{mosimage}The competition sections, whose winners receive statuettes and cash prizes, are the soul of each edition of the Festival. This year's pool will be in Krakow 250 000 PLN. In the International Documentary Film Competition the films fight for the relatively new Golden Horn award, in the International Short Film Competition the famous Golden Dragon is the main trophy, while the winner of the National Competition leaves Krakow with the Golden Hobby-Horse.

These three competitions are assessed by three jury assemblies. We already know which Polish artists, filmmakers and journalists will evaluate the films this year. The following people have confirmed their participation in the work of the jury: Marian Marzyński, the double winner of the first international edition of the festival (1964) for "Return of the Ship"; Grażyna Torbicka, journalist, film expert, the author of "Kocham Kino" (I Love the Cinema) programme; Barbara Hollender, journalist, film critic, the "Rzeczpospolita" daily journalist; Krystian Lupa, theatre director; Bartek Konopka, director, last year's Golden Hobby-Horse winner, the author of Oscar-nominated "Rabbit a la Berlin", Andrzej Pągowski, graphic artist, poster-designer; Krzysztof Zanussi, director, scriptwriter and film producer, and Borys Lankosz, director, the author of the repeatedly prize-winning " The Reverse" .

The jury members are only at the beginning of the long list, containing many distinguished guests awaited in Krakow. For 12 years the award for lifetime achievement has been given at the Krakow Film Festival. On the occasion of the anniversary, the Polish winners of the Dragon of Dragons awards - Kazimierz Karabasz and Jerzy Kucia - will welcome the foreign filmmakers awarded with this prize. Jonas Mekas, this year's Dragon of Dragons winner and the forerunner of the American avant-garde, will be joined by the previous prize-winners - Albert Maysles, outstanding American documentary filmmaker, awarded at 44th KFF, and Raoul Servais, recognised Belgian animated films maker, awarded in 2007.

Israeli cinematography will be the special guest of the jubilee edition - the organizers, inspired by last-year's knock-out (Israeli films, "The Unmistaken Child" and "Pizza in Auschwitz" won in both international competitions) and by the growing popularity of this country's cinematography around the world ("Waltz with Bashir" nominated for Oscar, "Lebanon" winning the festival in Venice) decided to look closer at the films from the Holy Land. In the Focus on Israel programme, a series of documentary film (all dated 2009) screenings are planned, which provide an excellent opportunity for getting acquainted with the phenomenon of this success, also talked about by the invited guests (directors, producers, distributors). Israeli films will also be present in the competition sections. .

During the 50 years of the Festival's existence, there were many outstanding, noteworthy films on the Krakow cinema screens. On the occasion of the anniversary the organizers decided to remind the audience the most interesting of them - these which delighted the viewers in their time, and these which caused powerful agitation and vivid emotions. This intention lighted the way for the organizers while preparing the jubilee cycle, the subsequent episodes of which have been shown in Krakow and Malopolska cinemas since October, and whose climax will be the TOP TEN Krakow screenings during the Festival. In the exclusive ten of Polish films, there are, among others, "The Musicians" (1960) by Kazimierz Karabasz, "Seven Women of Different Ages" (1978) by Krzysztof Kieslowski, and Oscar-winning "Tango" (1980) by Zbigniew Rybczynski. Among the foreign films, the following ones will be shown, among others: Oscar-winning "Wasp" (2003) by Andrea Arnold, whose second feature-film "Fish Tank" could be recently seen at the cinemas, "Bread Day" (1998) by Sergei Dvortsevoy, as well as "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1981) by Jan Svankmajer.

The popular non-competing series, which became inseparable part of the Krakow event, will be continued. One more time, "The Sound of Music" will be heard in Krakow, also in the open-air version. Among them, a windfall for the fans of Jamaican music, a documentary reaching to the roots of reggae („Rocksteady. The Roots Of Reggae"). The cycle Festivals Winners will appear with the films which have already managed to enchant the audience in other countries. From the festival in Leipzig, winsome "La Casa", a story about a Columbian married couple, the Syzyfs, who earn their living by collecting waste materials. Krakow Documentary Premieres will interest all yearning for brand new films. This series keeps up with the latest, global trends in documentary cinema. In this section, famous American performer and director, Susan Mogul, presents the film "Driving Men" about the men of her life. For these who believe that documentary should bend over the human stories, the series Somewhere in Europe was prepared. A funny portrait of a crazy Italian mayor who installs a large mirror on a nearby summit in order to illuminate his - in shadow for a half of the year - town ("Mirror"). Music Videos Night will have a completely different atmosphere. This author's screenings of original videoclips have been attracting the fans to the Kijów.Centrum cinema for ages.

The audience of this year's edition of Festival will meet, traditionally, in the following cinemas: Kijow.Centrum, Mikro, Kino pod Baranami, and - this is new - Krakowskie Centrum Kinowe ARS, while the professionals from around the world also in the Manggha Centre of Japanese Art and Technology (the workshops and pitching Dragon Forum) and in MCK - International Cultural Centre (conferences, workshops, market).

The jubilee edition of the Festival cannot do without a gala concert, which will take place on 5th June in the most representative hall in Krakow - Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, and the Krakow accordion virtuosos Motion Trio with 30-person orchestra of young accordion players from Koszalin will play.



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Anna E. Dziedzic
PR Manager, Rzecznik prasowy / Press spokesperson

50th Krakow Film Festival: 31st May - 6th June 2010
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