It’s time for the second edition of the Filmatura Literary Film Festival – this time dedicated to late director Wojciech Jerzy Has, who was behind such cult classics as The Saragossa Manuscript and The Hourglass Sanatorium. “Has used to draw on works by a wide variety of authors, but he always chose texts that gave him the opportunity to introduce his own cinematic language,” stated the organisers. The event, combining film and literature, takes place from 29 September-5 October in Warsaw.

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Cineuropa: What makes this festival unique, in your view?
Agnieszka Rostropowicz: Its uniqueness lies primarily in the fact that it combines two worlds – film and literature – in a profound and thoughtful way. We focus on literary adaptations and artistic dialogue between creators from these two fields. Also, this second edition is taking place in the actual year of Wojciech Jerzy Has: it’s the 100th anniversary of the birth and 25th anniversary of the death of one of the most outstanding Polish directors. It focuses entirely on his work, which largely grew out of literature [his best-known films, The Saragossa Manuscript and The Hourglass Sanatorium, were based on novels by Jan Potocki and Bruno Schulz, respectively.]

This is a chance to see a complete collection of his features, as well as unknown short films, documentaries and works by his students. The festival, with its discussions, panels and workshops, won’t be only a place for screenings, but also a place for meetings, conversations and the exchange of ideas.

Could it also be interesting for foreigners? There are many famous fans of Has’s work – Martin Scorsese being one of them.
Definitely. Has is an internationally acclaimed artist – his films have been shown at prestigious festivals, and Martin Scorsese has repeatedly emphasised how impressed he was by The Saragossa Manuscript and The Hourglass Sanatorium [in an interview with The Guardian, Scorsese said the films “astonished” him]. 

This year, many institutions are promoting knowledge about Has abroad. Our screenings are prepared with an international audience in mind – they will have English subtitles, allowing foreign viewers to fully participate in the festival. For many, this might be the first opportunity to see his movies on the big screen, and with such a wide selection.

What else can they expect?
We will show all 14 of his feature films, 13 of which were based on literature. There will be discussions with film experts, literary scholars and his collaborators, as well as a panel called “The Alternative History of Cinematography, or Unrealised Films of Has”. We will show his students’ short films and invite young people to participate in workshops organised with the help of The Wajda Film Centre. The whole event will be full of accompanying events: performative readings of Has’s screenplays and jazz concerts featuring music from his films. It will be a real celebration of cinema and literature.

Film Foundation What’s Your Story? is behind this entire initiative. What are your plans for the future?
The foundation was established to build bridges between different fields of art and to create a space for conversation about culture. Filmatura is our flagship event, but we are also planning a series of meetings and workshops for young artists – called miniFilmatura – to develop their skills and help them build their own artistic language. We are beneficiaries of a grant, thanks to which we are expanding Poland’s first platform connecting screenwriters: ScriptArt. We would like to devote future editions of the festival to different directors and writers, as well as to the phenomena at the intersection of literature and film. That includes foreign artists, in order to broaden the perspective of the Polish audience.

What’s currently missing in Poland in terms of festivals or film events in general? And what kind of audience are you hoping to attract?
We have many wonderful festivals, but there’s often a lack of space for longer, in-depth reflection and discussion about how film and literature inspire each other. We are trying to create an event that not only shows films, but also invites conversation: about adaptations, film language and about how literature lives on in cinema. We want an open-minded, curious audience, ready for new discoveries – both experienced film buffs, and young viewers who are just beginning their adventure with ambitious cinema and literature.