Jewish Motifs International Film Festival

Jewish Motifs International Film Festival (Polish: Międzynarodowy Festiwal Filmowy Żydowskie Motywy) is a major Jewish-themed film festival held annually in Warsaw, Poland. The festival has been held every year since 2004.

Jewish Motifs International Film Festival
Opening filmMarek Edelman …And There Was Love In The Ghetto
LocationWarsaw, Poland
Founded2003
AwardsWarsaw Phoenix
Directed byMirek Chojecki- director, Magdalena Łazarkiewicz - art director
Hosted byJewish Motifs Association
Festival datein 2019: 11–15 September (usually April/May)
LanguagePolish
English
WebsiteJewishMotifs.org.pl

"The biggest European festival focused on Jewish themes in contemporary cinematography"—according to the Polish Embassy in Bern.[1]

The 15th edition is scheduled to take place in mid-September 2019. Initially the Festival dates were around the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising that is why the precise dates are changing but always in same season (usually in April), since 2016 the festival takes place in late May. In September an exceptional change in dates occurred and Festival was moved for September.

Idea
Muranów Cinema in Muranów, Warsaw

The festival organizers declare as the aim and objectives:[2]

  • raising awareness on subjects related to "Jewish identity and experience throughout history, to the preservation of Jewish culture and tradition as a source of Judeo-Christian civilization – through the art of cinema";[3]
  • promote films on Jewish culture "to reach the young audience who is confronted today with the complex problems of our times, such as terrorism, intolerance and hatred";[3]
  • "Through artistic expression in the form of films we want to find ways of communicating with all religious, national and cultural communities in order to better know each other and better understand their diverse motives."[3] especially when emphasizing common elements.
  • "Present non-profit productions, pioneer or seeking new ways of expression, which do not clash with the universal requirement of truth in artistic work."[3]

Special focus of the festival films is on those produced in the Central-Eastern European region. Active participation of the audience is specialty of the festival, which organizes direct meetings with the film directors after each screening. Organizers and other experts participate also in the debates and meetings accompanying the shows and post-festival shows, which gives them opportunity for direct interaction. That is why the festival is often described as direct networking meeting and not the festival of red carpets.

The festival partners with other similar Jewish film festivals in Brighton, Vienna and Stockholm.[4]

History

The Festival was organized for the first time in 2004.

According to its director, Mirek Chojecki, it was supposed to be one-time event aiming in presenting tradition of the Jewish cinema, from pre-war Yiddish movies made in Poland up to modern cinema of the 21st century. The festival received such positive attention both from international guests and Polish local audience that at the closing ceremony Chojecki said "see you next year" and this promise he keeps continuing. The "Jewish Motifs" festival became an annual event[5] but only since 2004 as International Film Festival ("Jewish Motifs" International Film Festival).[6][7]

Traditionally the opening and closing ceremonies are led by Andrzej Wajda (Polish film director) and (Polish-Jewish writer) Józef Hen.

Date

From the beginning, the festival has taken place regularly in Spring, around the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943 – which is celebrated as according to the Hebrew (not Julian) calendar.

Festival's edition Year Festival dates
1 2004 18-27 April[8]
2 2005 19–24 May
3 2006 11–16 May
4 2007 5–10 May
5 2008 22–27 April
6 2009 28 April – 3 May
7 2010 20–25 April
- 2011 (this year festival has not happened)
8 2012 25–29 April[9]
9 2013 24–28 April[10][11][12]
10 2014 23–27 April[13]
11 2015 8–10 May
12 2016 18–22 May
13 2017 24–28 May[14]
14 2018 23–27 May[15][16][17][18]
15 2019 11-15 September[19]

"Jewish Motifs" Association
"Jewish Motifs" Association
Formation2004
Headquartersul. Wilcza 12C, PL 00-532 Warsaw, Poland
Official language
Polish
President
Ewa Szprynger
WebsiteJewish Motifs Association

In 2004 the group of organizers of first event has founded The Jewish Motifs Association[20] which is a nonprofit organization responsible for organizing further editions of the festival. The Association organizes also post-festival shows and promotes festival movies at the other cultural events in Poland.

Program

The program consists of the following sections: feature, documentary, experimental, animation, short.[21][22]

All the films presented, regardless of the competitive or non-competitive category, are eligible for the Audience Award.

Different educational aspect is learning-through-participation: volunteership and internship program offered by the festival. Each year there were from 15 to 80 participants of volunteer and internship program editions.

In 2018, at its 14th edition, the Festival organized a Masterclass workshop in film making led by Israeli document films director and producer Barak Heymann.

Each year the festival is also accompanied by additional events: from kosher cuisine cooking workshops to expert debates on recent topics.

