Rules and Regulations

 

THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
OF THE 49TH POLISH FILM FESTIVAL

as approved by the Organising Committee on 18th April 2024

§ 1.

  1. Polish Film Festival, hereinafter called “the Festival”, is an all-Poland event that constitutes a review and competition of the best Polish cinema feature films in the previous year.
  2. The Festival presents all film genres. Artistic value and professional production are the basic criteria of selecting films for the competition.
  3. The aim of the Festival is to promote Polish film art in Poland and abroad and to award the best feature films and their makers.
  4. The Organising Committee and the Directors of the Festival supervise the programme, the selection of films for the Main Competition and other sections as well as the rules and regulations and organisation of the Festival.
  5. The Festival is held every year in Gdynia on the dates established by the Organising Committee.

§ 2.

  1. The Organising Committee supervises the organisation and content-related preparation of the Festival.
  2. The Organising Committee comprises:
    a) the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage,
    b) the Polish Film Institute,
    c) the Polish Filmmakers Association,
    d) the Municipality of the Pomerania Province,
    e) the City of Gdynia,
    hereinafter called “the Organisers”,
    and the Co-organisers and the Directors of the Festival.
  3. The Co-organisers of the Festival are:
    a)Telewizja Polska SA,
    b) Adam Mickiewicz Institute,
    c) National Centre for Culture,
    d) other partners of the Festival proposed by a member of the Organising Committee and accepted by the majority of the Organisers.
  4. Each Organiser and Co-organiser delegates one representative for the works of the Organising Committee.
  5. The works of the Organising Committee are led by the Chairperson, who is elected by the members of the Organising Committee, in an open vote by an absolute majority of votes. The Chairperson is then appointed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage at the request of the Organising Committee. If the Chairperson cannot supervise the works of the Organising Committee, they delegate the authority to a member of the Organising Committee.
  6. The competencies of the Organising Committee are as follows:
    a) announcing the competition for the position of Artistic Director,
    b) approving members of the Competition Committee selected by the Festival’s Programme Council,
    c) approving the composition of the Jury of the Main Competition, the Perspectives Competition, the Short Film Competition, and the Award for directing debut or second film, at the request of Artistic Director,
    d) approving the Festival programme, budget and media patrons,
    e) participating in the process of qualifying films for the Main Competition in compliance with the rules stipulated in §7,
    f) approving out-of-competition Festival events of high media profile, especially celebratory film screenings.
  7. The Organising Committee makes decisions in the form of resolutions passed by an absolute majority of votes. Each member of the Organising Committee, subject to point 7.1, casts one vote. In case of equal distribution of votes, the Chairperson of the Committee has the casting vote.
    7.1 The Directors of the Festival have two votes. Artistic Director of the Festival casts one vote, provided that it is the right to vote only in matters subject to a vote at a request of a member of the Organising Committee other than the Artistic Director, and the Director of the Festival casts one vote.
  8. All members of the Organising Committee have access to resolution drafts via e-mail or in writing.
  9. A resolution is passed if at least 50% of members of the Organising Committee plus one are present at the meeting.
  10. Under special circumstances, the Organising Committee may pass a resolution by circulation, without a meeting. Such a resolution is valid if at least 50% of members of the Organising Committee plus one participated in an on-line voting held for no longer than 5 working days. The Chairperson or the Organising Committee confirms the passing of the resolution by signature.
  11. The Organisers and Co-organisers invite to participate in the organisation of the Festival other, domestic or foreign, state, community and private entities that wish to make a material or financial contribution to the preparation and implementation of the Festival.

§ 3.

  1. The Honorary Committee of the Festival comprises:
    a) the Minister of Culture and National Heritage – the Chairperson of the Honorary Committee,
    b) the Representative of the Honorary Guest Country at the Festival,
    c) the Marshal of the Pomerania Province,
    d) the Mayor of the City of Gdynia,
    e) the President of the Polish Filmmakers Association,
    f) the representatives of the Co-organisers,
    g) other eminent public figures.
  2. The Chairperson of the Honorary Committee of the Festival applies to the high representatives of the State for the patronage over the Festival.

§ 4.

