Graphic design and animation highlights from Kinoteka

Last year, we caught up with Polish poster designer Tomasz Opasinski about his creations for the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival; which proved that the off-kilter, surreal and intriguing Polish design aesthetic is very much alive and well.

Henryk Tomaszewski, Citizen Kane.
Henryk Tomaszewski, Citizen Kane.

For the 2014 incarnation of the festival, Kinoteka has drafted in Opasinski once more, this time to create a new identity based around one of this year’s highlights – a screening and events retrospective celebrating the work of illustrator, animator and director Walerian Borowczyk.

Walerian Borowczyk - New Horizons retrospective - Non restored images, A Private Collection
Walerian Borowczyk – New Horizons retrospective – Non restored images, A Private Collection

Kwilcz-born Borowczyk died in 2006, having made a name for himself as a leading Polish film director (though throughout most of his career he was based in Paris). Having started out studying painting at the Academy of Finer Arts in Krakow, he went on to work in lithography, creating movie posers; animation and later live-action films, including pornography.

Walerian Borowczyk - New Horizons retrospective - Non restored images, Goto,Island of Love
Walerian Borowczyk – New Horizons retrospective – Non restored images, Goto,Island of Love

The ICA’s Fox Reading Room will be holding a display of Borowczyk’s works on paper and wooden sound sculptures from next month (more information here), as well as screening his animations, including his 1964 animation Les Jeux des Anges for its exhibition Walerian Borowczyk: The Listening Eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQC2p_N35QA

More celebrations of the director will be held at the BFI Southbank, with the Cinema of Desire: The Films of Walerian Borowczyk screening and events retrospective throughout May.

Walerian Borowczyk - New Horizons retrospective - Non restored images, Dom (House)
Walerian Borowczyk – New Horizons retrospective – Non restored images, Dom (House)

The BFI will also host a poster design masterclass by Opasinski aimed at young graphic designers and illustrators.

Walerian Borowczyk - New Horizons retrospective - Non restored images, Astronauci  (The Astronauts)
Walerian Borowczyk – New Horizons retrospective – Non restored images, Astronauci (The Astronauts)

Some beautiful Polish film posters by Henryk Tomaszewski will be on show at west London’s Riverside Studios until 3 May, including this design for Odd Man Out:

Henryk Tomaszewski, Odd Man Out.
Henryk Tomaszewski, Odd Man Out.

As befits the celebration of Borowczyk’s work, the Barbican will be running the Sex in the Polish Socialist Republic programme of sex and intimacy-themed Polish animation shorts from the Communist period during the London International Animation Festival.

From Sex in the Polish Socialist Republic programme
From Sex in the Polish Socialist Republic programme

Kinoteka Polish Film Festival runs from 24 April – 30 May at various UK-wide venues. For more information visit www.kinoteka.org.uk

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