Guest of Honor

Juries
  • 2004: Miron Chernyenko, Michael Handelzalts, Kurt Weber, Leo Kantor, Edward Zebrowski.
  • 2005: Akos Engelmayer, Aryeh Golan-Skornik, Włodek Goldkorn, Sławomir Grunberg, Tadeusz Lubelski.
  • 2006: Izabela Cywińska, Aleksander Jochwed, Dmitriy Kabakow, Marek Rozenbaum, Witold Stok.
  • 2007: Alona Frankel, Peter Fudakowski, Peter Mostovoy, Yoram Golan, Aleksander Kwiatkowski.
  • 2008: Ewa Kuryluk, Tomasz Jastrun, Haim Schreiber, Andrzej Titkow, Aleksander Gutman.
  • 2009: Andrzej Wolski, Tadeusz Sobolewski, Vita Żelakeviciute, Wanda Kościa-Rostowska, Yossi Wein.
  • 2010: Irina Rubanova, Petruška Šustrova, Barbara Hollender, Ami Drozd, Ludwik Lewin.
  • 2011: n/a
  • 2012: Benjamin Freidenberg, Tatiana Kosinowa, Gabriele Lesser, Lukáš Přibyl, Andrzej Titkow.
  • 2013: Alexandra Szacka, Danae Elon, Jacek Blawut, Olena Babiy, Rafal Listopad.
  • 2014: Alon Garbuz, Łukasz Gutt, Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, Michał Bregant, Paweł Felis.
  • 2015: Borys Lankosz, Magdalena Łazarkiewicz, Jacek Petrycki.
  • 2016: Anna Kazejak, Paweł Łoziński, Łukasz Maciejewski.
  • 2017: Joanna Kos-Krauze, fr Andrzej Luter, Anna Zamecka
  • 2018: Beata Chmiel, Andrzej Jakimowski, Adam Bajerski.
  • 2019: Beata Chmiel, Cezary Harasimowicz, Natalia Koryncka-Gruz.

Award winners

Awards are in several categories:

  • Warsaw Phoenix:
    • Golden Warsaw Phoenix (Grand Prix)[24]
      • Warsaw Phoenix
        • for the best feature film,
        • for the best documentary film,
        • for the best experimental film / best short;
  • Audience Award (since 2005);
  • special awards:
    • The Ger Mandolin Orchestra Award (awarded in the years 2010 - 2016),
    • Antoni Marianowicz Award for the best Polish film (funded by Association of Authors ZAiKS),
    • Award funded by the Jewish Community of Warsaw for the best presentation of contemporary Jewish life in film.

Golden Warsaw Phoenix (Grand Prix)
YearFilmOriginal TitleDirectorCountry
2004 Hiding and SeekingOren Rudavsky, Menachem Daum Israel
2005 RosenstrasseMargarethe von Trotta Germany
2006 Portrait PhotographerPortrecistaIreneusz Dobrowolski Poland
2007 I only wanted to liveMimmo Calopresti Italy
2008 To Die in JerusalemHilla Medalia Israel
2009 Po-linJolanta Dylewska Poland
2010 The Gift to StalinRustem Abdrashov Kazakhstan
2011
2012 KonserwatorBoker tov adon FidelmanYossi Madmony Israel
2013 The FlatArnon Goldfinger Israel
2014 Soldier on the RoofEsther Hertog Israel
2015 Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz  Israel
2016 The Kozalchic Affair Roni Ninio  Israel
2017 Bogdan's Journey Przy Planty 7/9 Michał Jaskulski, Lawrence Loewinger  Poland
2018 Scarred Hearts Radu Jude  Romania  Germany
2019 Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life Tomer Heymann  Germany,  Israel

Warsaw Phoenix for the best feature film
YearFilmOriginal TitleDirectorCountry
2005 silver statuette: Only Human Seres queridos Teresa De Pelegri, Dominic Harrari  Spain  Argentina
2013 When Day BreaksGoran Paskaljević Serbia
2014 YouthTom Shoval Israel
2016 Deamon Demon Marcin Wrona  Poland
2017 One Week and A Day שבוע ויום Asaph Polonsky  Israel
2018 Scaffolding Matan Yair  Israel
2019 Longing געגוע Savi Gabizon  Israel

Warsaw Phoenix for the best documentary film
YearFilmOriginal TitleDirectorCountry
2005 silver statuette: Behind the enemy lines Dov Gil-Har  Israel
2005 bronze statuette: No. 17 No. 17 David Ofek  Israel
2005 bronze statuette: L'Chayim, Comrade Stalin! Yale Strom  United States
2013 Hitler’s ChildrenChanoch Ze’evi Israel
2014 Ponevezh TimeYehonatan Indursky Israel
2015 Border Living Ronit Ifergan  Israel
2015 My Arab Friend Noga Nezer  Israel
2016 The Bentwich Syndrome Gur Bentwich  Israel
2017 Winding Avi Belkin  Israel
2018 The Impure Daniel Najenson  Israel  Argentina
2019 Granny Project Bálint Révész  Hungary,  United Kingdom

