Just like in previous years, the most important part of the festival will be the NEW HORIZONS International Competition including 18 films, which have not been screened in Poland yet, carefully selected from among hundreds of features shown at international festivals and film markets. One of them will receive the GRAND PRIX – the main prize at the festival, awarded according the audience’s opinion.

When considering the competition’s form, the organisers started with the question: in the cinema of the 21^st century is there a place for directors who oppose fashion, for individualists of their own style and inimitable language? Films in this competition also arouse extreme emotions, evoking delight or protests – they are unforgettable. The way the competition propositions are welcome and audiences’ ardent reactions convince us every year anew that this is the cinema spectators are waiting for.

So far among the winners there were both sublime works by recognised directors (Japanese Dolls / Dooruzu by Takeshi Kitano in 2003) and congenial iconoclastic debuts (Chilean The Sacred Family / La sagrada familia by Sebastian Campos, 2006); both chamber dramas (A Common Thread / Brodeuses by Eléonore Faucher, France 2004) and eccentric independent productions (Tarnation by Jonathan Caouette, USA 2005). Last year’s winner was the Israeli-French film Potosi: The Journey / Potosi, le temps du voyage by Ron Havilio – a subtle, but very personal film journey back to origins. The festival audience proved once again that it is not afraid of bold choices.

 

This year among the films selected for the competition are a German documentary Jesus Christ Saviour (Jesus Christus Erlöser) by Peter Geyer – a recording of a performance by the legendary Klaus Kinski, a Spanish film En la ciudad de Sylvia - a subtle reflection on time by José Luis Guerín, Eat, for This is My Body (Mange, ceci est mon corps)- a revelation of Toronto and Rotterdam festivals directed by the Haitian Michelange Quay and My Winnipeg, directed by Canadian, Guy Maddin, well-known to the festival audience.