in 2002 as the first documentary film festival in Cyprus. The event, originally held in the town of Platanistia, over time changed its profile, name and –with the influx of audiences – its location too. Instead of documentary cinema, the program started focusing on animated productions, and the festival became the first Cypriot event devoted to such productions. The organisers have set themselves the goal of promoting film culture in the region, with films from all over the world shown on large screens and attendees able to participate in workshops, seminars, and meetings with filmmakers.
This year's program featured two Polish animated films – “The Moon” by Tomek Popakul and the award-winning “I'm Here” by Julia Orlik. The protagonist of the acclaimed production is an elderly man who's looking after his paralysed wife. Despite his old age and own health issues, he tries his best to alleviate her suffering, which is getting more severe every day. He is aided by his daughter, who tries to reconcile the care given to her mother with her own work at the hospital and her personal life. Each of them has different views on how the woman should be looked after, which leads to many arguments.
You can read more about the festival here.