Movies, even the most outstanding ones, would be of no use, if there was no audience to watch them. And for this, the language needs to be understandable and they have to be accessible. Those are the foundational tenets of the mission pursued by the laureates of this year’s edition. They work with the enthusiasm and consequence that making cinema for children and youth in Poland surely deserves.
We admire the versatility and the internal logic binding all of their actions. Their first project were school film education programmes, which to this day remain one of the pillars of their endeavours. Realizing the decisive influence teachers have on students, they started educating educators and – what is equally important — developing their passion for cinema. Unsatisfied with the poorness of the repertoire offered, not having much to choose from, they decided to launch their own film distribution programmes. Knowing that the audience loves homegrown cinema, they embarked on a mission to inspire and support the industry in the conceptual and scenario field. As a result, they grew to become an exceptional – European-scale speaking – operator of a comprehensive programme popularizing and supporting children’s and youth cinema in Poland, and, at the same time, one of the most influential force behind the current boom for this genre in our country.
Platinum Goats 2018 goes to the Education Department of New Horizons Association, in recognition for the complex of projects, such as New Horizons of Film Education – year-round educational film series for schools, the Kids Film Festival, Kids Films Presents Distribution Program, Kids Film Club, New Horizons Academy for teachers, Kids Film Pro or Warsaw Kids Film Forum. The prize is by no means a summary of the Laureates’ achievements, mind you, because their activity is dynamic and developmental in its nature. And so we are looking forward to what new ideas, projects and programmes our winners will come up with next, what they will devote attention to and what else will they do to benefit the cinema of the young viewer in Poland.
photo: Education Department of New Horizons Association