Welcome to the official website of
THE 5th edition of
WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 2007

The 5th edition of WJFF`07 will take place from 8th to 13th of November, 2007 in SILVER SCREEN PULAWSKA & ILUZJON CINEMAS in Warsaw, Poland.

The 5th edition is dedicated to Mr. Andrzej Wajda, whose film retrospective is going to take place during the 5th edition 2007. The latest masterpiece of Mr. Wajda KATYN will be shown during the Opening Ceremony. This year`s honorary David Camera 2007 will be given to Mr. Andrzej Wajda as special acknowledgment of his lifetime achievement and master`s approach to film art, which has become fundamental for the Polish and world cinematography.

The Closing Awarding Ceremony is going to take place in the Iluzjon cinema on 13th of November, 8:00 p.m. After the Ceremony Andre Ochodlo`s concert is taking place.

Some examples of our prizes:

Grand Prix of the Festival:
2500 Euro founded by Mr. Andrzej Urbanski, President of TVP

The Best Documentary Feature category: The 1st David Camera Award:
1750 Euro founded by TVP Kultura

The Best Short Fition Film Category: The 1st David Camera Award:
1500 Euro funded by Ms. Agnieszka Odorowicz, Director of the Polish Film Institute

Master Andrzej Wajda

Andrzej Wajda is a film and theatre director, screenwriter and set designer. He was born on the 6th of March 1926 in Suwałki. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and film direction at the National Film School in Lodz (graduated in 1960). In the years 1972-83 he was the head of the `X` Film Group, in the years 1978-83 the principal of the Polish Filmmakers Association. In the years 1978-81 he was the chairman of the Polish Federation of DKF`s (Film Clubs), later he became its honorary chairman. In 1977 he became honorary member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP) and in 1989 of the Cinematography Committee.
In 2002 he founded Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing in Warsaw. He was awarded Honorary Oscar and offered honorary membership of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the European Film Academy. The Universities of Washington, Bologna, Lyon, Brussels and Cracow awarded him an honorary doctorate. He was conferred the Polonia Restituta Order twice, he also received the Cyril and Methodius Order.
As theatre director he was particularly connected to the Old Theatre in Cracow. In the years 1989-90 he was the principal of the Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw. He initiated establishing of the Museum of Japanese Art and Technology "Manggha" in Cracow and donated the Kyoto Award he had been awarded in 1987 to the museum, so that it could open in 1994.
In 1988 together with Lech Wałęsa he became member of the Citizens’ Committee and was chairman of the Culture and Mass Media Commission. In the years 1989-91 he was Polish senator.

More info about idea:

For a few years now, our Festival has been building bridges through my filmmaker`s activity, which I have been attempting to use in creating interpersonal relations for over ten years. This has earned our Festival much interest in Poland and abroad.

The 2007 edition is particularly important for us due to the premiere of KATYŃ, as Katyń has become a symbol for all of us - this is where also Poles of the Jewish faith in the Polish Army and Police were murdered. The Chief Chaplain of the Polish Army, major rabbi Baruch Steinberg, hero of the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920, suffered the same fate as over ten thousand of his comrades, murdered by NKVD.

The Jewish culture in Poland has been an intrinsic element of Polish culture for a few centuries now, enriching it and contributing to the development of our national values. This is why my building bridges is so essential for our country. Bridges between the Polish and the Jewish-Polish communities abroad are just as important as bridges between Poles of different faiths and identities in our country. Thus I am certain of the genuine need for our mission, which gains interest in Poland and abroad. Our means of conveying ideas - film-is one of the most universal ways of communication in the world, allowing to move to other places and share various emotions.Therefore the motion picture arts and sciences are so important for me and others, who love festival films.

We have been the only festival in Poland whose film awarded the first prize in 2006 was three months later awarded Oscar 2007 in the same category. This is another reason why we have become a most highly regarded festival. Furthermore, our uniqueness is signified by the fact that representatives of Israel and Palestine held peace negotiations after the screening of Palestinian films during the last year`s edition of our Festival. Since 2005, an essential and regular element of the Festival programme have been film series dedicated to the Memory of John Paul II`s Dialogue with Jews; among them there were films sent by TV VATICANA.

You are most welcome!

Daniel Strehlau
Sincerely,
Daniel Strehlau
Festival Director
E-mail:
warsawjff@wjff.pl
mediawjff@wjff.pl
The Windows Film Studio
President of
The Foundation for the Development of Jewish Culture in PL David Camera

Add: P.O.B. 537, 00-950 Warsaw # 1, PL