The 23rd CINEMAFORUM is now history. On Sunday evening, the winners of the Main Competition and the laureates of the Jan Machulski Awards were announced.
On 27th October, at the Atlantic Cinema in Warsaw, the gala ceremony of the 23rd CINEMAFORUM – Short Film Festival took place. It was an extraordinary opportunity not only to announce the verdict of the Jury and the Awards Jury, but also to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Jan Machulski Awards. The jubilee of this prestigious award for young filmmakers inspired the organisers to prepare several special events that highlighted the event and attracted many notable guests from the film industry. The gala marked the end of a very intense week, during which audiences had the chance to see the best short films of the last season from around the world and participate in meetings with filmmakers, lectures, workshops, and debates.
SAID OF A DEER THAT SHED ITS ANTLERS wins Main Competition GRAND PRIX
The Grand Prix of the International Short Film Competition was awarded to the Belgian production SAID OF A DEER THAT SHED ITS ANTLERS, directed by Salomé Crickx. The members of the Jury: Janusz Zaorski (Chairman), Kamila Urzędowska, Mirella Zaradkiewicz and Michał A. Zieliński awarded the film for a highly original combination of horror, black comedy and the macabre; for a cunning tale of generational replacement.
The Honourable Mention went to Guilhermo Daniel for the film APPLAUSE. The Jury elaborated: “for depicting the timeless threat of totalitarian systems in an original film form”.
The Spanish film THE MASTERPIECE, directed by Àlex Lora Cercós, won the hearts of the festival’s audience. The Audience Award was received by the film’s producer and co-writer, Lluis Quilez, on his behalf.
The Twentieth Jan Machulski Awards
The 20th anniversary of the Jan Machulski Awards lent an extraordinary character to the ceremony. The management of the FILMFORUM Association seized the moment to officially thank their partners for years of cooperation and to grant a Special Award for merits in film education, which went to Michał Grosiak. The culture animator, film educator and originator of KAMERALNE LATO, who has been active in the FILMFORUM Association for 15 years, accepted the award, visibly moved.
The other Awards were traditionally granted by the Jury, which this year comprised as many as seven people: Wojciech Jagiełło – editor, board member of PSM (Polish Association of Editors), Karina Kleszczewska – cinematographer, co-chair of PSC (Polish Society of Cinematographers), Grzegorz Milczarczyk – film, television, theatre actor, director, vocalist, teacher, Paulina Pachulska-Wojdak – director of OKFA (Ogólnopolski Konkurs Filmów Amatorskich im. Prof. Henryka Kluby), Wojciech Solarz – theatre, film actor and comedian, Michał Szcześniak – writer and director, member of the Central Board of the Polish Filmmakers Association, and Karolina Węglorz-Zima – writer and director, laureate of the 2023 Jan Machulski Award for Best Film.
Laureates of the 20th Jan Machulski Awards:
>>> Best Film:
Bartosz Stankiewicz for directing, Julia Jakubiec and Maciej Wąsiel for producing MISIE POLARNE.
The financial award for the director was funded by the Polish Filmmakers Association. The award for the producers was funded by the Polish Film Institute.
>>> Best Director:
Mariusz Rusiński for MOJA SIOSTRA.
The financial award was funded by the Polish Filmmakers Association.
>>> Best Writer:
Hubert Patynowski for WSPANIAŁE KILKA MINUT, directed by Hubert Patynowski.
The financial award was funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, through the Culture Promotion Fund.
>>> Best Cinematography:
Zuzanna Zachara-Hassairi for LIOSZA, directed by Miłosz Sawicki.
The financial award was funded by PSC (Polish Society of Cinematographers).
>>> Best Editing:
Karol Piasecki for MISIE POLARNE, directed by Bartosz Stankiewicz.
The financial award was funded by the Polish Association of Editors (PSM).
>>> Best Actress:
Helena Rząsa for DOM LALKI, directed by Magda Matwijow.
The financial award was funded by the FILMFORUM Association.
>>> Best Actor:
Marcin Cieślikowski for MISIE POLARNE, directed by Bartosz Stankiewicz.
The financial award was funded by the FILMFORUM Association.
>> Best Documentary Film:
MOJA SIOSTRA, directed by Mariusz Rusiński.
The financial award was funded by the Society of Authors ZAiKS.
>>> Best Animated Film:
SAFARI CLUB, directed by Zuzanna Szyszak.
The financial award was funded by the Society of Authors ZAiKS.
The Jury also decided to award an honourable mention to Stanisław Cuske for cinematography in the film POCZTÓWKI ZNAD KRAWĘDZI.
>>>
The festival is organised by the FILMFORUM Association.
The project was financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, from the Culture Promotion Fund, and the funds of the Capital City of Warsaw. The festival is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
The main object of the festival is the Atlantic Cinema in Warsaw.
The main partner of the festival is the Wajda Film Centre.
The program partners of the festival are Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission, Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury, American Film Festival, British Council and the Kutaisi International Short Film Festival. The technological partner of the festival is BEIKS Machulski.
>>>
The Jan Machulski Awards are organised by the FILMFORUM Association.
The project was financed from the Culture Promotion Fund of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
The project is co-financed by Polish Film Institute.
The industry partners of the Jan Machulski Awards are Polish Filmmakers Association, Society of Authors ZAIKS, Polish Association of Editors PSM and PSC – Polish Society of Cinematographers.
Partners of the jubilee edition of the Jan Machulski Awards are Łódź Film School, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Munk Studio within the Polish Filmmakers Association.
Partner festivals:
- Offeliada Film Festival in Gniezno
- International Film Festival ZOOM – ZBLIŻENIA in Jelenia Góra
- O!Pla – Ogólnopolski NIezależny Festiwal Animacji
- Ogólnopolski Konkurs Filmów Niezależnych im. prof. Henryka Kluby OKFA in Konin
- FREEDOM Film Festival in Radom
- Solanin Film Festiwal in Nowa Sól
- WAMA Film Festival in Olsztyn
- CINEMAFORUM – Short Film Festival in Warsaw