Warsaw Phoenix for the best short film
YearFilmOriginal TitleDirectorCountry
2005 The Spoon of Life Łyżeczka życia Michał Nekanda-Trepka  Poland
2013 Catherine the GreatAnna Kuntsman Israel
2015 Ischler Atilla Hartung Hungary
2016 Women in Sink Iris Zaki  Israel
2017 Transfer Michael Grudsky  Israel
2018 An Average Story Yaniv Segalovich  Israel
2019 Vanity of Vanities Alexey Shelmanov, Alexey Turkus  Russia

Audience award
YearFilmOriginal TitleDirectorCountry
2005 No. 17No. 17David Ofek Israel
2006 Portrait PhotographerPortrecistaIreneusz Dobrowolski Poland
2007 More Than 1000 WordsSolo Avital Israel
2008 SouvenirsShahar Cohen, Halil Efrat Israel
2009 UnsettledAdam Hootnick Israel
2010 8 stories, that has not changed the world8 historii, które nie zmieniły świataIvo Krankowski Poland
2011
2012 Blinky & MeKrakowiaczek ci ja… Tomasz Magierski Poland
2013 Hava NagilaRoberta Grossman Israel
2014 Dancing in JaffaHilla Medalia Israel
2015 In Silence V tichu Zdeněk Jiráský  Czech Republic
2016 Kapo in Jerusalem Uri Barbash  Israel
2017 Bogdan's Journey Przy Planty 7/9 Michał Jaskulski, Lawrence Loewinger  Poland
2018 1945 Ferenc Török  Hungary
2019 The Other Story סיפור אחר Avi Nesher  Israel

See also

References
  1. "The 9th edition of the JEWISH MOTIFS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will take place in Warsaw on 24–28 April, 2013". 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2014-07-17.
  2. "Festival Rules" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-06-16.
  3. "The Festival Idea". Retrieved 2014-06-16.
  4. "Jewish Motifs International Film Festival". In Your Pocket: Essential City Guides. Archived from the original on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  5. "Motif film festival kicks off in Warsaw – The First News". www.thefirstnews.com. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  6. Himka, John-Paul; Michlic, Joanna Beata (2013). Bringing the Dark Past to Light: The Reception of the Holocaust in Postcommunist Europe. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. p. 428. ISBN 9780803225442.
  7. Haltof, Marek (2012). Polish Film and the Holocaust: Politics and Memory. Berghahn Books. p. 228. ISBN 9780857453563.
  8. "2004 – 15. Jewish Motifs Intl. Film Festival". 2018-12-27. Archived from the original on 2018-12-27. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  9. "The Jewish Motifs Film Festival". Polska. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  10. "Cinema: Jewish Motifs Film Festival". Polish Institute Tel Aviv. Polish Institute Tel Aviv. Archived from the original on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-07-17.
  11. "Warsaw hosts Jewish Motifs Film Festival". The News – Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy. nh. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  12. "Take part in the Jewish Motifs International Film Festival". Virtual Shtetl. Museum of History of Polish Jews. 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  13. "Winners of the Jewish Motifs Film Festival 2014". PolishHistory.pl Portal Historyczny. 2014-04-29. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  14. "Aktualności 2016". Archived from the original on 2016-10-16.
  15. "Warsaw hosts Jewish Motifs film festival - European Jewish Congress". European Jewish Congress. 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  16. "Polish capital hosts Jewish Motifs film festival". Polskie Radio dla Zagranicy. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  17. "Jewish Motifs Film Festival starts in Warsaw". Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  18. "Polish capital hosts Jewish Motifs film festival". EasyBranches. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  19. "Call for Submissions". Jewish Motifs IFF. Archived from the original on 2018-12-27. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  20. "STOWARZYSZENIE ŻYDOWSKIE MOTYWY (KRS: 0000221237, NIP: 5262823202, REGON: 015881931)". KRS online. Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy online. Archived from the original on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2014-07-17.
  21. "DOKweb".
  22. "Jewish Motifs International Film Festival". Film Festivals' Portal. FilmFestivals.com. Retrieved 2014-07-17.
  23. "Żydowskie Motywy po raz 10".
  24. "MFF "Żydowskie Motywy" Międzynarodowy Festiwal Filmowy "Żydowskie Motywy" w Warszawie , Złoty Warszawski Feniks". Filmweb.pl. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
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