  1. The producer of the Festival is the Pomeranian Film Foundation in Gdynia.
  2. The works related to the preparation and course of the Festival are coordinated by the Directors of the Polish Film Festival.
  3. The Directors of the Festival are:
    a) the Director of the Festival,
    b) The Artistic Director of the Festival
  4. The Directors of the Festival are appointed for a 3-year term at the request of the Organising Committee and dismissed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
  5. The Organising Committee applies to the Minister of Culture and National Heritage to appoint the Director by resolution passed by a simple majority of votes. The resolution should include the justification for the choice of the candidate.
  6. Artistic Director is selected in the competition announced by the Organising Committee, in accordance with the publicly available rules and regulations accepted by the Committee.
  7. The Chairperson of the Programme Council invites 7 members selected by the Programme Council, as stipulated in §5, points 5–6, from among the winners of the Golden and Silver Lions to join the Competition Committee responsible for the selection of Artistic Director.
  8. The method of remunerating the Directors of the Festival is determined by the Organising Committee.
  9. Every year, after the closing of the Festival, the Director of the Festival hands in a written report to the Organising Committee. If the report is rejected, the Committee may put forward a motion to the Minister of Culture and National Heritage to dismiss the Director of the Festival with a justification.
  10. Every year, after the closing of the Festival, Artistic Director hands in a written report of his work to the Organising Committee and the Chairperson of the Programme Council. If the report is rejected by the Organising Committee, having consulted the negative decision with the Chairperson of the Programme Council, the Committee may put forward a motion to the Minister of Culture and National Heritage to dismiss Artistic Director with a justification.

§ 5.

  1. The Programme Council of the Festival comprises renowned Polish filmmakers representing various film professions, aesthetics and generations. New members are invited by the Organising Committee after consultation with the Chairperson of the Programme Council. The current list of members is available on the Festival website.
  2. As an advisory body to the Directors of the Festival and Organising Committee, the Programme Council of the Festival provides opinion on the content-related preparations for the Festival.
  3. The Chairperson of the Council is selected for a 3-year term by the Council members in an open vote, by a simple majority of votes, as stipulated in points 5–6 below. Kadencja Przewodniczącego Rady trwa 3 lata.
  4. Each year, the Organising Committee invites the recent winners of the Golden Lions, the Silver Lions and the Golden Claw to join the Programme Council.
  5. The Programme Council makes decisions in the form of resolutions passed by an absolute majority of votes in an open vote during Council meetings organised by the Chairperson of the Committee. Each member of the Council has one vote.
  6. Under special circumstances, the Programme Council may pass a resolution by circulation, on-line, without a meeting. Such a resolution is valid if at least 50% of members of the Committee participated in voting held for no longer than 5 working days.
  7. The competencies of the Programme Council are as follows:
    a) nominating the Competition Committee that selects Artistic Director,
    b) suggesting artistic events to include in the Festival programme,
    c) suggesting candidates for the lifetime achievement award – Platinum Lions, in consultation with the Polish Filmmakers Association,
    d) suggesting candidates for the Jury of the Main Competition,
    e) assisting in Festival promotion and shaping the external image of the Festival,
    f) making applications and suggestions concerning the organisation of the Festival,
    g) the right of its members to become appointed to the Selection Board.

§ 6.

  1. The Festival programme comprises:
    a) the Main Competition presenting full-length feature films,
    b) the Perspectives Competition presenting full-length feature films,
    c) the Short Film Competition presenting short film forms and graduation feature films of film school students as well as other short feature films,
    d) other out-of-competition sections and accompanying events proposed by the Directors of the Festival and approved by the Organising Committee.
  2. Artistic Director of the Festival proposes the composition of the Jury of the Main Competition (a maximum of 7 people), the Perspectives Competition (3 people), Awards for directing debut or second film (3 people) and the Short Film Competition (3 people), then approved by the Organising Committee. The members of the juries may be authors and representatives of film circles from Poland and abroad.
  3. As part of the Festival, Artistic Director is obliged to organise a discussion aimed at assessing the current state of Polish cinema and the attitudes, topics and aesthetics that define its shape.
  4. As part of the Festival, Artistic Director is obliged to create a meeting platform for filmmakers, providing conditions for discussion on key topics related to Polish cinematography.
  5. The Directors of the Festival invite interested entities to organise meetings and seminars, shows, exhibitions and other events as part of the Festival, serving the development of Polish film culture.
  6. In consultation with the Organising Committee, the Directors of the Festival decide on the dates and formula of awarding the prizes in the Main Competition, the Perspectives Competition and the Short Film Competition.

§ 7.

