About the film

The film by Piotr Bernaś presents a behind-the-scenes look at a much derided profession. “Paparazzi” is the first Polish film to explore this topic. Bernaś looks at some of the most significant media incidents in Poland in 2010 from the point of view of the paparazzi, Przemysław Stoppa - from the hunt for Roman Polanski to the Smoleńsk Disaster. However, in the foreground we see the dramatic story of a man who makes controversial choices on a daily basis, and who consequently pays a heavy emotional, personal and ethical price. The main protagonist appears to be as ruthless towards himself as the world in which he hunts. “Paparazzi” is a film about a world in which values are confused and rules are flexible – but it shows that there is always a second chance, where we can make our minds up about what kind of people we will be tomorrow. “Paparazzi” is nominated for the award European Film Academy Short Film 2011. The jury statement reads: “The Polish film, “Paparazzi”, follows the work of a professional doing the dirty job of tabloid press photographer and at the same time deals with the soul of a man facing both the cruel and contemporary reality of history and the minor facts of life. After this film there is a good chance that Polanski will allow the photographer to take his picture’.The film was produced within the frame of Documentary Programme held by Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing (currently Wajda Studio).

Wybrane nagrody i festiwale /Selected festivals and awards: 2011 - IDFA/ International Documentary FestivalAmsterdam, 2011 - MFF Kraków, Nagroda EFA dla Najlepszego Filmu Europejskiego/Cracow IFF, EFA for the Best European Film, 2011 - MFF Ryga, Nagroda w Międzynarodowym Konkursie Filmów Krótkometrażowych/ Riga MFF, Best Short Documentary Film, 2011 - MFF Zagrzeb, Specjalne Wyróżnienie/ZagrebDox IFF, Special Mention, 2011 - FF Camerimage, Grand Prix „Złota Żaba” w Konkursie Krótkometrażowych Filmów Dokumentalnych/ Plus Camerimage IFF, “Golden Frog” in Short Documentary Films Competition