Warsaw Film School

„My Old Gals” at the next Oscar-qualifying festival!

// 2023-08-25

Wow, what news! "My Old Gals" are returning overseas for yet another Oscar-qualifying festival! The film directed by Natasza Parzymies, with cinematography by Ignacy Kiełczewski went to the selection Out On Film in Atlanta!

Still from the film „My Old Gals”. Cinematographer: Ignacy Kiełczewski

Out On Film: Atlanta's LGBTQ+ Film Festival is a celebration of LGBTQ+ history and artists, presenting full-length feature films, documentaries and short films. The mission of the festival is the high quality and variety of content displayed to viewers, as well as ensuring representation of all members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Our production is a story about love between two mature women, Ania and Zofia, told with extraordinary tenderness. After the premiere, they were hailed as Polish Thelma and Louise. The heroines meet after years and embark on a journey together to give a chance to the feelings that has never died out between them. The main roles were played by the legends of Polish cinema, Dorota Pomykała and Dorota Stalińska.

Stills from the film „My Old Gals”. Cinematographer: Ignacy Kiełczewski

The director of the film, Natasza Parzymies, is our graduate and lecturer. While still a student, she created the record-breaking web series „Control”. The stormy lovestory of two girls was watched by almost 70 million viewers around the world. The production went under the wing of the media giant Warner Bros. Discovery and has 4 seasons in total.

The cinematographer of the film is our graduate, Ignacy Kiełczewski, for whom „My Old Gals” is a graduation diploma. The story of Ania and Zofia, together with Natasza, was created by another graduate of our School, Alicja Sokół, also co-author of the script for the last season of „Control”, winner of the Grand Prix of the Gdynia Film Festival for the short film „My Brother a Fisherman”. The film's music was composed by the popular artist Ralph Kaminski.

Stills from the film „My Old Gals”. Cinematographer: Ignacy Kiełczewski

„My Old Gals” will be screened live on the "Girl Power" block on September 25 at 4:05 PM (CEST) at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. The short will also be available online from September 25, from 12:00 AM (CEST) to October 8, 11:59 PM.

A little earlier you'll be able to watch it Poland at the most important film event in the country, Gdynia Film Festival.

We’re excited to partner with Out On Film for the screening of „My Old Gals”. Join us for one of the biggest LGBTQ+ Film events of the year at OutOnFilm.org.

Congrats to our talented film crew! We are keeping our fingers crossed for you!

Below you will find the logline and the list of the film crew of the short.

Poster by Kaśka Czapska

MY OLD GALS

After 50 years, Zofia and Ania are deciding to go on their last journey together to fight for their old love.

CAST: Dorota Pomykała, Dorota Stalińska, Marta Masza Wągrocka, Barbara Jonak, Bartek Nowosielski

DIRECTOR: Natasza Parzymies SCRIPT: Natasza Parzymies, Alicja Sokół DOP: Ignacy Kiełczewski EDITING: Weronika Bystrowska SOUND: Filip Szawernowski MUSIC: Ralph Kaminski PRODUCTION MANAGER: Karolina Barska ARTISTIC SUPERVISION: Barbara Pawłowska, Maciej Ślesicki PRODUCER: Maciej Ślesicki PRODUCTION: Warsaw Film School

Natasza Parzymies – She is 23 years old. She is the Warsaw Film School's graduate. She became famous for the series „Control” about the stormy relationship of two girls, which she created, wrote and directed while not yet in college. The first season was watched over 60 million times around the world, and Natasza received, among others, nomination for O!Lśnienia of Onet 2021 in the „Series” category. The new seasons of „Control” were produced by Player (TVN), where all 4 seasons of the series are now available. Thanks to the worldwide popularity, „Control” became the first Polish production to join the Discovery+ platform library, and in 2022 Natasza was the first Polish woman to be included in the prestigious „Power of young Hollywood 2022” list of the American magazine Variety. Natasza is also the creator, director and co-writer of the mini-series „Random" (produced by Storytel), which is the first Polish series combining a radio drama and a film, starring Julia Wieniawa and Maciej Musiałowski. The project received two golden EFFIE statuettes.

Photo by Krystian Pakieła

Ignacy Kiełczewski – 24-year-old cinematographer. Since childhood, he had two great passions: traveling and sport. As he says about himself, he is a child raised on sets who fell in love with making films. In the years 2011 – 2017, he made dozens of trips by his BMX all over Poland, Europe and Asia, creating memories with a camera or video camera – this is how he gained his first experience. In 2016, his friend decided to become a stedicam operator, and Ignacy assisted him on hundreds of film sets for 3 years. Soon he decided to study cinematography himself and enrolled at the Warsaw Film School, which provided him with the necessary knowledge.

Photo by Krystian Pakieła

Films by students of the Warsaw Film School are co-financed by the Polish Film Institute

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