Warsaw Film Festival

Annual film festival held in Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw Film Festival (Polish: Warszawski Festiwal Filmowy; WFF), also known as Warsaw International Film Festival, is an annual international film festival held every October in Warsaw, Poland.^[1][2]

History

Palace of Culture and Science with a huge poster for Warsaw Film Festival

The festival has been held every year since 1985.^[3]

In 2008, it was recognised by FIAPF as an international competitive film festival.^[4]

Timeline

• 1985 – Film Discussion Club "Hybrydy" founds the festival, originally named Warsaw Film Week.^[5] Creator Roman Gutek becomes its first director
• 1991 – Stefan Laudyn becomes new director of the festival and name Warsaw Film Week changes to Warsaw Film Festival
• 1995 – organised by Warsaw Film Foundation for the first time
• 2000 – festival gets accreditation from FIAPF and changes its name to Warsaw International Film Festival.^[6]
• 2005 – for the first time, FIAPF jury gives special awards during Warsaw International Film Festival
• 2008 – FIAPF adds Warsaw Film Festival to its list of international festivals, accredited as a competitive film festival specialised in first and second features and films from Central and Eastern Europe^[4][7]

Description

The festival is host to the International Federation of Film Critics awards for enterprising filmmaking in Central Europe and beyond.^[8]

Programmes

The programme consists of the following sections:^{[citation needed]}

• The International Competition – premiering competition for international features
• 1–2 Competition – for 1st and 2nd feature films
• Free Spirit Competition – competition for independent, innovative, rebellious feature length fiction and documentary films from all over the world.
• Documentary Competition
• Shorts Competition – For narrative, documentary and animated shorts (up to 40 minutes) from all over the world. Winners are Academy Awards eligible.
• Special Screenings – non competitive section dedicated to acclaimed filmmakers from all over the world
• Discoveries
• Family Cinema Weekend

All the films presented, regardless of the section (competitive or non-competitive), are eligible for the Audience Award.^{[citation needed]}

Juries

• International Competition Jury
• The Competition 1–2 Jury
• Free Spirit Competition Jury
• Documentary Competition Jury
• Shorts Competition Jury
• Jury FIPRESCI
• Jury NETPAC
• Ecumenical jury – by SIGNIS

Award winners

International Competition winners

Grand Prix

References

1. "Main cultural events". Collegium Civitas. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
2. "Most important festivals in Warsaw". Residence St. Andrew's Palace. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
3. "History". WFF Official Website.
4. FIAPF Accredited Festivals Directory (PDF). FIAPF. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2015.
5. Frank, Alison (20 October 2013). "29th Warsaw Film Festival". fipresci.org. Retrieved 6 February 2024. It was created in 1985 as "Warsaw Film Week" in the framework of the intellectual opposition club "Hybrydy". In 1991, after the Polish State's full democratization, Stefan Laudyn took over as director of the "Warsaw Film Festival".
6. Kwiatkowski, Aleksander (16 August 2018). "A Fascinating (Pre-)History". fipresci.org. Retrieved 6 February 2024. In 2000 the festival got accreditation from FIAPF and changed its name again, into Warsaw International Film Festival.
7. Kozlov, Vladimir (7 October 2010). "Warsaw Int'l Film Festival comes of age". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
8. "Warsaw International Film Festival". Culture.pl. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
9. "Warsaw Film Festival". 16 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
10. "Warsaw Film Festival". 16 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
11. "Warsaw Film Festival". 16 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
12. "Warsaw Film Festival". 16 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
13. "22nd Warsaw International Film Festival - 2006". WFF Official Website.
14. "25th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2009". WFF Official Website.
15. "26th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2010". WFF Official Website.
16. "27th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2011". WFF Official Website.
17. "28th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2012". WFF Official Website.
18. "29th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2013". WFF Official Website.
19. "30th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2014". WFF Official Website.
20. "31st Warsaw International Film Festival - 2015". WFF Official Website.
21. "32nd Warsaw International Film Festival, Awards 2016". WFF Official Website.
22. "33rd Warsaw International Film Festival - 2017". WFF Official Website.
23. "34th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2018". WFF Official Website.
24. "35th Warsaw International Film Festival - 2019". WFF Official Website.
25. Warsaw International Film Festival:'Shindisi' Wins Grand Prix|Hollywood Reporter
26. "Awards of the 36th Warsaw International Film Festival". WFF Official Website.
27. "Awards of the 37th Warsaw International Film Festival". WFF Official Website.
28. "Awards of the 39th Warsaw International Film Festival". WFF Official Website. Retrieved 15 October 2023.

External links

• Official website