Update. Industry events at the 43rd PFF

Meets-ups and presentations addressed at creators, producers, professionals from the film industry and students of film schools have been included in the rich programme of the industry events of the 43rd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia.

A series of industry events of the film industry will take place for the third time under the aegis of Gdynia Industry. They are organised by the Polish Film Festival in collaboration with the Polish Film Institute and the Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA), TVN TV, Polsat TV, the Embassy of Malta, Warsaw Kids Forum, Association of Polish Animation Producers, Munk Studio PFA (Polish Filmmakers Association) and the LSW Leśnodorski Ślusarek and Partners. Most of the meet-ups accompanying the two-day long Gdynia Industry event will take place on the Chamber Stage of the Musical Theatre. The entrance is free only upon presenting the festival accreditation.

New collaboration opportunities for Polish producers, film directors and scriptwriters. TVN and Polsat presentations. Thursday, 20th September, 12:30 PM.

TV stations are opening to the cooperation with the world of producers, film directors, film operators and scriptwriters. Both in the area of TV films and feature film productions they give a beginning to a new quality in the Polish film industry. TVN not only meets the expectations of the contemporary audience, who is, without a doubt, female, but also reaches out to the Player user – the audience who seeks specific and more impactful programs. Digital Zone of Creators of Polsat Group carries out the production, co-production and distribution of cinematographic films like Najlepszy (Breaking the Limits) and Dywizjon 303 (303 Squadron).

10th Anniversary of the Regional Film Funds. A jubilee coctail. Thursday, 20th September 2018, 01:00 PM. Attention: change of hour! The meeting will be held at Mercure Gdynia Centrum.

For 10 years, Regional Film Funds have been the second, alongside the Polish Film Institute, constant source of financing for the Polish cinema. Until this day, they have supported 499 films, including 186 feature films, with the sum of over 72 million Polish zlotys, which has had a significant impact on the development of Polish cinematography. Thanks to eleven Funds, films such as Silent Night, Ida, You’re a God, Loving Vincent, Spoor, 80 Million and Cold War were created.

Attracting film and television production to Malta. Thursday, 20th September 2018, 4:30 PM.

Johann Grech, the Film Commissioner of Malta Film Commission will present Malta as a country of interest to filmmakers and film producers. Maltese islands and sea were the scenery for the armies of Troy, streets for Steven Spielberg’s secret agents and a desert for the fight scenes in Gladiator. In Malta there is the largest SFX Infinity water facility that makes it possible to create the most spectacular and violent storms, while maintaining full safety and filming control.

The Women of Film 50/50 in 2020. Friday, 21st September 2018, 12:00 AM.

Women’s Film Initiative, associating over 3,000 women working in the film industry in Poland, during the Festival invites to a meeting devoted to the situation of Polish filmmakers in regard to the European Commission directive “50/50 in 2020”. It is a pan-European campaign that aims to equalise the chances of female and male filmmakers – not only through parities in all bodies deciding about the future of European cinematography, expert and jury committees, but also through equal access to financing. Experts and filmmakers will answer questions concerning the meaning of the term ‘parity’ and will ponder over possible solutions to help increase the role of women in film. There will also be presented results of research from the last 12 years, regarding the position of women in the Polish film industry.

Warsaw Kids Film Forum. Friday, 21st September 2018, 3:30 PM.

How come there are dozens of family productions coming out every year in Germany? What does this sector of the film industry look like in other European countries? Are the results of the latest Polish films promising from the point of view of the young audience? The sales and distribution potential of children’s and family productions will be presented on the example of the European and Polish cinema.

What’ up in Polish Animation. Thursday, 20th September 2018, 4:30 PM.

Polish animation is doing better and better with every year. The creators of home animated films are more and more often invited with their projects to prestigious festivals and film reviews. Polish animation has become an internationally active brand that is constantly developing and looking for new directions. Association of Polish Animation Producers will present the latest projects of Polish animated feature films that are currently at the development and production stage.

We are looking for a new Munk. 10th Anniversary of the Munk Studio. Friday, 21st September 2018, 4:30 PM.

The Munk Studio – PFA, the biggest producer of short films in Poland, is celebrating in 2018 its 10th birthday. So far there has been 95 short films, 54 documentaries and 22 animated films created in the studio. Furthermore, eight feature film debuts has been produced in the studio so far. Since the early days of its existence, the main goal of the Munk Studio was to help young creators, starting with the pre-production stage, through production and to the film promotion and distribution. During the meeting celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Munk Studio we will talk about how the Studio and Polish cinematography have changed.

Distribution and international promotion of Polish audiovisual works. The debate of the LSW Chancellary. Friday, 21st September 2018, 06:00 PM.

