Marek Żydowicz: Last News

Carolyn Giardina An estimated 55 delegates from various women’s and cinematographer organizations around the world participated in a two-hour meeting on Thursday with EnergaCamerimage representatives, for what was described as a private forum to voice views and ideas as a step toward continued discussion and a goal of addressing diversity, inclusion and representation at the annual cinematography film festival. Sources who were in attendance described, in the words of one, a general “willingness to cooperate” among the participants.

Good afternoon subscribers, Max Goldbart back in the saddle in a week that saw showcases and spin-offs galore, along with plenty controversy. Do read on. And sign up here.

Carolyn Giardina Over three years after the accidental on-set death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin‘s Western film “Rust” received a polite response during its controversial premiere Wednesday at the EnergaCamerimage festival in Toruń, Poland. The audience clapped through the film’s closing credits, strengthening their applause when a dedication to Hutchins appeared.

Carolyn Giardina Representatives from EnergaCamerimage and women and cinematographer organizations plan to meet Thursday morning amid a representation controversy that has plagued the annual cinematography film festival that is being held this week in Torun, Poland. The official invitation came from Camerimage and the Polish Society of Cinematographers.

Cate Blanchett has commented on the sexism allegations lobbied against the Camerimage Film Festival – see what she had to say below.Last week (November 12), the Camerimage Film Festival found itself in controversy after its director Marek Żydowicz penned about female filmmakers that led to claims of misogyny.Per Variety, Żydowicz appeared to suggest that more female cinematographers and directors being showcased in film festival programming could lead to the inclusion of “mediocre film productions” at the expense of “works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements.”He wrote: “Should we reject what is esteemed and valuable just to ‘make space’ for the necessity of social change? Whilst festivals like Cannes, Berlin or Venice are criticized for their selections due to succumbing to or promoting [political or ideological trends], Camerimage remains committed to artistic values as the foremost criterion for qualifying and promoting film art.”Blanchett – who will serve as the festival’s competition jury president for 2024 – has since confirmed that she will still attend the event and fulfil her duties, but in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter expanded on the controversy.Now, she’s said to THR: “As Anna Higgs, who is also on the jury with me, put it: ‘The work is never done.’ Festivals are an opportunity to unpack that stuff and to have meaningful conversations. Festivals provide a chance to do this in a public-facing way but also privately because they bring us together as an industry.

Will Tizard Contributor Top figures in the cinematography world took on what they described as “a really critical issue that we all know about in our industry” on Tuesday, sharing war stories from the ongoing fight for greater diversity and inclusion. The broader film industry and cinematography in particular are still woefully out of step with diverse filmmaking talent, said the group during a panel held at the 32nd edition of the EnergaCamerimage film festival in Torun, Poland.

The Substance director Coralie Fargeat has pulled her film from the Camerimage Film Festival – find out more below.Last week (November 12), the Camerimage Film Festival found itself in controversy after its director Marek Żydowicz penned a column for Cinematography World magazine that led to claims of misogyny.Per Variety, Żydowicz appeared to suggest that more female cinematographers and directors being showcased in film festival programming could lead to the inclusion of “mediocre film productions” at the expense of “works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements.”He wrote: “Should we reject what is esteemed and valuable just to ‘make space’ for the necessity of social change? Whilst festivals like Cannes, Berlin or Venice are criticized for their selections due to succumbing to or promoting [political or ideological trends], Camerimage remains committed to artistic values as the foremost criterion for qualifying and promoting film art.”Żydowicz has since claimed that his column was misunderstood: “We have always strived to showcase only the best of contemporary cinema, regardless of who creates it. And that is how my statement should be understood, there is nothing more to it, it has nothing to do with lack of respect for women.”On Saturday (November 16), Fargeat announced that she has decided to pull The Substance from the film festival following Żydowicz’s comments: “After discovering teh highly misogynistic and offensive words of the director of the Camerimage Film Festival, I have decided to pull THE SUBSTANCE from the festival (and [director of photography] Benjamin Kračun has decided not to attend.”She continued: “The Substance is about the impact of exactly these types of behaviours on our world.

French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat has pulled her latest feature The Substance from Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival following the fallout of a controversial op-ed written by the festival’s founder and head Marek Żydowicz.

Katcy Stephan Coralie Fargeat has pulled her film “The Substance” from Camerimage Film Festival following comments the festival director made about female cinematographers. “After discovering the highly misogynistic and offensive words of the director of the Camerimage Film Festival, I have decided to pull ‘The Substance’ from the festival (and [director of photography] Benjamin Kračun has decided not to attend),” Fargeat wrote in a statement posted to her X account.

Rust.” The demands are a response to a heated dispute over a column by Marek Żydowicz, the festival director, in Cinematography World magazine, that provoked allegations of misogyny. In the column, Żydowicz seemed to suggest that the selection in the program of more female cinematographers and directors could lead to the inclusion of “mediocre film productions” at the expense of “works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements.” He posed the question: “Should we reject what is esteemed and valuable just to ‘make space’ for the necessity of social change?” He went on to argue: “Whilst festivals like Cannes, Berlin or Venice are criticized for their selections due to succumbing to or promoting [political or ideological trends], Camerimage remains committed to artistic values as the foremost criterion for qualifying and promoting film art.” His column triggered an angry response from the British Society of Cinematographers, which wrote in an open letter to Żydowicz: “We are disheartened and angered by your profoundly misogynistic comments and aggressive tone, which we view as symptomatic of a deep-rooted prejudice.

Women in Cinematography — the popular and influential union that represents women cinematographers across the globe — has become the latest industry organization to publicly criticize Camerimage Film Festival head Marek Żydowicz for comments he made last week in a magazine op-ed. 

The 2024 Camerimage Film Festival will hand a unique world premiere screening to Rust, the Alec Baldwin starring Western which became global news after the fatal on-set shooting of Ukrainian cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. 

British filmmaker Steve McQueen will be feted at this year’s Camerimage Film Festival with the Outstanding Director Award for career achievement. The announcement was made this morning by the Polish festival. 

Carolyn Giardina Steve McQueen — director of best picture Oscar winner “12 Years a Slave” and upcoming “Blitz” — will receive the Outstanding Director Award at the 32nd EnergaCamerimage international cinematography film festival in Torun, Poland. “Steve McQueen is an artist known for his uncompromising engagement in tackling difficult social and political issues. His vivid filmmaking style explores the problems of racism, violence, addiction and inequality, constantly moving and provoking discussion, which situates him as one of the most important contemporary film creators,” said Camerimage festival director Marek Żydowicz.

Cate Blanchett has been named jury president of the main competition at this year’s Camerimage Film Festival in Torun, Poland. 

Adam Driver’s lowkey visit to Poland’s EnergaCamerimage Film Festival turned into a viral internet meme over the weekend after the actor gave an expletive response to a question during an audience Q&A following a screening of Ferrari. 

A thick fog hung over Torun, Poland, this evening as the 31st edition of the city’s EnergaCamerimage Film Festival cruised into gear with a lengthy opening ceremony at the stylish Jordanki Culture Centre. 

Will Tizard Contributor Like the cinematography sector overall this year, the profession’s prime annual festival, Poland’s Camerimage, has come through major challenges in 2023, says the event’s founder, Marek Zydowicz. Launching in the historic town of Torun on Nov.