  1. No more than 16 films qualify for the Main Competition.
  2. Artistic Director, who may appoint the Selection Team as an advisory body, selects a maximum of 12 films for the Main Competition.
  3. The Selection Team may consist of a maximum of 5 people.
  4. The list of films qualified by Artistic Director is final. Its composition is made public immediately after it is received by the Organising Committee together with films added to the Main Competition pursuant to item 5 below.
  5. The Organising Committee may add a maximum of 4 films to the Main Competition.
  6. No more than 8 films qualify for the Perspectives Competition.
  7. Artistic Director selects films for the Perspectives Competition from the titles submitted to the festival and not qualified for the Main Competition. Artistic Director may appoint the Qualification Team of a maximum of 3 people, whose recommendation may support the selection.
  8. Artistic Director selects films for the Short Film Competition. Artistic Director may appoint the Qualification Team of a maximum of 3 people, whose recommendation may support the selection.

§ 8.

  1. The Schedule of Works on the 49th PFF is appended to the Rules and Regulations. Its key point is the selection of competition films by Artistic Director (point 4 of the Schedule).
  2. In the event of failure to perform the tasks described in §8, point 1, within the time frame stipulated in the Schedule, these tasks will be carried out by the Organising Committee responsible for the organisation of the Festival.

§ 9.

  1. Eligible for the Main Competition and the Perspectives Competition are feature films produced in Poland between 1st September 2023 and 30th August 2024, which constitute a separate artistic whole, which minimal running time is 70 minutes, and which meet technical and artistic requirements for cinematic distribution. The films should be delivered for screening as DCPs.
  2. Eligible for the Short Film Competition are short films produced in Poland between 1st September 2023 and 30th August 2024. The films should be delivered for screening as DCPs (preferred), ProRes files or DNxHD files.
  3. Eligible for the Main Competition and the Perspectives Competition are films that meet at least one of the following requirements
    a. the leading producer is a Polish citizen who owns at least 51% of the author’s economic rights to the film, and their contribution accounts for at least 51% of the film budget.
    b. the director of the film is a Polish citizen, and the co-producer of the film is an entity with a seat on the territory of the Republic of Poland that owns at least 20% of the author’s economic rights to the film, and its contribution accounts for at least 20% of the film budget.
    c. the original language version of the film is Polish.
  4. Only films submitted in time and according to the rules defined in the Rules and Regulations, the Rules for Submitting Films to the Festival Competitions and the Technical Appendix thereto: the two documents approved annually by the Organising Committee at the request of the Director of the Festival, will be considered. Screening copies of Polish-language films submitted to the Main Competition must have English subtitles. If the dialogue track includes languages other than Polish, the applicant must cover the costs of translation and screening of Polish and English subtitles.
  5. Producers of films qualified for the Main Competition and the Perspectives Competition assume full legal and financial responsibility for them. They must not withdraw them from the Main Competition after 31st July 2024. Withdrawal of the film after this date is considered ineffective and has no legal consequences for the Festival.

§ 10.

  1. The awards in the Main Competition are granted by the Jury of the Main Competition.
  2. The Directors of the Festival participate in the deliberations of the Jury of the Main Competition without the right to vote.
  3. The Jury of the Main Competition grants awards: the Grand Award of the Polish Film Festival – Golden Lions and the Award of the Polish Film Festival – Silver Lions, taking into consideration the professional level of production and artistic value.
  4. The Jury of the Main Competition grants individual awards to filmmakers taking into consideration the following criteria:
    a. the filmmaker’s outstanding achievements in the film,
    b. the highest level of professionalism,
    c. complexity and level of difficulty in the artistic assignment,
    d. precision and force of the used means of expression.
  5. Awards in the Perspectives Competition are granted by the Jury of the Perspectives Competition.
  6. Award for the directing debut or second film is granted by the Jury of the Award for the directing debut or second film to one of the debut or second films presented in the Main Competition and the Perspectives Competition.
  7. The Artistic Director, taking into consideration the boldness of form and content, grants the Golden Claw to one the films presented in the Main Competition and the Perspectives Competition.
  8. Awards in the Short Film Competition are granted by the Jury of the Short Film Competition.

§ 11.