Polish film productions are becoming more and more appreciated in the world, which is why during the debate organised by the LSW Chancellary we will talk about the best ways to promote and distribute films. Invited guests will talk about how to establish one’s presence at the most important film festivals in the world, how to effectively conduct an oscar promotion, and choose a promotional strategy and how much it costs.

Moreover, the program of the 43rd PFF includes industry events such as:

Open session of the PISF Council in Gdynia

Friday, 21st September 2018, 4:00 PM, Mercure Gdynia Centrum (Tango room)

For the first time during the Polish Film Festival an open session of the Polish Film Institute (PISF) Council will be held. The PISF Council, among other things, delineates the Institute’s activities and approves the Operational Programs. At the time of important changes in the audiovisual industry, for instance the anticipated introduction of “incentives”, the members of the Council want to hear out representatives of different film communities, research the fields that are not addressed in the activities of the PISF or those in which the Institute could improve their presence. The First open Session of the Council at the Festival in Gdynia will also serve as a preliminary summary of the previous consultations regarding PO 2019.

Note: Those who plan to participate in the meeting are kindly asked to prepare their proposals in writing, which they will be able to hand in to the Council members after the meeting. The number of places is limited.

Scientific Conference “Contemporary Polish historical film after 2005”. Centre, 21st September 2018, Mercure Gdynia Hotel

Since the founding of the Polish Film Institute (PISF) in 2005, the Polish historical film has been flourishing. The last decade has brought a total of several dozens of feature films and numerous documentaries. These works have become part of a lively public discourse on presenting, which is why the 43rd Polish Film Festival will host a meeting of the Film and History Section of the Polish Society for Film and Media Studies. The participants of the conference will sum up the achievements of Polish historical cinema of recent years and present various research methods allowing to describe the screen emanations of the past. The whole event will be topped off with the 100 Years Of Independence debate with the participation of Polish film directors and producers. During the conference prizes will be awarded for the Best Book of the Polish Society for Film and Media Studies.

Face To Face Debate. 21st September, 2018, Mercure Gdynia Centrum

Polish Film Festival opens a new Face To Face cycle whose guest, in the premiere edition, will be Radosław Śmigulski, the director of the Polish Film Institute. From 18-20 September 2018, all interested parties can record video questions regarding current challenges and problems of the film industry. A special lectern will be created for this purpose at the Musical Theater. Questions selected from all recordings will be played during the debate on September 21st.

Polish Filmmakers Association Forum. 22nd September 2018, 12:00 AM, Mercure Gdynia Centrum

The Gdynia forums of the Polish Filmmakers Association, the largest organization of filmmakers in the country, have been for years a place of ardent discussions on the most important issues concerning the film community. Although Polish films win the most prestigious awards at international festivals, and the national box office beats new records, there is still a lot to be done in the organizational and legal sphere. This time, the filmmakers’ meeting will be held under the slogan Focus On The Right, and the topics discussed will include the Act on Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights, the Draft Act on the Financial Support of Audiovisual Production and the European Copyright Law Reform.

Gdynia Animation Centre. New element on the film map of Gdynia. Meeting for the media. Wednesday, 19th September 2018, 02:00 PM, Gdyńskie Centrum Filmowe, Goplana screening room

Gdynia Animation Center is being created – it is a new initiative of the TREFL group, developed in cooperation with the City of Gdynia. In the Centre, you can try your hand at working on film animation, take part in artistic and creative workshops, and film making classes in stop motion animation. The substantive background of the Gdynia Animation Centre consist of a team of artists and creators of the popular children’s series Rodzina Treflików (Treflik Family), headed by Marek Skrobecki. The activities of the Gdynia Animation Centre are in line with the policy of the City of Gdynia, which has been consistently implemented for years and is focused on building a strong film and culture centre

The organizers of the 43rd Polish Film Festival are: The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, the Polish Filmmakers Association, President of the City of Gdynia, Marshal of the Pomeranian Province.

The co-organisers: Polish Television, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, National Center for Culture. The main sponsor of the 43rd PFF is PKO Bank Polski.

The Strategic Partner is BMG Goworowski Authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer.

Main Partners – PKP Intercity, Dr Irena Eris, Culture Centre in Gdynia, Reserved.

All-Poland Media Patrons: Polish Television, Rzeczpospolita, Elle, Gala, Miesięcznik Kino, Onet, Polskie Radio Program I, Polskie Radio Program III, Super Express.

Local Media Patrons are: Dziennik Bałtycki, Radio Gdańsk, Rzeczpospolita, Życie Regionów, Trojmiasto.pl and Telewizja Gdańsk.

43rd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia will be held 17-22 September