From ROCNow: Festival celebrates Polish cinema

The Polish Film Festival, organized by the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies at the University of Rochester, kicks off with a screening of Too Soon to Die (a 2007 film by director Dorota Kedzierzawska) at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Little Theatre, 240 East Ave.Before Twilight (2008) will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday. The schedule of Polish-language films includes six features, selected documentaries and a collection of shorts. The festival runs through Nov. 18. Tickets are $8 ($5 for seniors and students). Call (585) 275-9898 or go to .

Friday, Nov. 13th

Polish Film Festival Grand Opening: The program features a panel discussion —New Trends in Polish Cinema and the American Connection.— Guests include Malgorzata Szum, counselor, culture and public relations attaché, Embassy of the Republic of Poland; film director Jacek Blawut and his crew; movie star Malgorzata Kozuchowska; and Sheila Skaff, Polish Cultural Institute, New York City. There will be hors d’oeuvres and wine. 7 p.m. Nov. 13. Rochester Academy of Medicine, 1441 East Ave. (585) 275-9898.

Saturday, Nov. 14

Before Twilight: (2008, 100 min. Director: Jacek Bawut). A heartwarming tale follows the residents of the Retirement Home for Actors as they are awakened by the vitality and enthusiasm of actor and elderly gallant Jerzy (Jan Nowicki) and his ambitious plan to stage Goethe’s Faust. Also showing is The Actors, a 28-minute documentary about the legends of Polish film caught during the filming of Before Twilight. A question-and-answer session moderated by Sheila Skaff of the Polish Cultural Institute follows the screening. The Little. 7 p.m. Nov. 14.

Too Soon to Die: (2007, 110 min., Director: Dorota Kedzierzawska). A solitary old woman, full of life and spirit, lives with her dog in her large house. She passes her days conversing with the dog, Philadelphia, while observing the world through her windows. Unfortunately, her neighbors are interested in buying her property to build apartments, and her son is willing to take advantage of the opportunity. The Little. 3 p.m. Nov. 14.

Sunday, Nov. 15

Drowsiness: (2008, 105 min. Director: Magdalena Piekorz). Through a combination of coincidences, three people suffering from insomnia meet and life gives them a chance to escape their lethargy. Also showing,Mother (2009, 15 min. Documentary). An examination of visitors to one of Poland’s prisons. Husbands, fathers and sons are on one side, and on the other side are their children, wives and mothers. Drowsiness star Malorzata Kozuchowska will answer questions following the screening. Reception in the Little Café. The Little. 7 p.m. Nov. 15.

Preserve: (2007, 115 min. Director: Lukasz Palkowski). After a stormy breakup, freelance photographer Marcin must leave his girlfriend’s luxurious apartment in Warsaw. He moves to a dilapidated old building in Praga where his new landlord hires him to document the state of the structure. Also showing, Woman Wanted (2009, 15 min. Documentary, Director: Michal Marczak). Portrays people who search for love. Presented by the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies at the University of Rochester. 3 p.m. Nov. 15.

Monday, Nov. 16

Tomorrow We Are Going to the Movies: (2007, 100 min. Director: Michal Kwiecinski). Three Warsaw high school graduates from the class of 1938 dream of their magnificent futures. They are intelligent, handsome and optimistic. We see a glimpse of their lives on the brink of maturity, until the war begins. Discussion with Polish World War II veterans about their memories of Sept. 1, 1939, follows the screening. The Little. 7 p.m. Nov. 16.

Tuesday, Nov. 17

Four Short Theme Films: The Loneliness of a Short-Order Cook (2008, 24 min. Director: Marcel Sawicki). Upon arrival in Los Angeles, a young Japanese man learns that the firm he was supposed to work for has been closed. My New Life (2009, 30 min. Director: Barbara Bialowas). A couple in their thirties are trying to fulfill their dreams and aspirations.What the Doctors Say (2009, 24 min. Director: Michal Wnuk). An accident victim is a perfect organ donor for a patient who has been waiting for a liver transplant. However, the doctor who is about to declare the victim brain dead has to confront her mother first. And Anna’s Little Lies (Director: Krzysztof Bizio). A woman rediscovers the meaning of her life after a night of drinking lands her in the detoxification center. The Little. 7 p.m. Nov. 17.

Wednesday, Nov. 18

Gods Little Village: (2009, 110 min. Director: Jacek Bromski). In this comedy about Kings Bridge, the village’s bucolic, leisurely lifestyle is threatened by the upcoming mayoral elections. Also showing, The Glass Trap (2008, 15 min. documentary, Director: Pawel Ferdek). A group of Warsaw’s tough guys organizes a new entertainment: aggressive aquarium fish-fights. A closing reception will follow in the Little Café. The Little. 7 p.m. Nov. 18.