Fotel - Daniel Szczechura (1963)

Butaca / Armchair

Sin Diálogos / No Dialogue

En el Congreso de Varsovia se lleva a cabo una importante reunión a la que acude bastante gente. En la mesa de los dirigentes, de pronto, sobra una silla, quedando así una vacante por la que todo el mundo empezará a pelear, obstaculizándose entre todos para impedir que el otro llegue a la silla del poder.

Un film que pone en evidencia los juegos, artimañas y las relaciones de poder que existe entre la masa y sus dirigentes, cual máquina y engranajes; Simbolizando, en este caso, el poder en una silla vacía a la que absolutamnente todos quieren acceder, sin importar el grado de perjuicio que implique este ascenso en el otro. 

Elaborado mediante recortes, o cut-out, esta obra fue ganadora de los siguientes premios y festivales:

Warsaw Mermaid, Nagroda Klubu Krytyki Filmowej SDP, Award of the Film Critics Club of the Association of Polish Journalists for 1963; 10th Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, Grand Prix for an Animated Film and honorable mention and distinction of the jury of the Association of People's Universities; 1st International Short Film Festival (ISFF), Kraków, Grand Prix; 4th Buenos Aires International Short Film Festival, honorable mention, todos en 1964 y 6th International Festival of Documentary and Experimental Films, Montevideo, Grand Prix, este último en 1965.

"The story of a power struggle. In a grand hall reminiscent of Warsaw's Congress Hall, a gathering takes place - perhaps of the Polish United Workers' Party. One seat at the chairman's table is vacant and everyone gathered in the hall attempts to get to it, using all manner of trickery, including tripping up their competitors. When a figure finally succeeds in getting to the seat and occupying it, the struggle ends and all those gathered applaud. A satire on the Polish People's Republic, told in a manner that is graphically clear, with the figures shown from above resembling wheels in a machine. "This is practically a representation of the mathematical formula for an electoral gathering - merciless in its ironic comedy" (A. Kossakowski, "Polski film..." / "Polish Animated..."). "A humorous and wise story about careerism, accurate in its telling, modern in its abbreviated draftsmanship that is simplified to the maximum degree possible" (Aleksander Jackiewicz, "Życie Literackie" / "Literary Life" monthly, 24/1964)."

(Culture.pl)

"Daniel Szczechura (born 1930) - director of animated films. Graduated from Warsaw University in the History of Art, and later studied in the film operators' faculty department of the PWSTiF Łódź Film School. His films have won awards at the film festivals in Oberhausen, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Paris, Philadelphia and Melbourne. The films which have already entered the history of animated films include 'The Chair' (1964), 'The Diagram' (1966), 'Hobby' (1968), 'The Ant's Journey' (1970), 'Burning Fingers' (1976), and 'Jump' (1978). In 2008 he received the Medal for Merit to Culture "Gloria Artis"."

(poland.gov.pl)

LINK

https://rapidshare.com/files/3449600049/1963TheArmchair.D.Szczechura.www.nplus2.org.avi