The documentary “My Sister,” directed by Mariusz Rusiński and produced at the Munk Studio of the Polish Filmmakers Association (SFP), has been awarded the Best Documentary for Young Audience at the International Documentary Film Festival IDFA in Amsterdam.
IDFA is the largest and most important documentary film festival in the world, held annually in Amsterdam since 1988. The event showcases around 300 documentary films in various sections, accompanied by panel discussions, workshops, and documentary markets. Films presented at IDFA attract the attention of programmers and sales agents from around the world, and the festival awards provide an opportunity to vie for Oscar nominations.
“My Sister” is a deeply personal story for Mariusz Rusiński. The film’s protagonist is Zuzia, a sensitive and artistically gifted teenager struggling with drug addiction. Privately, she is the sister of the director, who attempts to understand what happened in the family’s life that led Zuzia to addiction.
The festival jury in Amsterdam recognized and appreciated “My Sister” for its “universal story of love and disappointments, told with excellent camera work that humorously connects the perspectives of individual characters.”
Mariusz Rusiński’s film had its European premiere at IDFA. Prior to that, it was featured in the Polish Competition at the 63rd Krakow Film Festival and at the FIDBA festival in Buenos Aires. In December, the audience will have the opportunity to watch it at the TRT International Documentary Awards in Istanbul.
“My Sister” was produced at the Munk Studio of the Polish Filmmakers Association as part of the First Documentary program, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and aimed at young creators. The executive production of the film was handled by Production 316, with MX35 as the film’s co-producer.
