Christmas comes early for filmmaker Piekacz

As 2016 comes to a close and the world winds down for another festive period, one person who is going out with a bang is LFS filmmaker Elzbieta Piekacz. Inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky’s STALKER, Piekacz’s AND YOU SLEEP, a story about love and the search for the meaning of life, was was officially selected at the International Festival of the Film Schools in Tetouan in November.  This came after being screened at the Global Short Film Awards and Second Asia International Youth Short-Film Festival Exhibition.

During the 14th International Short & Independent Film Festival, being held between 3rd and 10th December, Piekacz will also have her Da Vinci inspired 2nd term film EMBRACE shown to audiences in South Asia. The protagonist is a 40-year old woman called Marianna, whose life feels somewhat akin to being stuck in a cave, until the sound of a bird song signals spring and resurrection.

Photo Credit: Vasilka Avramovska

Written, directed, edited and produced by Piekacz, EMBRACE’s screening at the International Short & Independent Film Festival follows on from it’s appearance at the Greenwich International Film Festival, the 10th River Film Festival and the SE10 Film Festival. Earlier this year, Piekacz had the script for her graduation film BLANKETS OF LOVE selected at the Milano Film Festival, where it received a special mention from the jury.

Written by Ben Corbett

Photo Credit: Justin Spray