The 15th International Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival Niepokalanov 2000

Catholic Film Association of Maximilian Mary Kolbe

ul. Barska 2; 02-315 Warszawa, POLSKA   tel./fax (+48-22) 823-44-89;(+48-22) 668-71-08

BIULLETIN Nr 2,    May, 22nd, 2000 

        The 15th International Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival Niepokalanov 2000 has begun. The Festival traditionally takes place at the Knights of Immaculata Formation Center in Niepokalanov-Lasek in Teresin, which was consecrated in 1939 by Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe. The Festival was initiated with the Holy Mass concelebrated by bishop Adam Lepa. He was assisted by father Jan Glinka from Belarus, father Stanislaw Stoj (a Franciscan) from Turkey and father Stanislaw Pietka. In the sermon the bishop said that the Festival was a result of people's work, their hearts and minds, the result of the work of creators, patrons, organisers and enthusiasts, who give a spiritual help, through valuable works, to people who need it, especially in the time of a low value film production. The culture constitutes all the things that make people better. What the media are - the culture is. The media may serve to evangelise only then when they are not a tool but a place of evangelisation as well.
    On the other hand, in the Festival Opening Ceremony speech the bishop A. Lepa added that the 15th International Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival Niepokalanov 2000 guards the identity of the Polish culture, reminds of the basic and the most important values, without which it is impossible to create "the today and the tomorrow" of our nation.

The vice-president of the Festival Andrzej Januszewski reminded the fragments of a speech of the first president of the Catholic Film Association and co-producer of the Festival - director Julian Kulenty. " The world especially today needs good, wisdom and peace, and a film or a TV programme may make these values closer to us or inspire us. Therefore a film is a great opportunity of apostle influence, which cannot be wasted in the work of evangelisation.

A moment of silence was dedicated to the dead members of the Catholic Film Association - archbishop Bronislaw Dabrowski and bishop Wladyslaw Miziolek. Bishop Adam Lepa with the members of the Honorary Committee officially opened the Festival. The following persons were present: member of the National Radio and Television Coucil Marek Jurek, ex-member of the National Radio and Television Council Jan Szafraniec, president Grzegorz Mroczek representing a minister Jacek Taylor-president of the Combatants and Person Office. On behalf of the chairman of the Cinematography Committee Tadeusz Scibor-Rylski came: Jan Wladyslaw Wojnilowicz and Barbara Slomczewska. The local authorities were represented by: vice-head of the Sochaczew District Jerzy Zelichowski, members of the District Board: Danuta Radzanowska and Wieslaw Domagalski.

Zygmunt Gutowski, the president of the Festival, spoke about the 15-year history of the Festival and its wide scope, which was in harmony with the pre-war vision of Saint Maximilian and which was to enter the 21st century. The vice-president Andrzej Januszewski presented a message of the first president of the Catholic Film Association and co-producer of the Festival, director Julian Kulenty, concerning the necessity of producing valuable works which aim to strengthen the people who are searching for help and to fulfil the nation's aspirations. The Festival was initiated by a Belarus film "...But the music has remained" about Kleofas Oginski the author of the famous polonaise. The film was produced by Ryszard Jasinski and Ludgardas Gedrawiczus.

The Monday afternoon were devoted to the martyrdom of Polish people during the World War II. There were be for example films about the martyrs beatificated last year. The following films were projected: "Leave the Key in the Lock" by Lech Kujawski presenting a historical coverage of the displacement of 100 000 Poles- inhabitants of Gdynia in 1939, the documentary showing a lot of little known episodes, especially translocation of Poles originally coming from The Eastern Border to the Soviets. "Five Guys from Poznan" by Jacek Komorowski concerning young martyrs from Poznan. "Eleven kneeling-chairs" by Ryszard Jasinski and Ludgardas Gedrawiczius, presenting recollections about the Nazarethan Sisters from Novogrodek, recently beatificated. The Monday evening was devoted to the Primate Stefan Wyszynski. Two films were presented: "Words of life" by Krzysztof Zurowski about the attempts to safe the Great Primate's legacy and "Primate Wyszynski prison years" by Edmund Zbigniew Szaniawski awarded in 1996. The first widely available projection of the shortened version of the feature film by Teresa Kotlarczyk entitled - "The Primate-three years of a millenium", will be on the big screen in September this year.

Films are judged by the International Jury, the chairman of which is Jan Szafraniec. The members of the International Jury are: director Elzbieta Konderak, the member of the National Radio and Television Council Marek Jurek, fathers Stanislaw Pietka - a Franciscan from Niepokalanow and Christian J.Eeckhout - a Dominican from Belgium (the representative of International Catholic Organisation for Film and Audiovisuals OCIC), red. Jerzy Klechta, director Julian Kulenty, director Romuald Wierzbicki (the Jury Secretary) and the Grand Prix Laureate of 1998 - director Jurij Goriulow from Belarus. 49 films of 4 categories: feature films, documentaries, catechetic and TV programmes as well as amateur films have been presented to the International Jury. The total projection time is: 26 hours 20 minutes. Those films have been chosen from 127 films accepted for the Festival. The information about them is included in the festival catalogue.

Programmes of particular days include morning projections starting at 9 a.m., a Holy Mass at noon, afternoon projections at 2 p.m., reflection time at 7 p.m. and evening projections at 7.20 p.m. accompanied with talks about the films previously projected.

On Tuesday morning and evening, the 23rd of May 2000, there will be presented films concerning problems of a human life, fascinations and help directed to the others. The evening will be devoted to the presentation of the new Polish version of an Evangelical film "Jesus", prepared especially for the Jubilee 2000. On Wednesday the 24th of May the Primate will come to take part in the Festival and he will concelebrate the Holy Mass at noon. In the morning there will be presented films about those who sacrificed their lives to the defence of the Motherland in the years of 1939-1956. In the afternoon there will films concerning Lednica, Woodstock in Zary, and the drama of abortion. In the evening there will be a film "The Saint Mother Kinga" and a film "The Pope from Poland" a reflection about the Pope's message to the Polish nation.

Bishop Blazej Kruszylowicz, Episcopal Delegate for Television Niepokalonov, is to come on Thursday. The day will be devoted to films from abroad, e.g.: Ireland, Russia, Latvia, Italy, Zimbabwe, Czech Republic, Taiwan, Canada, USA and Belgium. In the evening there will presented a Belgian feature film "Molokai" about father Damian. On Thursday there will also be hearings of radio programmes and music records sent to the Festival as well as presentation of www sites.

The Festival is traditionally organised under the auspices of the Primate of Poland Jozef Glemp and the Honorary Committee including: Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek, Marshall of Polish Seym Maciej Plazynski, Marshall of Polish Senate Alicja Grzeskowiak, members of Parliament, ministers, representatives of local authorities as well as of the world of science and culture from Poland and abroad.

The Festival Closing Ceremony with the announcement of the Festival results and giving awards will be held in John Paul II Galery, The Porczynscy Foundation, in Warsaw on Saturday the 27th of May at 8 p.m. A Festival office will be opened in Niepokalanov-Lasek, 32 Teresinska street. Tel/fax number (046)861-53-10. You are kindly welcomed to take part in the Festival. We invite you to Niepokalanov and Warsaw. I dare remind you that the particulars concerning the Festival are available at: www.warszawa.org.pl/niepokalanow    e-mail: gutowski@waw.pdi.net