A worldwide celebrity Ralph Fiennes and an Academy Award winner, Czech film director Jiri Menzel received Camerimage special awards on Saturday evening.

During the opening ceremony Marek Zydowicz the president of the festival declared that by the end of the festival filmmakers and lawyers will introduce a draft of petition claiming that TV stations should be legally forbidden to interrupt movies with commercials.

The opening ceremony was followed by screening of "THE CONSTANT GARDENER" by Fernando Meirelles, starring Ralph Fiennes.

Fiennes known from movies like "THE ENGLISH PATIENT" and "SCHINDLER'S LIST" was awarded with Krzysztof Kieslowski`s Award. Visibly moved actor gave a short speech. "Kieslowski`s ability to reflect complexity of human soul is the only one of it's kind. It's a great honor for me to receive this award. Truly, it's quite difficult to imagine a greater honor" – said Fiennes. " I remember Juliette Binoche telling what a great joy it was for her to take par in one of his productions and I also remember how happily jealous I was for her." – he laughed. "Kieslowski's ability to catch actor's unspoiled innocence was always a revelation for me" – concluded. He received great applause from the audience.

Fiennes is one of the most talented actors nowadays. He won many film awards. His work was mostly appreciated after his part In "THE ENGLISH PATIENT" – Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, BAFTA awards. He repeated this success with "SCHINDLER'S LIST". There was also some Polish motives in actor's life. According to the actor himself, "THE DECALOG" series were of the most importance for his mother. He also visited Cracow while working on "SCHINDLER'S LIST"

The legendary Czech director was given Special Golden Frog for exceptional visual sensibility. "My friend Jacek Bromski said that the only reason I received this award is the fact that I never have insulted a cinematographer" – he laughed while collecting The Frog. We take this opportunity to remind that almost all his career is related to the person of Jaromir Sofr. Menzel is famous for excellent adaptations of Bohumil Hrabal's prose. For example "CLOSELY WATHED TRAINS" awarded with an OSCAR in 1967.

The president of the festival Marek Zydowicz surprised everybody while greeting guests. He declared that by the end of the festival filmmakers and lawyers will introduce a draft of petition claiming that TV stations should be legally forbidden to interrupt movies with commercials. " I'm a nervous guy and TV commercial really piss me off. This is a festival of the art of cinematography. That's why I think we should open a discussion on this serious problem" – he made the audience very enthusiastic and appreciative. According to the interview he gave in Stopklatka.pl, his justification to the idea is: "This sort of disintegration of a piece of art is impermissible. It totally disrupts director's, cinematographer's and actors' work. Our next step should be taking legal action against this absurd copyrights breaking. ". He ended with an invitation to Lodz - "the most filmmakers friendly city in ".

During the Opening Ceremony we found out about the teams of jury of two Festival's competitions and film makers, who will be participating in new initiative at Camerimage – review of polish films – and also judge the newest productions from .

In the Jury of Main Competitions will serve: Alfonso Baeto from, the constant cinematographer of Pablo Almodovar; Cesare Charlone from , the cinematographer of famous "City of God"; Donald McAlpine from , the creator of photography to such films like "Mrs. Doubtfire" or "Moulin Rouge"; Karl Roth from Germany a cooperator of Volker Schondorff, Margaret von Trotta and Declay Quinn from USA, a creator of photography to "Leaving Las Vegas". Jury will award Golden, Silver and Brown Frog.

29 student's etudes from all over the world will be judged by equally outstanding jury. Laszlo Kovacs, Nick Knowland, Oliver Stapleton, Tom Stern, Andrzej Titkow, Michael Tronninck and Piotr Wojtowicz will award the students with Golden, Silver and Brown Tadpole.

The new initiative at Camerimage is a review of polish films. Seven films enter the competition and will be judged only by foreign specialists. The organizers of Camerimage claim that the main idea of the initiative is not competition but initiate discussion about polish cinema on the international level. Famous creators of world cinema could look at polish film art more objectively according to the President of Camerimage. Among these specialists we can find: Vilmos Zisgmond, Robert Alzatraki, Robert Fraisse, Kees van Oostrum, Roman Osin, Phedon Papamichael.

At the Opening Ceremony there was an absence of extremely important person – the winner of the Career Achievement Awards. Outstanding Italian cinematographer Tonino Delli Coli, died suddenly a few mouths ago. Guests and participators of the Festival paid tribute to him. Delli Colli was a creator of photography to many films of Pier Paolo Pasolini, was an cooperator of Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone and Roman Polanski.

visit: http://www.camerimage.pl