The special guest of this year's edition of the Festival will be Michaël Dudok de Wit – the Dutch animator, director and illustrator. It will be his first visit to Poland. This is why we are even happier to host him in Kraków.
Michaël Dudok de Wit is one of the most acclaimed animated film directors in the world. He was born in 1953 in the Dutch town of Abcoude. At the age of 25, he graduated from The West Surrey College of Art with his diploma film “The Interview”. 14 years later, he created an animated short “Tom Sweep”, followed by “The Monk and the Fish” (1994) which received an Oscar nomination.
In 2000, Dudok de Wit won an Oscar for the Best Animated Short Film with his “Father and Daughter”. This 8 minute masterpiece is a moving tale of the strenght of a true love. A father says goodbye to his young daughter and leaves. As the wide Dutch landscapes live through their seasons, so the girl lives through hers. She becomes a young woman, starts a family and, in time, gets old. Yet, despite all the changes, there is always a deep longing for her father within her. The film was awarded with BAFTA and Grand Prix at Annecy.
In 2006, Dudok de Wit created “The Aroma of Tea” – an experimental film painted entirely with tea. The main character is a small sphere that travels through the changing landscapes, inevitably heading towards the place of destination. Inspirations of Asian culture – Chinese and Japanese in particular – can be recognized in the artist's work. The use of touche and watercolour, and soft brush strokes are also characteristic of Dudok de Wit's technique.
During 23. IFF we will also screen the Dutchman's first full-lenght animation – “The Red Turtle”, co-created with the Japanese Studio Ghibli. The film premiered at this year's edition of Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded in the Un Certain Regard section. The animation depicts the life of a castaway on a deserted tropical island. The man tries to escape the trap, but his efforts are thwarted by a mysterious turtle. The Japanese producers guaranteed the Dutch filmmaker's total artistic freedom. Before entering the studio, he had spent some time in the Seychelles to sink into the atmosphere of this archetypical tale. Once again, the longing – the key motive of his works – became the central element of the film.
We also invite you to the screening of the documentary “The Longing of Michaël Dudok de Wit” which shows the animators’ crew working under Dudok de Wit's direction on “The Red Turtle”. This making-of reveals the filmmaking process as well as craft and perfection of its author, one of the greaters masters of contemporary animation.
Self-Portraits of Animation Authors I – Michaël Dudok de Wit
Screenings of the films:
The Red Turtle
Tom Sweep
Father and Daughter
The Aroma of Tea
25th November (Friday), 5:00 PM
Kijów Centrum – Main Room
The Longing of Michaël Dudok de Wit
25th November (Friday), 3:00 PM
Kijów Centrum – Studio Room
