Polish director Skolimowski's '11 Minutes' premieres in Venice
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
10.09.2015 08:39
'11 Minutes', a new feature by seasoned Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, had its world premiere on Wednesday night at the International Film Festival in Venice.
From left: Polish cast members Anna Buczek and Agata Buzek, Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski, and Polish cast members Paulina Chapko and Wojciech Mecwaldowski arrive for the premiere of '11 Minut (11 Minutes)'. EPA/ANDREA MEROLA
At a press conference following the film’s presentation to the media, Italian critics praised it as ‘the work of a master’, saying that Polish cinema can stand up to the challenges of the Hollywood film industry.
'11 Minutes' the film is a joint Polish-Irish production. Written by Skolimowski himself, its action focuses on the same eleven minutes in the lives of a host of different characters from various walks of life.
Asked about the film’s message, Skolimowski said that “life is a treasure; the trouble is we realize it only after we lose it.
“So let’s live a full life, as long as we live.”
In spite of the buzz around the film, not all critics were won over.
The Hollywood Reporter dismissed the movie as “an empty feat of technical virtuosity driven by a bleakly obvious vision of the murky morality of the post-9/11 world.”
'11 minutes’ is one of the twenty one features in the race for awards at Venice. The jury verdict is to be announced on Saturday. Among jury members is the Oscar-winning Polish director Paweł Pawlikowski.
In 2010, Skolimowski’s ‘Essential Killing’ received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Festival. (mk/nh)