  1. The following awards* in the Main Competition are established:
    a) the Grand Award of the Polish Film Festival – Golden Lions and PLN 300,000 granted to the film’s producer and director (PLN 200,000 for the director and PLN 100,000 for the producer). The leading producer of the winning film is entitled to a subsidy from the Polish Film Institute of PLN 200,000 for the development of their next film or PLN 250,000 for a historical film.
    b) the Award of the Polish Film Festival – Silver Lions and PLN 150,000 granted to the film’s producer and director (PLN 100,000 for the director and PLN 50,000 for the producer). The leading producer of the winning film is entitled to a subsidy of PLN 200,000 from the Polish Film Institute for the development of their next film.
  2. In the Main Competition, the following individual awards* for filmmakers are established for:
    a) directing: PLN 30,000
    b) screenplay: PLN 25,000
    c) actress in a leading role: PLN 15,000
    d) actor in a leading role: PLN 15,000
    e) professional acting debut: PLN 15,000
    f) cinematography: PLN 15,000
    g) music: PLN 15,000
    h) art direction: PLN 15,000
    i) actress in a supporting role: PLN 15,000
    j) actor in a supporting role: PLN 15,000
    k) sound: PLN 15,000
    l) film editing: PLN 15,000
    m) costume design: PLN 15,000
    n) make-up: PLN 15,000
  3. The individual awards in the Main Competition should, above all, reflect the professionalism and significance of each filmmaker’s contribution.
  4. The following awards* are established for the Perspectives Competition:
    a) the PFF Sapphire Lions and PLN 50,000 granted to the producer and director (PLN 30,000 for the director, PLN 20,000 for the producer).
    b) Award for an outstanding artistic contribution and PLN 15,000 granted to the filmmaker (representative of film professions other than a director or producer), whose contribution to the final form of the film the jury considers outstanding.
  5. The following cross-section awards granted to films from both competitions presenting full-length feature films, pursuant to art 6(6) and (7) respectively, are established:
    a) Award for directing debut or second film: PLN 15,000
    b) the Golden Claw award and PLN 30,000 granted to the producer and director (PLN 20,000 for the director, PLN 10,000 for the producer).
  6. The following awards* in the Short Film Competition are established:
    a) best film: PLN 15,000
    b) special award: PLN 10,000
    c) special mention: PLN 5,000
  7. The Organising Committee of the Festival may grant the Award of the Polish Film Festival – Platinum Lions to a filmmaker for lifetime achievements. The winner of the award is proposed by the Programme Council in agreement with the Polish Filmmakers Association. The winner is presented with a statuette and PLN 30,000.
  8. Considering the generic and thematic variety of competition films, the Jury may broaden the scope of award categories. However, this should not cause an increase in the sum total provided for the competition awards. In exceptional cases, the Jury may refrain from granting an award in any of the above-mentioned categories with the exception of those detailed in §11, point 1a–c.
  9. The Organising Committee may decide to increase the sums of competition awards.
  10. The Audience Award of PLN 20,000 is granted by the Festival audience voting at Festival venues to the director of a film qualified for the Main Competition.

*  value before tax

§ 12.

  1. Films are submitted to the Main Competition, the Perspectives Competition and the Short Film Competition by their producers. Films for the Short Film Competition may also be submitted by film schools.
  2. The films are submitted according to the Rules for Submitting Films to the Festival Competitions announced annually by the Directors of the Festival.
  3. Applying for participation in the Festival means that the applicant accepts the Rules and Regulations and the Rules for Submitting Films to the Festival Competitions.

 

THE SCHEDULE OF WORKS ON THE 49TH POLISH FILM FESTIVAL

  1. Establishing the date of the 49th PFF by the Organising Committee: until 30th December 2023.
  2. Approval of the Rules and Regulations of the 49th PFF by the Organising Committee: until 14th April 2024.
  3. Deadline for submissions to the Main Competition, the Perspectives Competition and the Short Film Competition: until 31st May 2024 .
  4. Deadline for selection for the Main Competition and the Short Film Competition: until 15th July 2024.
  5. Deadline for selection for the Perspectives Competition and approval of the programme of the 49th PFF by the Organising Committee: until 31st July 2024.
  6. Selection of the Jury of the Main Competition, Jury of the Perspectives Competition and the Jury of the Short Film Competition: until 20th August 2024
  7. Opening Ceremony of the 49th PFF: 23rd September 2024
  8. Closing Ceremony of the 49th PFF: 28th September 2024
  9. Summary of the 49th PFF by the Organising Committee: until 30th November 2024

To download: Rules and Regulations of the 49th PFF