Everything began with the show Charlie Chaplin’s Behind the Stage, with music made by Krzesimir Dębski. Dębski came to Lodz together with the Chaplin’s son - Eugene, who had first opportunity to watch the beginning of the series of 16 Chaplin’s classics, with Dębski’s music. “The music helps this film. My father’s movie is really fantastic with it." said Chaplin junior.

After that Jury of Students’ Films Competition awarded three of etudes with Tadpoles. Results announced Tom Stern and Laszlo Kovacs. The Brown Tadpole went to Germany with Tim Ottenstein, from Dortmund Film School, for shots to Musca etude. The bigger amount of fun caused The Silver Tadpole, because the winner, Yori Fabien, student of Lodz Film School, was completely surprised by the situation. He hold up in the cul-de-sac of the room. It was the fastest run in his whole life to get to the stage. He just managed to say: “I did not expect it, I do not know what to say".

The Golden Tadpole went to Bulgaria. Krum Rodriguez, the cinematographer from State Academy for Theatre and Cinematic Arts in Sofia, got the prize for the shots to Before Life, After Death. He was awarded with The Golden Frog “for expressive usage of the camera" - said Affonso Beato.

The Interactive Tadpole - the first interactive award in the history of Camerimage - was granted by internet users. The winner of the competition was Anna Winkler, the cinematographer of The caress of a butterfly. The Interactive Tadpole was invented thanks to the activity of iTVP. The whole Festival was also broadcasted by iTVP presenter, Wit Dziki.

Special Camerimage Award from Cinematographers to an Actor went to Gustaw Holoubek. The Master could not manage to come to Lodz, due to bad wellbeing. The letter from him was read by his wife - Magdalena Zawadzka. “I was extremely happy, when I found out that I would be at Camerimage in Lodz, unfortunately Providence decided otherwise" - wrote Holoubek.

The Award for Polish Duo Cinematographer - Director for outstanding sensitivity in visual art went to Wiesław Zdort and Kazimerz Kutz. “It is a little bit funny for me to get this award" - said Kutz - “because it is for persistence in marriage, but I have never been a persistent spouse."

Three Polish films received honourable mentions from the International Board of Professionals. Foreign filmmakers mentioned I am, Master and My Nikifor as the most interesting latest productions from Poland. But the film made by Arthur Reinhart, the cinematographer, and Dorota Kędzierzawska, the director, I am, revealed the greatest artistic value to the Proffesionals. “It is a great honour for me to receive awards from people who are my authorities" - said Reinhart.

The audience gave a great ovation the laureate of Special Camerimage Award from Cinematographers to an Actor with Special Visual Sensitivity - Val Kilmer. He said: “I love this country but I do not know why when I arrive here I never remember the last night". He also mentioned about his cooperation with Vilmos Zsigmond and Laszlo Kovacs and the respect to cinematographers’ work.

Award to the Director with Special Visual Sensitivity went to Andriej Konchalovsky, the Russian director. “In 60s. I dreamed to visit Lodz. It is Andrzej Wajda and Polish way of doing things made me want to become a movie director" - Konchalovsky said. In accordance to the movie by Chaplin, Konchalovsky said: “It doesn’t matter whether the movie is long or short - what I would like to say to all the cinematographers is: try to understand human nature, as Chaplin did".

Tonino Delli Colli, great Italian cinematographer, who passed away couple of months ago, was granted with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Roberto Girometti, President of the Association of Italian Cinematographers, while talking about Colli’s role in the history of cinematography, mentioned his collaboration with Passolini, Leone and Polanski and added some anecdotes about his legendary humour and modesty. “I believe that Tonino watches us from “the other side" and says - what are we all doing here, let’s better go and eat some good dinner."

The last Special Award went to Phedon Papamichael. It was founded by the Director of the CAMERIMAGE.

Then Affonso Beato, the Head of the Competition Jury came to the stage with his friend Donald McAlpine. “We tried to judge the integration between cinematographer and the story he tells but not the story itself. The most important for us was how well the cinematographer supports the story line with his pictures. We did not take into consideration the movie’s state of origin, budget or the cinematographers former achievements." - Beato said.

The Bronze Frog went to Louis Philippe Capelle for the pictures to Black Night - for the courage in using unique techniques of lighting. “Capelle showed mastery in using portraits and risky lighting techniques in this surrealistic movie" - Beato added.

The Silver Frog went to Jens Fischer for the pictures to The Queen of Sheba’s Pearls. “He used classic British cinema convention in a unique way."

The Golden Frog winner was Gyula Pados for the pictures to Fateless. “Some of his pictures were like icons for us. Many of them will stay in our minds forever - they are like made in marble." - that was the justification for the verdict. Pados gave his thanks to Lajos Koltai, the director of the movie known only for his cinematographer’s work until this moment. “Without his visual sensitivity it would be impossible to make this move as it is."

Speeches of Marek Zydowicz and Jerzy Kropiwnicki, President of Lodz were the last episodes in the Closing Ceremony.

Zydowicz pointed out that it is essential to build a new festival centre as the Grand Theatre cannot accommodate CAMERIMAGE any more.

Kropiwnicki ended the festival in his unique, artistic way. In complete silence he took off the white shawl with the logo of the festival and put it in his pocket. Then he said: "This is the end" in several languages, shouted: “Please come back" and came down from the stage.

We also invite you for the next CAMERIMAGE Festival!