14th edition of CAMERIMAGE has launched!

"Copying Beethoven" opened the 14th edition of CAMERIMAGE festival on Saturday, in Łódź, Poland. Istvan Szabo, John Myhre and Daniel Pearl received the festival special awards, and the Krzysztof Kieślowski award was given to Julia Ormond. David Lynch and Marek Żebrowski gave a short concert before the Polish premiere of the latest Lynch's movie - "Inland Empire".

"We are really glad we can meet you again" - these were the words Grażyna Torbicka and Lonstar greeted the festival gala audience with. They have been announcing all the most important festival events for several years.

Also Marek Źydowicz, the director of the festival greeted the guests and asked for a minute of silence in memory of the miners who died in an accident in Silesian "Halemba" mine a few days ago. The Mayor of Łódź, Jerzy Kropiwnicki officially opened the festival - as usually - in a colorful way, announcing Łódź the capital of "the picture industry and film lovers".

In his speech, interrupted by applause and cheer (the mayor's cheerful manners enraptured the audience), he thanked his predecessor for bringing Camerimage from Toruń to Łódź seven years ago.

Afterwards the first CAMERIMAGE awards were granted: John Myhre, a double Oscar laureate (Memoirs of a Geisha and Chicago) received the Award for the Production Designer with Unique Visual Sensitivity. The award was given on stage by Ewa Braun, a Polish production designer, also an Oscar laureate. "It is an honor for me to hand over the award to the production designer whose work I have been admiring for many years". Myhre was really touched. "It is the most beautiful award I have received"! - h e said. "When I watched the short film summarizing my body of work a minute ago I have realized with how many outstanding filmmakers I have worked with. When I see so many famous people among the audience, it makes me want to bow down and honor them" - concluded Myhre.

Afterwards, Zbigniew Hołdys took over the stage and granted Daniel Pearl an award for Unique Visual Sensitivity for a Creator of Music Videos and Commercials. Hołdys read a selection of musicians Pearl has made videos for (from a 3 meters long list of almost 500 items). This is the first time Poland hosts a man who worked with such stars as Bobby Brown, Rolling Stones, Cher, Coolio, Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, Elton Jon, Fugees, Genesis George Michel, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Prince, Puff Daddy, The Police, Tina Tuner, U2, Will Smith, or Britney Spears and Julio Iglesias.

Music has always accompanied film, from the times of silent movie" - said Hołdys. "In 1979 MTV began the revolution - introduced a music video. In this field Daniel Pearl gives hope to creators all over the world, proving that a small film form can be wonderful" - he added.

While receiving the Golden Frog Pearl admitted he has Polish origins. His grandfather came from former Polish lands and his last name was Perła (the Polish word for a pearl). "I am satisfied, that people like me, beginning making music videos quarter of a century ago, have created a new audience. They were teenagers then, but they have been growing along with the new art." - said Pearl. "Music video must fit a lot of content in a small form. For filmmaking music video is the same as exploration of space for science. That is why I want to thank you for the award" - concluded the laureate.

A pre-premiere screening of Agnieszka Holland's Copying Beethoven was another part of the evening's program. The director, along with Diane Kruger (who played one of the leading roles in the movie, besides Ed Harris) received a long ovation.

"Dear friends, it is a great honor to be here. We are a little sad, since we came here for Ashley, and it was supposed to be his holiday, but because of a family drama he had to leave Łódź two hours before the festival" - said Holland, explaining the absence of the cinematographer, Ashley Rowe. "It is the most beautiful festival in the world and I always tell it to my actresses, that they should seek for a husband among cinematographers" - she added humorously. The audience also listened to the first David Lynch's concert in Poland. He appeared together with Marek Żebrowski, a valued Polish musician and co-author of music for Inland Empire. Before the concert also two awards were given.

Małgorzata Potocka, the head of Łódź public television, granted the Hungarian director Istvan Szabo the Camerimage Award for the Director with the Unique Visual Sensitivity. "At school we were fascinated by Mr Szabo's films. I have never expected that I will stand next to him and give him the award" - said Potocka.

While receiving the award Szabo dedicated it to two people: his many-year collaborator, Laos Koltai and Eva Szölössy. "It is also an award for my friend, or I should rather say, my brother. We have been working with Lajos for 27 years. I would also like to dedicate the award to a person who is the whole mystery of Hungarian moviemaking. Eva has taught us all. She has taught us the difference between light and shadow, the color sensitivity, or taking a picture into frames. She was a great lady" - Szabo said.

Last but not least of the Saturday evening awards was Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Julia Ormon.

It was given by Kieślowski's daughter, Marta. She also read a letter from Maria Kieślowska. "Without any doubt Julia Ormond belongs to the group of actors Krzysztof called "my beloved ones", wrote the director's wife. Ormond thanked and said: "It is a great honor to receive an award named after such unique artist and outstanding filmmaker". A major part of her speech was devoted to her gratitude towards another great filmmaker - David Lynch. "It has been an honor to work with him and participate in creation of this new, amazing voice appearing in the movie world" - said Ormond. "What I like about David's movies its their saturation with something very humane. He makes and actor to merge ones ugliest and prettiest features, which brings a feeling of a true liberation" - said the laureate.

The concert of David Lynch and Marek Żebrowski included "Łódź Impression" composed as an illustration to Lynch's poem written in Łódź. The author has read it from the stage.

The screening of Inland Empire was the last event of the evening.