50th KFF Opening Ceremony

This year, their work is headed by Marian Marzyński, a double laureate of the first international edition of the Festival for  ‘Return of the Ship’ in 1946, Krzysztof Zanussi, a director, scriptwriter and film producer, and Maciej Drygas, a documentary films director, laureate of numerous awards, film teacher. They are accompanied by: Nati Baratz (Israel), a writer, director and film producer, the winner of the Golden Horn for ‘Unmistaken Child’ at the 49^th KFF; Martichka Bozhilova (Bulgaria), a producer, director of the Balkan Documentary Centre in Sofia; Barbara Hollender(Poland), a journalist, film critic, columnist of the ‘Rzeczpospolita’ newspaper; Borys Lankosz (Poland), a director, the author of the often awarded ‘Reverse’; Georgi Lazarevski (France), a cameraman, independent photographer working for humanitarian organisations in Sarajevo, Baghdad and Mali; Todd Luoto (USA), a director and shorts programmer at the Sundance Festival; Krystian Lupa (Poland), a theatre director; Andrzej Pągowski (Poland), graphic and poster artist; Grażyna Torbicka (Poland), a journalist, film expert and the creator of ‘I Love Cinema’ (a weekly programme dedicated to cinema running in the Polish television for 13 years); Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, a scriptwriter and director of feature films and documentaries.

On the occasion of the jubilee we will also go back for a moment into the past – a short film edited by Jacek Nagłowski of archival footage of the 90s will be presented. After many years the first festival winner Witold Giersz  will meet again on the stage with first jury chairman Ryszard Karwicki. Surprise-appearances of people involved with the Festival in the past are also planned.

The highlight of the evening will be the screening of "Two Rembrandts in the Garden" (documentary competition). The filmmakers will join us: director Jerzy Śladkowski, producer Marek Nowowiejski, the German co-producers German Hans Pausch, Evelyn Wenzel, Daniel Petry and the main characters of the film Mark Atkin and his father David Atkin. The director, Jerzy Śladkowski for over 25 years has been making films for the Swedish Television and the Swedish Film Institute. He collaborates with a number of  television channels, including TVP, ZDF and ARTE. Śladkowski has produced and directed over 40 films, mostly documentaries. His picture "Swedish Tango" won IDA Award and his documentary ‘Vendetta" received Prix Arte for best European documentary. Two years ago in Krakow, he chaired the  feature-length documentary jury.

"Two Rembrandts in the Garden" is a story of the grandchildren of Jewish war survivors, who come to Lodz in search of valuables allegedly buried by their grandfather just before the family escape. Unfortunately, the family house belongs to the military now. Will the family treasure hunters have to face the Polish army?