“The Place” is primarily a film about the essence of observing the world. The meteorological station and its workers symbolise the situation of earthly observers of the universe who use simple tools to learn about and describe the changeable, elusive space around them. I am fascinated by the process of observation itself. I am also fascinated by the quantum physics theories about the observer’s influence on the result of the observed events. Nothing is constant, everything is relative and depends on the observer, who creates the reality. This is a never-ending process. Observing is constant, and the world around is changeable. In addition, observing the sky from the highest workplace in Poland seems extremely romantic to me.
Production: Munk Studio
Date: 2015
Director: Julia Popławska
Run Time: 15 min

In a workplace situated higher than any other in Poland, the constant nocturnal observation of the surrounding world is an unbroken norm.

The employees suspended beyond time and space in “The Place” remain at their posts, unshaken and immovable, despite reversals, adversities and startling situations.

The first scene was shot while the cameraman, Grzegorz Hartfiel and his assistant, Tomasz Sternicki fought against the wind; its gusts were up to 140 km per hour. Every winter, Kasprowy Wierch is attacked by a strong wind. It was the biggest surprise for us. We had prepared for severe frost, but we were not aware of the power and strength of the wind in the mountains.

screenings, competitions, awards
- Festival Al Este de Lima, Peru, 2015 (screening)
- 55th Krakow Film Festival, Poland, 2015 (screening)
- 7th Baghdad International Film Festival, Iraq, 2015 (screening)
- 18th CinemAmbiente – Environmental FF, Italy, 2015 (screening)
- “Cinema Verite” Iran International Documentary FF, Iran, 2015 (screening)
- High Mountains Film Festival, Slovakia, 2016 (screening)
- 7th Al Este de Lima Film Festival, Peru, 2016 (screening)
- PICURT – Mostra de Cinema de Muntanya dels Pirineus, Spain, 2016 (screening)
- Montanha Pico Festival, Portugal, 2017 (screening)
- Braemar Mountain Festival, The United Kingdom, 2017 (screening)
- 11th Zagreb Dox, Croatia, 2015 (competition)
- 22nd Hot Docs Canadian IDF, Canada, 2015 (competition)
- Documenta Madrid, Spain, 2015 (competition)
- 29th Pärnu International Documentary and Anthropology Film Festival, Estonia, 2015 (competition)
- International Film Festival Nancy – Lorraine, France, 2015 (competition)
- Fidocs, Chile, 2015 (competition)
- Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, USA, 2015 (competition)
- 23rd International Festival of Mountain Films Poprad, Slovakia, 2015 (competition)
- 10th DocsDF, Mexico, 2015 (competition)
- 8th Imagine Science Film Festival, USA, 2015 (The Science/AAAS Scientist Award (runner-up))
- 13th Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival, Germany, 2015 (Großer Preis der Stadt Tegernsee)
- RIDM – Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal, Canada, 2015 (competition)
- Bansko Mountain Film Fest, Bulgaria, 2015 (competition)
- IN THE PALACE International Short FF 2015, Bulgaria, 2015 (competition)
- ‘Punto de Vista’ International Documentary FF, Spain, 2016 (competition)
- 8th Iquique International Film Festival, Chile, 2016 (competition)
- 10th Mountain Film Festival Domzale, Slovenia, 2016 (competition)
- 6th Dutch Mountain Film Festival, The Netherlands, 2016 (Best Newcomer Award)
- 54th Ann Arbor Film Festival, USA, 2016 (competition)
- 64th Trento Film Festival, Italy, 2016 (competition)
- VIS Vienna Independent Shorts, Austria, 2016 (competition)
- Imagine Science Films Paris, 2016 (competition)
- Cervino CineMountain Festival, Italy, 2016 (competition)
- Ushuaina SHH, Festival Internacional de Cine Montania, Argentina, 2016 (Mention)
- Ulju Mountain Film Festival, South Korea, 2016 (competition)
- ForadCamp 2016, 5th Nature and Cinema Exhibition, Spain, 2016 (Prize Cultural Association Granollers)
- Kendal Mountain Film Festival 2016, UK, 2016 (Best Sound)
- Montanha Pico Festival 2017, Portugal, 2017 (competition)







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