Polish director Pawlikowski wins Cannes prize for 'Fatherland'

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 05:32 · Archive

Director Paweł Pawlikowski's 82-minute film 'Fatherland' won best director at Cannes in May and opens in select cinemas Friday.

Polish filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski has won best director at Cannes for his latest film, 'Fatherland'. The 82-minute film opens in select theatres on Friday through Mubi. It stars Hanns Zischler as German novelist Thomas Mann and Sandra Hüller as his daughter Erika, who take a road trip through the ruins of post-war Germany.

Pawlikowski, 69, has built a career on concision that now seems radical in an era of three-hour films. His last three films—'Ida', 'Cold War' and 'Fatherland'—are all 90 minutes or less, each shot in black and white in a boxy academy ratio. 'You try to distill it, distill it, distill it,' he says of his approach. He describes what he does as 'provocative to be so stripped down'.

'Ida' (2013), about a Polish woman who discovers she is Jewish as she prepares to become a nun, won the Academy Award for best international film. 'Cold War' (2018), about a doomed romance in post-war Poland, won him best director at Cannes and an Oscar nomination for best director.

How it is being reported

• Paweł Pawlikowski, master of the 90-minute movie, returns with 'Fatherland'Storytelling economy can be in short supply at the movies.Clickorlando · 22 Oct, 05:01
• Paweł Pawlikowski, master of the 90-minute movie, returns with 'Fatherland'Storytelling economy can be in short supply at the movies.News4Jax · 22 Oct, 05:01

In this story: Paweł Pawlikowski · Hanns Zischler · Sandra Hüller · Thomas Mann · Poland · Germany · Cannes Film Festival · Mubi

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