37. Gdynia Film Festival – coming soon
Over 30 films were submitted to the Main Competition of the 37. Gdynia Film Festival, which is going to be held in two months. The programme and form of the Festival will include both old and new elements, but the process of refreshing the Festival, which began last year, is going to be continued.
This year’s edition of the Festival is the first one under the new name. The Artistic Director of the Festival, Michał Chaciński, said: “together with the company we cooperate with organizing the Festival’s media campaign we discovered that very few media use the full name of the Festival. Journalists and critics as well as radio and tv broadcasters use the widely known, shorter term: >>the Festival in Gdynia<<. In relation to the works concerning refreshing the Festival’s image, the Organizational Committee unanimously decided that the official name of the Festival will be shortened to >>the Gdynia Film Festival<<. However, the previous name will remain in the catalogue and official documents this year. The new name does not change anything in the form of the Festival, therefore whoever says >>the Polish Film Festival<< is not wrong.”
Last year’s rule concerning the strict selection of competing films was received with enthusiasm, and the Organizational Committee of the Festival, including i. a. the heads of the Polish Film Institute and the Polish Filmmakers’ Association as well as representatives of the Polish Television, Canal+ and local authorities of Tricity, unanimously regard the previous edition to be a great success. Therefore, owing to the strict selection, the Festival in Gdynia will again present the best Polish film productions of this year. “I don’t want the unsuccessful and not generating a heated debate films to be screened during the Festival”, said Chaciński.
“We also decided to choose international jury” – he continued. – “the verdict from last year, considered by many journalists as controversial, proved to be apt. Still, during past 18 months only one Polish film was selected to the main section of the most important festivals – it was “Essential Killing”, which was awarded in Venice. Also the European Film Academy listed only two Polish films among 31 films considered as candidates to nomination, namely “Essential Killing” and “Suicide Room”, awarded with Golden and Silver Lions in Gdynia”.
The masterclasses held last year during the Festival were enthusiastically received, therefore they will be held also this year. Among this year edition’s novelties there will appear public lectures. Details of the lectures will be announced soon.
Contrary to previous announcements, not only premieres will be screened in the Main Competition. “Last autumn the Organizational Committee of the Festival removed from the Rules and Regulations the notice that only premieres can be screened in Gdynia” – said the Artistic Director of the Gdynia Film Festival. – “Requiring from distributors to adjust their policy to the term in which the Festival is held would be impracticable. We should bear in mind that we all work for the good of the Polish cinema, and in this particular case what is theoretically beneficial for the Festival (screening only premieres), would not necessarily be good for particular films. Therefore, the Gdynia Film Festival will present the best films of the year, regardless of whether they were previously screened or not.”
Results of the selection of competing films will be announced at the beginning of April. 37. Gdynia Film Festival will be held between 7th and 12th of May.
