CHENNAI: The National Day of Poland is being celebrated in the city with the Polish Film Festival at the South Indian Film Chamber Theatre over the weekend.

The festival was inaugurated by John Prabakar, president, Indo Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Tamil Nadu, at a function presided over by the Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Ryszard Sosinski, on Thursday evening.

Mr. Sosinski pointed out that the Polish constitution, written in 1791, was the second framed in the world after the American one. The cultural life of the country had kept its national identity intact when it was wiped off the map by surrounding powers at the end of that century, he said.

Andrzej Wajda's film

The first film of the festival, The Orchestra Conductor, 1980, directed by Andrzej Wajda and winner of several awards, was also screened.

The films to be screened on Saturday beginning 6.15 p.m. are `Squint Your Eyes', 2002, directed by Andrzej Jakimowski, and `Weiser', 2001, by Wojcjech Marczewski.

The first tells the story of a ten-year-old who runs away from affluent parents to find grudging refuge with a caretaker of an abandoned farm.

The second film is based on a novel by Pawel Huelle in which the main protagonist becomes obsessed with finding the truth about events that he could not understand as a child.

The film to be screened on Sunday at 3.30 p.m. is `The Magnate', 1987, directed by Filip Bajon.

The Polish dynasty between 1900-1935 is the subject it follows. Royal affairs, alliances and the growing involvement of the elder son with Hitler's supporters form its theme.

Embassy

The festival is being organised by Embassy of the Republic of Poland, New Delhi, and Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Tamil Nadu and the Indo-Cine Appreciation Foundation.

Other guests of honour at the inaugural were Devayani, actor, Rajib Hota, Commissioner of Income Tax, Gwynne Seidell, director, and A. Kothandaramaiah, vice president, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce.

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