Hellena Raina got the rights of festivals in “King Matt First”, the new documentary of the Polish director Jaśmina wójcik (“Symphony of the Ursus Factory”, 2018). The film is scheduled to display the first international show in the international competition at the 32nd Hot Docs Festival, which will be held from April 24 to May 4.
The film focuses on Zoja and Lea sisters, whose world fills with games, discoveries and joint talks, as well as their daily quarrels and disputes. Initially, it seems that the girls, who carry an amazing similarity with each other, shared in an extraordinary bond of brotherhood.
However, over time, the older sister, a husband, begins to grow away from Lea. She loses her interest in playing in the sand or swimming in the river, retreating to the world of books and spending more time with her peers instead of her sister.
Despite their differences, both girls participate in a deep fear of crossing the threshold to adulthood, which are considered a source of danger. They notice how adults seem indifferent to destroying their world, ignoring environmental disasters and feeding war conflicts.
Inspired by the novel Janusz Korczak (the name of the pen of Henrik Goldsmit) of the same name, “King Matt First” calls on the audience to a world that is not full of cooperation and extreme hierarchical restrictions, “according to a statement.
“This film represents a culmination of my custodian as a mother, artist, director, teacher and man,” says wójcik. “It is a personal voice that calls for childhood preservation, recognition of the essence of humanity in children, their confidence, and their openness and needs-with the preservation of the framework and safety of the process in 2020 (2023).
“I was immediately attracted to the magic world of Zoja and Lea, and the unique and fresh angle offered by the film in our time dominated by various geopolitical tensions and crises,” Andy Norton, head of the festival distribution in Raina, and INKA Achté, commented.
“King Matt The First The First” will also display as part of the Polish competition at the Millennium Docs Festival against Gravity Film. The national film will be represented. The 22nd edition of MDAG will take place from May 9 to 18 in cinemas and May 20-2 June (online).
“King Matt The First The First” is produced by Marta Dużbabel and Agnieszka Rostropowicz for Pinot movies in Poland, with joint production by Fixafilm, the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Jaśmina Wójcik and Jakub Wróblewski. It was funded by the Polish Film Institute. Helsinki’s Raina bears festivals distribution rights.
