Who will evaluate the productions presented in the International Short Film Competition?
The Jury of the CINEMAFORUM Main Competition has always included exceptional personalities representing different filmmaking professions and, consequently, different perspectives on the Best Shorts In The World. During the 23rd edition, the jury will traditionally be headed by legendary film director, screenwriter and producer Janusz Zaorski. This year’s dream team will be completed by actress Kamila Urzędowska, producer and screenwriter Mirella Zaradkiewicz and screenwriter Michał A. Zieliński.
Janusz Zaorski (Jury president)
Scriptwriter, director and film producer. An academic lecturer with a doctorate in directing. He graduated from the Directing Department of the Film School in Łódź.
As a director, he made his debut in 1970 with the film “Na dobranoc.” He also appeared as an actor in several films. In 1987, he became the chairman of the Polish Federation of Film Discussion Clubs, and in 1988, he became the artistic director of the “Dom” Film Studio. From 1987 to 1989, he was a member of the Film Committee, and from 1991 to 1993, he served as the president of the Committee for Radio and Television, and from 1994 to 1995, he was the chairman of the National Broadcasting Council.
He has directed several feature films, including “Matka Królów” (1982, Silver Bear in Berlin, Golden Lions in Gdynia), “Jezioro Bodeńskie” (1985, Golden Leopard in Locarno), “Piłkarski poker” (1988), “Szczęśliwego Nowego Jorku” (1997, Best Director Award in Gdynia), “Syberiada Polska” (2013, Grand Prix in Seattle).
In 2011, he was awarded the Golden Medal for Merit to Culture “Gloria Artis” by Minister Bogdan Zdrojewski. He is also the recipient of the “TeleSplendor” award and the Jan Machulski Award for his contributions to Polish independent cinema. Since 2013, he has been the Chairman of the Program Council of the KOSMOPOLIS Institute of Science, Culture, and Education. He is a member of the European Film Academy.
Kamila Urzędowska
Kamila Urzędowska was born in 1994 in Nysa. She graduated from the State Higher School of Theater in Wroclaw in 2020. While still a student, she made her debut in the lead role of the series “Żmijowisko” (directed by Łukasz Palkowski, prod. Canal+). She also starred in the award-winning film “25 Years of Innocence” by Jan Holoubek. After she played the role of Jagna in “Peasants” by Oscar-winning filmmakers DK and Hugh Welchman, her career took an international turn. The film premiered at the Toronto IFF. It was also a Polish candidate for an Oscar in 2023. Urzędowska’s role was recognized at the 48th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. In addition to being nominated in the Best Leading Female Actor category, the actress was also awarded the ELLE Crystal Star. In 2024, at the Berlinale, she received the European Shooting Star award for the most promising actresses and actors of European films. In the same year, at the Tofifest Festival, she was honored with the Golden Angel Award for European Actress Bella Woman.
Mirella Zaradkiewicz
Producer, screenwriter. Related to the film industry since 1995. Among others, she worked on films by Michel Piccoli (“La Plage Noire”), Taylor Hackford (“Proof of Life”), Agnieszka Holland (“Janosik”) and Wojtek Smarzowski (“Dom zły” and “Drogówka”), as well as Bartosz M. Kowalski: “Playground,” “Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight 1 and 2,”, “Hellhole” and “Night Silence”, for which she also co-wrote the scripts.
Michał A. Zieliński
Author of the debut screenplay for the film “Scarborn”, directed by Pawel Maślona, awarded the Golden Lions (and 8 other awards) at the 48th FPFF in Gdynia. The screenwriter was also honored with an individual award for screenplay – Eagle 2024 and a special award from the ZAIKS Authors Association in 2020. He is currently working as a screenwriter for the RPG storyline at Zakazane Studio and on his upcoming film and TV series projects. He is a member of the Polish Screenwriters Guild and an explorer of the possibilities of AI in supporting creative work (including lecturing at the Gdynia Film School and StoryLab.pro). Previously a long-time journalist, editor, analyst in the areas of economy, new technologies, politics for, among others, “Gazeta Wyborcza”, “Rzeczpospolita”, “Polityka Insight”.
The films being evaluated by the above jury will be presented on October 25 and 26 at the Atlantic Cinema. The jury’s verdict will be announced on October 27 during the final gala of the 23rd CINEMAFORUM.
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The festival is organized by the FILMFORUM Association.
The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund, as well as by the City of Warsaw. The festival is also co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
The main festival venue is Atlantic Cinema in Warsaw.
The main partner of the event is the Andrzej Wajda Centre for Film Culture.
Program partners are: Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission, Mazovian Institute of Culture, American Film Festival in Wrocław, British Council Poland, and Kutaisi International Short Film Festival. The project’s technology partner is BEIKS Machulski.