TFS Grad Kat Anielak Lands Jury Chair Role at Toronto Polish Film Festival

Kat Anielak has always been more interested in immersing herself in the behind-the-scenes action than getting caught up in the spotlight – which is why, when all her peers were busy applying to film festivals, she was dreaming of how great it would be to sit on a festival jury.

Luckily for her, it didn’t take long for the Class of 2024 Film Production grad to manifest that aspiration into her reality, thanks to the Ekran Polish Film Association and its annual Toronto Polish Film Festival.

“It all started with a Women in Film & TV (WIFT) Toronto Showcase, after which I started looking into other local film festivals,” said Anielak, who explained she was in her sixth and final term at Toronto Film School at the time.

“The Toronto Polish Film Festival felt like an obvious choice for someone born and raised in Poland, knowing the language, culture and history. So, I cold-emailed Ekran’s team and got accepted as a volunteer jury member.”

Ekran is a Toronto-based non-profit organization, which, in addition to private and pop-up screenings throughout the year, also hosts an annual, weeklong celebration of Polish cinema every November for European cinephiles.

“I think it’s invaluable for film students and anyone interested in working in film to see European projects – including Polish productions and co-productions – and compare the storytelling, production value, editing styles, and all the small details that distinguish North American and European films,” Anielak said of the Toronto Polish Film Festival.

“And we are not only talking about big, feature-length productions! There are always short films screened at the festival, some of which are submitted by students from Polish film schools. It’s about widening your vision of what’s feasible with what you have access to.”

After four stints as a jury member (for two different festivals/showcases), Anielak is now hot off the heels her first-ever stint as the Jury Chair for Ekran’s 15th Toronto Polish Film Festival, which took place November 14-24 at the Revue Cinema.

It was a role the “powerhouse” founder of Ekran, Marta Pozniakowski, personally approached Anielak to take on – and one she readily accepted.

“In that role (as jury chair), I screened all the submitted projects and managed and moderated the deliberation meetings for the feature, documentary, and short film juries,” said Anielak.

“Discussing the finest films with industry professionals and deciding on the award winners is a privilege and a pleasure. I’m grateful for this opportunity and the support of the entire Ekran team – thanks to them, my legs were shaking slightly less than last year when announcing the winners on stage during the awards ceremony.”