09-09-2007

Warsaw Jewish Film Festival Nov. 8-13

    The 5th edition of Warsaw Jewish Film Festival since 2003 will take place in SILVERSCREEN PULAWSKA and in ILUZJON CINEMAS in Warsaw, Poland, on Nov. 8 - 13, 2007 and is dedicated to Mr Andrzej Wajda, whose films will be screened during the Festival. The latest masterpiece of Mr. Wajda KATYN will be shown during the Opening Ceremony in SILVERSCREEN PULAWSKA. This year s Honorary David Camera 2007 will be given to Mr. Andrzej Wajda as a special acknowledgment of his lifetime achievement and master s approach to film art, which become fundamental for Polish and world s cinematography.

    The Closing Awarding Ceremony will take place in Iluzjon Cinema on November the 13th. Andre Ochodlo - yiddish jazz singer will give the concert as the final 2007 Festival performance.

    We are going to give awards in following categories: fiction feature film, short fiction film, feature documentary, short documentary. Grand Prix is 2500 Euro and was founded by Mr. Andrzej Urbanski, the president of Polish TV, the first award for short fiction film is 1500 Euro and was founded by Ms. Agnieszka Odorowicz, director of PISF, the first award for feature documentary is 1750 Euro and was founded by TVP KULTURA. The international Jury will judge fiction films in other 6 subcategories: the best director, the best cinematography, the best screenplay, the best editor, the best actress and the best actor.

    During our last Festival in 2006 Ari Sandel was awarded by David Camera 2006 for his WEST BANK STORY. Three months later Ari Sandel s film was given the Oscar 2007 in the same category. In 2006 Mr. Janusz Kaminski was given David Camera for Munich in the subcategory - best cinematographer. In 2004 our Festival awarded Ms. Agnes Varda for Ydessa the Bears and etc... The Awards for Mr. Janusz Kaminski and Ms. Agnes Varda were presented personally by Daniel Strehlau in Warsaw and in Paris. The Honorary David Camera Award 2004 - 2006 was presented to Mr. Steven Spielberg, Mr. Woody Allen and Mr. Roman Polanski. 2004 Honorary David Camera Award for Mr. Steven Spielberg was presented by Daniel Strehlau in his office in Amblin Production in Los Angeles in 2005.

    At the very beginnings of our festival we have decided that we only show films which haven t been screened on any other Jewish festival in Warsaw, according to this rule this year we are going to show several tens of premieres of Jewish films awarded and shown on such prestigious film festivals as Cannes and Berlinale. Our festival has very good relationship with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, with Israeli Academy of Film and TV as well as with Polish Film Festival in Gdynia.

    The topics of the festival film are among others: Palestinian - Israeli conflict and friendship, Holocaust: concentration camps, survivors, genocide. Dramas: war, social, love. Cities: Warsaw, Los Angeles, Jerusalem, New York. Religion: Christianity: Catholicism, Greek Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Jewish sects - Kabala from L.A. John Paul II and Jews and others.

    The 1st edition took place in Warsaw in November 2003. Among the guests were Irvin Kershner (Empire Strikes Back; Jury Chairman 2004), Grace Guggenheim (Jury Chairwoman 2006), Amos Gitai, Laios Koltai, Daniela Weber (Berlinale), Slava and Lina Chaplin, John Daly (Jury Chairman 2005), Janusz Kaminski and others.

    During last year s Festival we hosted the representatives of Israel - Prof. Shevach Weiss and Palestine Mr. Maget M. Sahlyand and Mr. Dr. Khalil Nazzal - representative of the Palestine Embassy in Poland as well as Palestinian director Mr. Jamal Dajani, who took part in the unique peace negotiations after the screenings of Palestine films.

    Films can be submitted till September the 20th, 2007!

    For more information please, visit out website: www.wjff.pl or contact us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Organisation: The Foundation for the Development of Jewish Culture - David Camera in Poland and The Windows Film Studio
    Co organisation: National Film Library
    Main sponsor: a place for your logo 2007 or 2008
    Sponsors: The City of Warsaw, PISF, Barter sponsors: Instytut Adama Mickiewicza, DAG, Easy Web, Empik
    Media patronage: TVP

    Because of a lot of questions, concerning Mr. Miroslaw Chojecki s case, that we have been asked we would like to inform you that Mr Chojecki refused to make a legal agreement with Mr. Daniel Strehlau. Therefore we are waiting for the next trial on which we will be claiming justice and public apology from Mr. Chojecki for making a false statement and for his dishonest behavior, which had it s impact on the way people and institutions were thinking about our festival and Mr. Daniel Strehlau.
    More details about Mr. Chojecki s case on our web page.

    Warsaw Jewish Film Festival, since 2003

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    Last modified on 23-11-2007