On May 22-26, Krakow’s concert halls will be filled with the most beautiful music created for films, TV series and video games. The festival program organized by the City of Kraków, KBF and RMF Classic includes both the hottest titles of recent seasons and unforgettable classics. The finale of the eventful week will be a concert “Disney. The Lion King – film with live music” at TAURON Arena Kraków. By special order of the FMF, the full soundtrack from the 1994 animation will be played in Europe for the first time.
A particularly solemn moment of this year’s FMF will be the Traces of Memory concert, the program of which refers to the 30th anniversary of the Polish premiere “Schindler’s List” – Steven Spielberg’s masterpieces with Oscar-winning music by John Williams. We will also hear songs by Krzysztof Penderecki, Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz and the cult band Kroke, which has been exploring various sounds for thirty years, especially the klezmer tradition. Part of the concert will be dedicated to Oscar winner Elliot Goldenthal, who will visit FMF to celebrate his 70th birthday. The event scheduled for May 22 is organized together with the Krakow Philharmonic, whose musicians guarantee excellent performance, and with the US Consulate in Krakow, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
“‘Schindler’s List’, shot in Krakow and awarded with seven Oscars and three Golden Globes, is one of the most moving films dealing with the subject of the extermination of the Jews. John Williams’s soundtrack, filled with motifs from klezmer music, is also one of the most beautiful in the history of cinema. The solo parts will be performed by Agata Szymczewska – one of the most important Polish violinists. On the same evening, we will also hear Elliot Goldenthal’s Third Symphony. The work refers to the era of martial law, when the communist dictatorship tried to stop the democratization process. These are just two of the songs that will make up a concert that is musically expressive and at the same time carries a pacifist message.” – says FMF artistic director Robert Piaskowski.
On May 23, FMF invites you to the ICE Kraków Congress Center for an event “International Gala: Individuals”. This is a unique opportunity to better learn about the works of original composers of the middle generation. Daniel Pemberton, Martin Phipps, Rob Simonsen and Anthony Willis are already highly respected in the industry and nominated for prestigious awards. It’s high time for the Polish audience to be delighted with their music, performed perfectly by Sinfonietta Cracovia. We will hear a monumental flute play “Whale” Darren Aronofsky, disturbing themes from “Saltburn” and “Promising. Young. Women”royal sounds from the award-winning music industry “Napoleon” Ridley Scott, as well as a touching song from “The trial of the Chicago Seven”. Dynamic music full of electronic effects will provide great emotions “Spider-Man: Through the Multiverse”.
And what is the status of local creators of music for films, series and games? The most interesting recently published titles are clear proof of craftsmanship and imagination. The event will be an opportunity to find out about it “Polish Gala: Modern Roots”scheduled for May 25.
“One of the most important trends today is the search for inspiration in Slavic folk music. That’s why the program included a suite from the film ‘Chłopi’, which took cinema halls by storm, encouraging us to rediscover our tradition. The soundtrack had a huge share in this success, appreciated by the jurors of such awards as Orły, O!Lśnienia and MocArty. The captivating music perfectly matches the carefully painted scenes from the film” – says the music director of RMF Classic, Magdalena Wojewoda-Mleczko.
The concert program will also include a mesmerizing composition from the game Blacktail, for which Arkadiusz Reikowski received the Digital Dragons award, and Paweł Lucewicz’s poetic soundtrack to the new version “Quack”, which conquered the Netflix platform. The ICE Kraków stage will feature, among others, the female trio SVAHY and the Polish-Ukrainian group Zazula. Suite from “Peasants” will be performed by Łukasz “LUC” Rostkowski, Rebel Babel Film Orchestra and the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra.
The diverse festival program also includes electronic music. On May 22, Kebu, a Finnish composer and performer known for his precision in creating complex soundscapes, will perform at the Kwadrat Club. During the concert, Synthesizer Legends will present their own songs and gems of the 80s, including themes from “TopGun”, “Terminator” and “Blade Runner”. Thanks to an impressive set of dozens of analog synthesizers and drum machines, Kebu will give classic themes a unique sound.
On May 24, the FMF invites you to the Krakow Philharmonic building for a concert of pianist Aleksander Dębicz and the Polish Radio Choir. During the Piano Chorale event, motifs from films such as: “Blade Runner 2049”, “Edward Scissorhands” Whether “Interstellar” will sound in unique arrangements. On May 26, on the stage of the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, flautist Sara Andon, pianist Simone Pedroni and cellist Cecilia Tsan will present the John Williams for Three program dedicated to one of the most valued composers of our time. We will hear, among others, chamber music from films “The Witches of Eastwick”, “Dracula”, “Star Wars”, “Hook”, “Schindler’s List” and “Memoirs of a Geisha”.
The FMF will also include an Audiovisual Forum – a series of meetings with experts from the music and film industries. Moreover, in cooperation with Galeria Kazimierz, FMF’s Strategic Partner, a Festival Town will be organized with a wide range of activities, including a silent disco and film screenings. The program of accompanying events will be announced soon.