16th Warsaw International Film Festival
May 15, 2008
5-16.10.2000
cinemas: Bajka, Capitol, Relax, Skarpa
number of admissions: 53,000
Audience Award Winner: "Samotari" (Loners) by David Ondricek, Czech Republic
“International” is added to the event’s name.
A couple of months before the Festival our main sponsor discontinues collaboration without giving a reason. Shortly afterwards we sign a new sponsorship agreement with Bols Sports & Travel. MTV, newly established in Poland, joins the sponsors of WIFF.
European Film Academy becomes a patron of the Europa Europa section. Academy’s Chairman Nik Powell visits Warsaw, where in a couple of years the European Film Awards ceremony may take place.
“Summer or 27 Missing Kisses” by Nana Djordjadze for the opening, Director present.
Otar Iosseliani ateends his retrospective.
The festival guests are Volker Schloendorff, Baltasar Kormakur ("101 Reykjavik"), Vinko Bresan ("Marsal"), Evgeny Tsymbal ("Ordinary Bolshevism "), Roman Kachanov ("DMB").
Grzegorz Lipiec prezents "Że życie ma sens" (That Life Has Meaning), the cheapest feature film in the Festival’s history, shot for approx. $1,000.
Enthusiastic reception of “Loners” by David Ondricek. The first ovation starts already during the film, when the director and star Jiri Machacek return to the screening hall. A couple of months after the Festival Machacek will appear on TV screens around the world as a frontman of the Prague “TV revolution”.
First edition of Warsaw Screenings (October 13-15), where programmers of Cannes, Berlin, Moscow, Venice, Rotterdam and other festivals watch selected Polish films with English subtitles. Among them: "Cześć, Tereska" (Hi, Tereska) by Robert Gliński, "Daleko od okna" (Far From The Window) by Jan Jakub Kolski, and "Szczęśliwy człowiek" (Happy Man) by Małgorzata Szumowska. The Berlinale delegate watches "Weiser" by Wojciech Marczewski at the secret screening – the film will be presented in Competition.
"Szczęśliwy człowiek" (Happy Man) by Małgorzata Szumowska for the closing. Beginning of the international career of the young lady director. Shortly afterwards she will be awarded at Thessaloniki, and later will present her film at Rotterdam, Göteborg, San Francisco, Karlovy Vary, Jerusalem, London, etc., etc.
