“You have to show the audience that there are films worth at the time,” says the veteran programmer and coordinator Ania Trzebiatowska when interrogating her role as a technical director of the Sands International Film Festival in Scotland.
It seems that the philosophy of Trzebiatowska bears the fruit as sand, which ended its fourth edition on Sunday, as it recorded a 35 % increase in the audience through its release 2025.
The event was opened on April 25, with a preview of James Griffiths's loud feature Walis Island Song. The dust shake hit the Sands after its first appearance at the Sandans Film Festival for this year. Universal will release the film in UK cinemas on May 30. Close the festival with John Maclean's Survival Thriller tornado , Tim Ruth includes, Slow horsesJack Ludine, Japanese star Cookie. In between them, Sands hosted the Buzzy Q&A session with Joanna Lumali, Casting Kharmel Cochrane, and Sundance Kim Yutani.
Below, Trzebiatowska shares how she and her colleagues have achieved the rare achievement of creating an increasing society about a new cinematic event, her artistic goals, and her plans for the future.
The deadline: Anya, this is the fourth edition of the sand. How do you feel she went?
Ania Trzebiatowska: I feel she went well. People seem happy, which is great.
The deadline: What represents a successful version for you, comrades in Sands?
Trzeatowska: The goal has always been to present a festival celebrating films alongside filmmakers themselves. So you have an audience who can watch movies and feel that they can handle directors and talk to them outside the traditional questions and answers environment. We want to make people feel part of something. This year, we have achieved 35 % growth in terms of masses, which is huge. I have been saying this to myself since the first day: you have to gain the confidence of this society. You have to show the audience that there are movies here worth their time, which takes some time.
Sometimes, you can calm down and believe that the connection should happen sooner. But we needed to become more included in this society. This led to a little different options. This edition had a mixture of local and international talents. We closed the festival with a Scottish movie and conquered a comedy that people were curious to see, and it was ideal for this specific society.
Delivery date: While he was in Sands, I discovered that St. Andrews no longer had a full -time cinema. Their cinema has been purchased long and softened by an investment group led by Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake. This adds greater importance to your work with sand. Is this something you were thinking about programming the event?
Trzeatowska: I can't say I was thinking very much during programming because this is a lot of pressure. But this is why I thought about trying to examine a mixture of interesting and exciting things there now. Last year was an incredible year for documents, which is why this program was reversed. I was also determined to open a comedy. The world is a somewhat dark place at the present time, and if we can do something to make it a little more beautiful for everyone to start, then why not?
Delivery date: It is clear that the sand is your second job. You are also a full -time programmer in Sundance. This is a heavy work burden. Do you still feel that you can continue the leading sand?
Trzeatowska: This is something I was thinking a lot during our artistic conference, just the sustainability of everything, and the way we work at work. And how little we take care of sometimes. But I love this festival and I am proud of all the work done by the team. It is my second job, but there is also this entire team at the Bir theater, our central place, which works throughout the year. They have a complete theater program. They examine movies and offer the Panto season, so the Sands has doubled the work burden as well. But they are all very cool and make our guests at the festival feel welcome, so not only to do this type of work. Then we have all the trainees and the values of our students. Everyone invested in this festival. Certainly, I am really tired, but it is good to withdraw this, and I am excited about the next version. It will be our fifth year.
Delivery date: Do you have anything special planned for the next anniversary?
Trzeatowska: I really want to continue to do what we do, stick to the things that work, and now I have a better feeling of what it succeeds. But I definitely had talks with people about coming to the festival, the directors who loved it, just because I think they will be suitable for us in terms of what they represent and the type of festivals they love. So I have plans.
I would like to have another music event because the Alan Silvestri conversation that we had last year was private. But it should be the right thing. Everything should be somewhat organic. I don't want to force anything to exist.
Delivery date: After four years and attended, I clearly discovered the magic formula. But is there anything you learned not to do?
Trzeatowska: Excessive programming, trying to do a lot at the same time. It is just not working. Sometimes it is ambitious or excited because you can do something. But there are other factors to think about it, such as the capacity, and the Andrews can absorb a lot. This was a large educational curve. Also, compare yourself to others, meaning that we should be this because others do it. Or emphasize things like the first situation. Everything about playing the best movies.
