New version of the Jan Machulski Awards

The FILMFORUM Association introduced several important changes in the functioning of the Jan Machulski Awards. A certain chapter in the history of the venture ends – for 15 years the awards went to independent artists. From this year, the Awards are dedicated to short filmmakers, so films with a maximum screening time of up to 40 minutes can be nominated for the Awards.

The current “Off Film Academy” will be replaced by the Jan Machulski Award Committee. Recognized representatives of the film industry and industry media will traditionally be invited to participate in the Committee, but also nominating festivals will be able to delegate their representatives to the Committee. Winners of previous editions of the Jan Machulski Awards and people representing industry organizations will also be invited to the Committee, and the new regulations give the organizers the opportunity to set up an Honorary Committee for Jan Machulski Awards, consisting of representatives of institutions, companies and industry organizations involved in or supporting their awarding.

Another important change is the new formula of the most important Award – presented in the category “Best Film” (traditionally awarded to a film selected from among all nominated films). From 2020, the award in this category will be presented to both the director and the producer of the awarded film.

Also the membership of the Organizing Committee has been significantly expanded this year to include representatives of all festivals awarding nominations. The organizers’ goal is even greater involvement of partner festival organizers in the process of awarding Awards and mutual cooperation in the promotion of Polish short cinema.

Marta Karnkowska became the new curator of the Awards, who co-created the whole initiative, together with Jan Machulski himself.

The extended Awards Organizing Committee will include:

Marek Oleksy – Coordinator of the ZOOM-ZBLIŻENIA International Film Festival,
Piotr Kardas – Coordinator of the O!PLA Polish Animation Festival,
Tomasz Żółtowski – Artistic Director of the Gdańsk DocFilm Festival,
Karolina Adamczyk – Director of National Film Meetings KAMERALNE LATO,
Konrad Paszkowski – Director of the Solanin Film Festival,
Marcin Kot Bastkowski – Director of the WAMA Film Festival,
Piotr Wiśniewski – Director of the OFFELIADA Film Festival,
Błażej Hrapkowicz – Director of CINEMAFORUM – International Short Film Forum,
Maciej Dominiak – Director of the FILMFORUM Association,
Marta Karnkowska – Curator of the Jan Machulski Awards
Dorota Kozłowska-Woźniak – Organizational Coordinator of the Jan Machulski Awards,
Piotr Simon – Member of the Organizing Committee for Logistics,
Marceli Zielnik – Member of the Organizational Committee for Technical Affairs,
Simone Lipińska – Secretary of the Organizing Committee.

We are very pleased that this year’s Jan Machulski Awards are supported by: the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, the Polish Filmmakers Association and the Polish Association of Polish Film Editors. KIPA – National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers took patronage over the Awards.