The challenge is on: the industry sidebar of Poland’s American Film Festival, U.S. in Progress, is ready to top its “exceptionally successful” 2023 edition in November.
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“U.S. in Progress alumni are taking festivals by storm,” says AFF’s artistic director Ula Śniegowska.
Presented as works-in-progress, India Donaldson’s “Good One” – awarded at the event last year – went on to premiere at Sundance and Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May. Tyler Taormina’s “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” was also shown at the French fest, described by Variety ’s Jessica Kiang as “a sweet, nostalgic love letter to suburban holiday-season rituals.”
“We Strangers” by Anu Vaila and Cutter Hodierne’s “Cold Wallet” screened at SXSW, and “Familiar Touch” was shown in Venice. Monica Sorelle’s “Mountains” and Shane Atkinson’s “LaRoy, Texas” were selected for Tribeca, Georden West’s “Playland” for IFFR, while “Falling Stars,” directed by Richard Karpala and Gabriel Bienczycki, and Lucy Kerr’s “Family Portrait” seduced Locarno programmers.
Despite a good track record, or maybe because of it, Śniegowska isn’t planning to switch things up anytime soon.
“It’s the exact opposite. We’ll continue focusing on what already works, only more intensely: on matchmaking Polish post-production companies with U.S. producers,” she notes.
“My goal is for U.S. in Progress to work as a co-production hub for Polish-American projects. A place where people go to learn everything they need to know in order to work with Poland, get Polish funds, meet Polish producers and find Polish locations. And best deals!”
Needless to say, Polish participants are welcome as well. During past editions, actor Lena Góra opened up about making “Roving Woman,” featuring John Hawkes, which she co-wrote, while producer Ewa Puszczyńska (“Cold War,” “The Zone of Interest”) discussed recent U.S. collabs, such as Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain.” As reported by Variety , Eisenberg applied for Polish citizenship.
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“[Independent] U.S. films, even with great premieres at Sundance, SXSW and Tribeca, have been having trouble making an impact overseas, which really hurts their financials. It has been a major focus for us at Vanishing Angle to really build audiences all over the world and U.S. in Progress helps bridge that gap for filmmakers,” adds Benjamin Wiessner, who produced “Cold Wallet.” “The difference is impactful for the films they select, but that can really echo to make their second and third features that much more possible with that international support.”
The experience they get in Poland can translate to “long-lasting bonds extending well beyond the program from Cannes to Los Angeles to Warsaw,” he notes, which brings new films and collaborations to life.
“I’ve met life-long friends through the program, including many people I have worked with on new films. There will be many more in the future.”
Every year, U.S. in Progress partners provide post-production service packages worth up to $10,000 each, from “leading Polish sound and image studios” Black Photon, Di Factory, EarWorks & Sound Travel, Fixafilm, Orka Studio, Platige Image and Soundflower Studio to XANF and Wroclaw Film Studio.
Despite recent changes in the Polish Film Institute, following the firing of previous head Radosław Śmigulski and appointment of Karolina Rozwód, the institution will still provide $50,000 to cover postproduction in one of the partner companies.
“The institute just announced nominations for their annual awards and we are proud to say that U.S. in Progress is nominated in the ‘international film promotion’ category. We are just hoping there will be more funds for production incentives to make it worthwhile for Americans to work with Poland on their projects,” notes Śniegowska.
“Our country offers great crews and talent, and the most cutting-edge technologies. I’d love to make it easier for U.S. producers to choose Poland over Hungary or Czech Republic.”
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