The Documentary Academy has two goals: we want to promote documentary cinema among people of different ages who come from different circles. We encourage them to “free their minds” too, also outside the cinema. This year, just as in the previous ones, we have prepared a number of events, which will teach various generations to be curious. Look and act!
Students, teachers and parents
Students of primary schools will have a chance to see the best documentaries for children in the OKI DOKI section. This year we have prepared a block about friendship in which, among others, you will see the film „Rocknrollers” directed by Daan Bol, the winner of the main award for the Best Children’s Documentary at the IDFA festival in Amsterdam. The second block “Act” encourages children to engage and take matters in their own hands. As a part of it, we are presenting a film under a mysterious title “A Cow in a Wrong Body” directed by Denise Janzée. The films will also be screened during two festival weekends. Children are welcome to come to the screenings as well as the meetings with their parents. During the last screening the“I Make Docs” film workshops will be held. The children will have a chance to become real filmmakers under the watchful eye of the girls from Film Association Dziki Bez (Elder Film Association).
Students of junior high schools will watch the film „Breaking a Monster” directed by Luke Meyer. It is about a group of 12 year-olds who set up a heavy-metal band. After the film, we will talk about passion and values, which are a result of choosing your own paths. Nergal, the leader of the Behemoth band will be a special guest at the meeting. The secondary school students, on the other hand, will watch the film “Free Speech Fear Free” directed by Tarquin Ramsay will try to answer the questions what freedom of speech means today and if all voices are heard. After the film, the students will learn the bases of rhetoric and the principles of proper debating. They will also practice choosing right arguments and composing convincing statements.
Documentaries answer questions which teachers face at school. This year, after the screening of “Normal Autistic Film” directed by Miroslav Janek, together with an expert from the SWPS University, we will talk about supporting students with Asparger’s syndrome. In early afternoons, mothers and fathers will be able to watch films together with their babies at special screening with turned down volume and dimmed light.
Intergenerational activities
Can teenagers and seniors have similar taste for films? They certainly can or at least they can have constructive discussions on documentary films. This year, just as last year, the Intergenerational Award of the Documentary Academy will be given. The idea of intergenerationality has inspired us for several editions of the festival. Therefore, seniors are especially welcome and they can purchase tickets at a special price. Together with the “Generations Archipelago” programme by Towarzystwo Inicjatyw Twórczych „ę”, we have prepared a debate about the film “Monster in the Mind” directed by Jean Carper about issues connected with Alzheimer’s disease. Seniors are also encouraged to come to the special screening of the film “Doing Good” directed by Margaret Olin as well as a meeting concerning holistic medicine.
Workshops and meeting in Plac Defilad
This year we will also “free our minds” in Plac Defilad and Bar studio, where workshops and meetings which accompany film screening will be held. The film section Doc Dance will be opened by the workshop „Space in the body, the body in space” during which we will work with our body awareness, imagination, anatomy and the “sixth sense”, proprioception (the deep sense.
After the screening of “Seed: The Untold Story” directed by Taggart Siegel and Jon Betz, on the other hand, there will be a workshop during which you will learn about seeds as well as old Polish varieties of plants. We will also talk about species biodiversity of crop plants. We will also dig in soil together.
The protagonists of the film “To Stay Alive – A Method”, directed by Erik Lieshout, Arno Hagers and Reinier van Brummelen have inspired us to organise a poetry slam during which we will read and write the saddest poems in the world. This is the best method for situations when you have almost given up. On Sunday mornings, viewers will have a chance to talk to Festival guests in Bar Studio, during breakfasts eaten at the longest table in Warsaw.
Cycles
During the Festival the final of the very popular cycle “Filmotherapy With Sens” willbe held. Together with our partners, the Sens magazine and SWPS University we have prepared a meeting focused on the film “Every Other Couple directed by Mia Halme. Psychologists have composed a list of the most stressful situations in people’s lives. They are: death of a spouse – 100%, divorce – 73%, martial separation – 65%. After the screening we will discuss if a split-up is the end of the world or a beginning of a new one.
Schedule of Documentary Academy events during the 14th Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival:
Weekend screenings of documentaries for children:
13th May, Saturday
11.00 AM screenings of films from the block: “Act!” for children of 7-12 y.o. (“Jesser and the Sugarcane”, “Pien Queen of the Bees”, “A Cow in a Wrong Body” ) + a discussion on how to take matters in your own hands / Iluzjon Cinema
14th May, Sunday
11.00 AM screenings of films from the block: “Friendship” for children of 10-13 y.o. (“Rocknrollers”, “The World of Kim & Bob”) + a meeting on the importance of friendship / Iluzjon Cinema
20th May, Saturday
11.00 AM screenings of films from the block: “Act!” for children of 7-12 y.o. (“Jesser and the Sugarcane”, “Pien Queen of the Bees”, “A Cow in a Wrong Body” ) + and a discussion on how to take matters in your own hands / Iluzjon Cinema
21th May, Sunday
11.00 AM screenings of films from the block: “Friendship” for children of 10-13 y.o. (“Rocknrollers”, “The World of Kim & Bob”) + a film workshop for children (how to make docs) / Iluzjon Cinema
On weekdays there will be morning screenings for primary school as well as junior high school students accompanied by their teachers. Bookings for classes at: akademia@againstgravity.pl
15th May, Monday
4.00 PM Screening for teachers “Normal Autistic Film” + workshop: “How to support students with Asparger’s syndrome?” / Iluzjon Cinema
16th May, Tueday
10.00 Primary schools: classes 1-6 | Screening of films from the block: “Act!” (“Jesser and the Sugarcane”, “Pien Queen of the Bees”, “A Cow in a Wrong Body” ) + a discussion on how to take matters in your own hands / Iluzjon Cinema
12.30 senior high schools/Screening of “Free Speech Fear Free” + workshop: “Become a TED speaker! How to use freedom of speech in today’s world”/Iluzjon Cinema
17th May, Wednesday
10.00 Primary schools: classes 1-6 | Screening of films from the block: “Friendship” (“Rocknrollers”, “The World of Kim & Bob”) + discussion on the importance of friendship / Iluzjon Cinema
12.30 Junior high schools / Screening of “Breaking a Monster” + meeting: “Rebellion. How to choose your own path”, special guest: Adam Nergal Darski / Iluzjon Cinema
Documentary Academy for seniors:
18th May, Thursday
1.00 PM Screening of “Doing Good” + meeting: “Energy in the body” /Luna Cinema
20th May, Saturday
4.00 PM “Monster in the Mind” + debate: “Taming Alzheimer”/Iluzjon Cinema
Intergenerational academy (for teenagers and adults):
20th May, Saturday
1.00 PM Screening of “Seed. The Untold Story” and workshop “Seeds of Yesteryear”/Kinoteka
