Katyń during the Grand Opening

Screening of Andrzej Wajda's film Katyń will add splendor to the opening ceremony for the 32nd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. Screenings will take place at Teatr Muzyczny (The Musical Theatre) in Gdynia and the Silver Screen cinema.

The Silver Screen cinema will also host the press office as well as press conferences.

An Opening ceremony starts on Tuesday, 18th of September, 6 pm in Teatr Muzyczny. However, the Festival first screening takes place on Monday, 17th of September at 12.30. On Monday, at 17.30 starts the press conference with the Festival organizers.

Detailed schedule of the Festival screenings can be found at www.festiwalgdynia.pl.

Screenings open to moviegoers
The Polish Film Festival was not intended only as an event for people professionally involved in cinematography, but also for all fans of Polish cinema. Therefore, for the last several years the screenings have been open to the public. Everyone is invited. Films are screened at the Silver Screen cinema. Price of a regular single ticket for the main competition is 17 PLN, and a reduced price ticket is 14 PLN. A book of tickets for all the screenings of the Main Competition is 150 PLN, reduced price book of tickets is 100 PLN.

Single tickets for the Independent Cinema Competition or for the Shorts Competition are 7 PLN. A book of tickets for all the screenings of both competitions costs 50 PLN.

A day for Scandinavia
Presentation of the filmmaking system of one of the European countries has already become a tradition of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. It is part of the program of international cooperation launched in accordance with the document entitled: "Joint Declaration".

This year the Polish Film Festival features the Scandinavian Day. Eight movies will be presented: two films from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, respectively. The selection has been made by the Scandinavian partners of the Festival. After the screenings the audience will have an opportunity to meet the artists/filmmakers. The key event of the Scandinavian Day will be the special conference on support mechanisms for Scandinavian cinematography. Representatives of the Scandinavian film institutes, experienced filmmakers as well as other people professionally involved in filmmaking business from Poland and from Scandinavia will be present at the conference.

Is there anything we can talk about?
The Polish Film Festival creates an opportunity to present the achievements of Polish neighbors. Organizers aim at showing the prizewinning movies, or movies which are - according to our partners from abroad - both important and interesting. Such screenings provide an opportunity for numerous Polish producers and distributors present at the Festival to meet their counterparts from other countries.

Therefore the 32nd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia will feature the Russian Day. Two aspects of accomplishments of Russian filmmakers will be taken into account: 1) artistic - program includes screenings of eight movies within the period of four days and 2) organizational. The second one will be the subject of the conference on the current situation of Russian cinematography and possibilities of cooperation between our countries. Conference name is „Russian cinema, Polish cinema, is there anything we can talk about?". The conference will be opened by Agnieszka Odorowicz - the Director of the Polish Film Institute.

Polish contribution - Polonica
Polonica - presentation of the movies, produced with participation of Polish filmmakers, is expected to be very interesting. These are interesting and important films, noticed not only in Europe but also all over the world. And so we will see: „Nightwatching" by Peter Greenaway (CANADA, FRANCE, GERMANY, POLAND, HOLLAND, GREAT BRITAIN), „Those who love" - directed by Curtis Burz (Germany),
„Outlanders" - directed by Dominic Lees (Great Britain), Hungarian
„The Eighth Day of the Week" directed by Judit Elek,
the latest film by David Lynch „Inland Empire" (USA), „Looking For Palladia" by Andrzej Krakowski (USA)

Expressive poster
Artistic posters constitute an inherent part of the Polish Film Festival. This year the Festival poster was designed by Adam Żebrowski, who is also the author of the Festival logo. Both in the poster and in the logo, Żebrowski reduces to minimum the means of expression and arrives at a form which is both clear and expressive. He makes use of solemn and contrasting black and white, but also of a humorous element. The poster may be downloaded by registered users at www.festiwalgdynia.pl.

I will make a film for you
This is a unique competition for a unique occasion. Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing, to celebrate the School's fifth anniversary, invited residents of Gdynia to participate in a plebiscite. Participants were encouraged to come up with the ideas - initial screenplays of films about that unique city. The competition's aim was to make a movie about Gdynia, but also to involve people in interactive filmmaking activity. The documentary based on the best ideas provided by the participants will be made by the best graduates of the School. Screening of the films will take place at the Grunwaldzki Square Amphitheatre near the Teatr Muzyczny in Gdynia. Over 200 ideas were provided and from those over twenty were selected. An author of the most interesting idea will receive a digital motion-picture camera.

Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing, which celebrates its fifth anniversary, has produced over 300 graduates.

Janusz Majewski - retrospective

A retrospective of Janusz Majewski, the Chairman of the Jury, an outstanding Polish director and screenwriter, will be held as a special event accompanying the Polish Film Festival. The retrospective will include presentation of: "Sublokator" („The Lodger"), "Zazdrość i medycyna" („Jelousy and Medicine"), "Zaklęte rewiry" („Hotel Pacific"), "Sprawa Gorgonowej" („The Gorgon case"), „Lekcja martwego języka", (Lesson of a Dead Language ), „Po sezonie" and „Miłość w przejściu podziemnym".

Lemoniada: in memoriam Stanisław Lem
Fans of cinema and nature will have the opportunity to participate in special open air screenings of the Polish Film Festival - Film od Morza. Organizers were inspired by the personage of Stanisław Lem. Films screened during the four evenings of Lemoniada are either based on his books or have similar stylistic background. Screenings are open to the public. Each screening will be accompanied by an integrated system of special audiovisual effects, which will result in an unusual event far beyond traditional screening. This year's Film od Morza promises to be very interesting for lovers of metaphysical areas of SF... and not only for them. For more information see: www.festiwalgdynia.pl.

Music directly from the film
Program of the Polish Film Festival is diverse. It includes not only films, but also music. However, it is a very special music, film music performed by outstanding artists. A series of concerts will be held during the Festival: music from Polish TV series and films performed by Gdyńska Orkiestra Symfoniczna („Riwiera" Club - admission free), Michał Lorenc film music performed by DesOrient (Teatr Miejski - tickets in the Theatre box-office 20 PLN), film music performed by Polska Filharmonia Kameralna Sopot conducted by Wojciech Rajski (Dolny Kościół Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa [Lower Church of Sacred Heart] in Gdynia - admission free).

Agnieszka Prokurat
Koordynator współpracy z zagranicą International Department
FESTIWAL POLSKICH FILMÓW FABULARNYCH POLISH FILM FESTIVAL GDYNIA
Biuro Organizacyjne Organizational Office, Armii Krajowej 24, 81-372 Gdynia, Poland
T: +48 58 621 15 09, F: +48 58 621 15 83, M: +48 695 878 771
www.festiwalgdynia.pl