1. Time and Place of the Festival

1.1. The International Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival Niepokalanów ‘AD is an annual event which is held in Poland in the second half of May each ear, on a date announced by the Organisation Committee.

1.2. The place of the Festival is Niepokalanów (Paprotnia / Teresin), 45 km from Warsaw. Some of the screenings and Festival events may be organised in Warsaw and in other cities.

2. Aim and Objectives of the Festival

2.1. To provide an annual recapitulation of the Polish and international achievement in the area of films and multimedia, inspired by evangelical values;

2.2. To support creating of films and multimedia programs presenting values that are consistent with the social teachings of the Catholic Church;

2.3. To spread knowledge and understanding of the forms of media which assist the spreading of the Good News;

2.4. To assist international distribution and exchange of those films and multimedia programs which carry the values referred to above.

3. Patronage, Organisation and Sponsors

3.1. The Festival is held under the personal patronage of the Primate of Poland.

3.2. The Festival’s organisation body is the St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe catholic film Association, which appoints the Organisation Committee and the Festival’s Director.

3.3. Continual support is provided by the Franciscan Convent in Niepokalanów and by the Polish Branch of the “Knighthood of the Immaculate Virgin Mary” Association.

3.4. The Organisation Committee appoints:

the Honorary Committee,

the Selection Commission,

the International Jury and its Chairman; the Jury Group also includes one representative of the International Catholic Organisation for the Film, Radio and TV, SIGNIS, who has full membership rights.

3.5. All physical and legal persons are invited to join the group of the Festival’s sponsors by providing support in the form of money donations and donations in kind, as well as by providing charge-free services of any kind.

4. Categories of Films and Multimedia

4.1. The films that have been submitted will be appraised in the following four categories: feature films, documentary films, TV and catechetical programs, and amateur films.

4.2. Radio programs are appraised in the following categories: drama, reportage and short periodical program cycles.

4.3. Multimedia programs, recordings of music and internet pages www are subject to appraisal without a breakdown into different categories.

4.4. With further development of the Contests, the Organisation Committee reserves the right to introduce new breakdowns into more specific categories.

5.

6. Awards and Prizes

6.1. The main Award of the Festival is the GRAND PRIX NIEPOKALANÓW ‘AD, which is granted to a film representing any category.

6.2. Films, radio programs and multimedia programs are eligible for three statutory prizes: the first, the second and the third prize.

6.3. The prizes for films, radio programs and multimedia programs are awarded by the Festival’s Jury.

6.4. Recordings of music are eligible for distinctions that are awarded by way of votings organised by catholic broadcasting stations; distinctions for internet pages are granted by the Festival’s Organisation Committee.

6.5. The Festival’s statutory prizes and distinctions are of an honorary nature (diplomas). Physical prizes and prizes of money may be awarded if such prizes have been founded by the sponsors.

6.6. The SIGNIS grants its special awards based on its own evaluation criteria.

6.7. Special non-statutory prizes may be founded by physical and judicial persons who are either Polish or non-Polish residents – on condition that the respective awarding rules have been submitted not later than two weeks before the Festival’s opening date and that these rules have got acceptance of the Organisation Committee.

6.8. Promotion. Information about all films and programs which have met the Festival’s criteria is contained in the Festival’s Catalogue, which is published in the Polish and English language versions.

7. Selection Commission and International Jury

7.1. The Selection Commission reviews all materials that have been submitted, qualifies for show at the Festival those films and multimedia programs which are consistent with the Festival’s aims and objectives, as well as - basing on their contents, message and form - qualifies films and multimedia programmes for Contest Viewings in the different categories. Another competence of the Selection Commission is to qualify the films and multimedia programmes into the specific categories.

7.2. The International Jury grants the statutory and non-statutory awards. Depending on the needs, the Jury Group may be divided into sub commissions appraising the different categories of films and multimedia programs.

7.3. The decisions of the Selection commission and of the Jury are final and binding.

8. Submission of Films

8.1. In order to be eligible for the Festival, the films must meet the criteria specified in para. 2 above and have to have been produced during the past three years. Films made prior to that date may be accepted on an exception basis.

8.2. Films for the pre-selection viewing must be submitted in 5 DVD or VCD format.

8.3. Each film must be supplied in the form of a separate cassette, complete with a description on a separate REGISTRATION FORM which is available at the Festival’s Office or via internet at website address: