The 8th BJIFF
Jan A. P. Kaczmarek： A Good Film Can Strike Your Heartstrings
Sufficient Efforts and a Little Luck
For all filmmakers and film fans, Oscar has an unparalleled appeal. So our talk also begins with Finding Neverland. Jan A. P. Kaczmarek expresses his innermost feelings about winning Oscar: “When you do something in hard-working style with great efforts, coupled with a little luck, Oscar comes naturally.”
At the age of 24, Jan A. P. Kaczmarek released his first album, which has been 41 years. During this period, he always attempts to change. He never gives up exploration for the type of music or the theme of music. It is quite incredible that his works created in 1977 and those in 2018 originate from the same artist.
He favors such endless change because “change is good, and feeling of freshness is good.”
Jan’s early music is drenched with exploration spirit. Everybody can find that a young man happily composed melody on the music score. He always likes improvisation and has full control of his own albums. For Jan, it was an epoch of thorough freedom in his musical career.
Since his thirties, Jan has touched on film music. “I love film music in its entirety, including the ‘shackle’ it imposes on me. This ‘shackle’ is not only a containment, but it is also a gift. For a musical creator, film music composition implies that he/she has to respect the limits of the film. All musical parts must be created within the overall framework and cannot be independent of the film. But it is required to learn to give vent to your own voice within such limits.”
At present, Jan is more and more interested in composing non-dramatic melodies for concerts. He is commissioned to compose for the concert of the Polish National Music Festival. He also takes pleasure in this process.
It is often stressed that “it is necessary to stay true to the mission.” Meticulous detail is exactly what has never changed in Jan's music: “I wish that my music always consists of elaborate and intimate elements that can impress some people.”
It is exactly a good film that deeply touches people’s hearts.
In the festivals, judges are responsible for judging films, which is also a heavy task with high difficulties. When it comes to the criteria for judging films, Jan considers it is complicated, which is involved with film storyline, movement of the lens, excellent performance, etc. A lengthy list can be given for the criteria for judging films. Only when all the elements are perfectly combined, a film is believed good in people’s opinion. “Individually, if a film influences my mindset and touches my innermost heart in a favorable way, it is a good one.”
15 films are shortlisted for “Tiantan Award” in this year’s Beijing International Film Festival. According to Jan, it is really difficult to select the best among 15 shortlists. “Film industry is different from sports industry. For example, in long jump competition, when a long jumper jumps two meters, his/her competition result is two meters. Take another example. In the running race, the fastest athlete is champion. Perhaps the best film in my mind is not the best one in others’ mind. Therefore, the jury is a must. The one with the most votes is the final winner.”
Beijing International Film Festival is like an adventure for me
Jan is constantly trying new things in the music world. So does he do for other things in everyday life because his inspiration stems from exploration.
Jan frankly comments that he likes being inspired by traveling to different cities around the globe. Moreover, he also likes seeking after inspiration from common people. He walks down the streets on the weekends. “When I walk through the crowds, I am amazed at so many people on the Earth. They are my audiences. Sometimes, the inspiration occurs to me in this way.”
Undoubtedly, Beijing International Film Festival is also an adventure for him. This is his first visit to China. He likes China and wants to know more about China. At the same time, there are also Chinese films he likes. “Beijing International Film Festival is a fantastic event, which not only has positive impacts on Chinese films or Polish films, but also has positive impacts on worldwide films.”
When talking about Chinese films, Jan praises that Chinese films have great influence on the global films, and such influence continuously expands. China is a big country. Chinese film industry is ever-increasingly marching towards internationalization. He is looking forward to seeing more and more excellent native films and co-production films in cooperation between China and other countries in future.
For all filmmakers and film fans, Oscar has an unparalleled appeal. So our talk also begins with Finding Neverland. Jan A. P. Kaczmarek expresses his innermost feelings about winning Oscar: “When you do something in hard-working style with great efforts, coupled with a little luck, Oscar comes naturally.”
At the age of 24, Jan A. P. Kaczmarek released his first album, which has been 41 years. During this period, he always attempts to change. He never gives up exploration for the type of music or the theme of music. It is quite incredible that his works created in 1977 and those in 2018 originate from the same artist.
He favors such endless change because “change is good, and feeling of freshness is good.”
Jan’s early music is drenched with exploration spirit. Everybody can find that a young man happily composed melody on the music score. He always likes improvisation and has full control of his own albums. For Jan, it was an epoch of thorough freedom in his musical career.
Since his thirties, Jan has touched on film music. “I love film music in its entirety, including the ‘shackle’ it imposes on me. This ‘shackle’ is not only a containment, but it is also a gift. For a musical creator, film music composition implies that he/she has to respect the limits of the film. All musical parts must be created within the overall framework and cannot be independent of the film. But it is required to learn to give vent to your own voice within such limits.”
At present, Jan is more and more interested in composing non-dramatic melodies for concerts. He is commissioned to compose for the concert of the Polish National Music Festival. He also takes pleasure in this process.
It is often stressed that “it is necessary to stay true to the mission.” Meticulous detail is exactly what has never changed in Jan's music: “I wish that my music always consists of elaborate and intimate elements that can impress some people.”
It is exactly a good film that deeply touches people’s hearts.
In the festivals, judges are responsible for judging films, which is also a heavy task with high difficulties. When it comes to the criteria for judging films, Jan considers it is complicated, which is involved with film storyline, movement of the lens, excellent performance, etc. A lengthy list can be given for the criteria for judging films. Only when all the elements are perfectly combined, a film is believed good in people’s opinion. “Individually, if a film influences my mindset and touches my innermost heart in a favorable way, it is a good one.”
15 films are shortlisted for “Tiantan Award” in this year’s Beijing International Film Festival. According to Jan, it is really difficult to select the best among 15 shortlists. “Film industry is different from sports industry. For example, in long jump competition, when a long jumper jumps two meters, his/her competition result is two meters. Take another example. In the running race, the fastest athlete is champion. Perhaps the best film in my mind is not the best one in others’ mind. Therefore, the jury is a must. The one with the most votes is the final winner.”
Beijing International Film Festival is like an adventure for me
Jan is constantly trying new things in the music world. So does he do for other things in everyday life because his inspiration stems from exploration.
Jan frankly comments that he likes being inspired by traveling to different cities around the globe. Moreover, he also likes seeking after inspiration from common people. He walks down the streets on the weekends. “When I walk through the crowds, I am amazed at so many people on the Earth. They are my audiences. Sometimes, the inspiration occurs to me in this way.”
Undoubtedly, Beijing International Film Festival is also an adventure for him. This is his first visit to China. He likes China and wants to know more about China. At the same time, there are also Chinese films he likes. “Beijing International Film Festival is a fantastic event, which not only has positive impacts on Chinese films or Polish films, but also has positive impacts on worldwide films.”
When talking about Chinese films, Jan praises that Chinese films have great influence on the global films, and such influence continuously expands. China is a big country. Chinese film industry is ever-increasingly marching towards internationalization. He is looking forward to seeing more and more excellent native films and co-production films in cooperation between China and other countries in future.