World Music Film Festival!
A short but sweet - or should we say spicy - festival has just kicked off at Cracow's Manggha Centre. 'Music and the World' casts its net far and wide, reeling in a host of exotic acts from around the globe. The three day festival will be showcasing an unusual array of documentary films, focusing on fascinating phenomena in World Music. These slivers of celluloid magic will be complimented by a medley of concerts at various venues across the city. Look out for some afrobeat, ethiojazz and wassoulou antics at the opening party at Tytyus i Koka down in Kazimierz on Wednesday 12th. And over the coming days, catch some arabic, oud and didgeridoo gigs at Manggha and elsewhere.
The Manggha Centre, the pet-project of Oscar-winning film director Andrzej Wajda, has won a reputation for hosting superlative events over the last few years. And this latest number adds a further feather to their hat. Films lined up this week include forays into the musical worlds of Mongolia, Senegal and Rajasthan, amongst many others. And if you're a sucker for more local flavours, Elsa Dahmani's documentary on leading Gypsy outfit Taraf de Haidouks may intrigue, whilst Andrzej Bienkowski's film about the pre-war world of Polish Klezmer looks like a fascinating option. The festival runs until Sunday 15th - check here for a full programme. (All events are at Manggha unless specified in the link).