Kieslowski ScripTeast award goes to Polish writer Jacek P. Blawut

Yesterday in Cannes, the Krzysztof Kieslowski ScripTeast Award for the best Central and Eastern European Script was presented to Polish writer Jacek P. Blawut’s The Day of Chocolate.

Advisory board members making the decision were Sandy Lieberson, Manfred Schmidt, Antonio Saura, Dariusz Jablonski, Tom Abrams and Christian Routh.

In a statement the Board said: “This is a charming story that handles a seemingly difficult subject; how children react to death; with great sensitivity, and a vivid visual imagination. The script presents a bold and unusual family film that is rooted in a central European culture, but has the potential to entertain and enlighten a widespread international audience with its thoughtful approach and delightful characters.”

The award also comes with Euros 10,000.

A special mention went to Czech writer Irena Hejdova’s Memories of My Heart. Of that script, the jury said: “The writer has managed the very difficult task of transforming a complex narrative literary work into an accessible and emotionally powerful film screenplay. She has taken courageous decisions in adapting the format, and the result is a script that promises to hold the audience’s attention from start to finish. She has also managed the considerable feat of making the reader feel that they can connect and identify with the convincing portrayals of the Mongolian characters presented in the exotic landscape of the story.”

Other scripts on the shortlist included White Elephant by Maciej Wszelaki (Poland); The Return by Maciej Pieprzyca (Poland); The Judgment by Stephan Komandarev and Marin Damyanov (Bulgaria); Riders by Janis Vingris (Latvia); Radiogram by Rouzie Hassanova (Bulgaria); Polystyrene by Zuzana Belková (Slovakia); Burned by Hanna Slak (Slovenia); How To Make Friends by Gábor Ferenczi and Can Togay (Hungary); Breaking News by Ana Agopian and Iulia Rugina (Romania); and Aurora by Kristina Buožyte and Bruno Samper (Lithuania).

The scripts were promoted during a one-week session in Cannes, in co-operation with the Producers Network and ACE. Creative Advisors from the programme include Chris Collins, Robert Jones, Joelle Levie, Udayan Prasad, Jason Resnick and Antonio Saura.

ScripTeast is organized by Independent Film Foundation with support from MEDIA Programme, National Centre for Culture in Poland, Polish Film Institute, and Apple Film Production.