The Cracow Film Festival is one of Europe's oldest events dedicated to documentary, animation and other short film forms. It has been organised year after year since 1961. Documentary film is a broad category of cinematic expression united by the intent to remain factual or non-fictional. ... 12 frames per second is the typical rate for an animated cartoon. ... Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

It was in Cracow that the Polish movie makers such as Krzysztof Kieślowski, Wojciech Wiszniewski, Andrzej Fidyk and Marcel Łoziński began their career. It was also here that the directors of animated films, including Ryszard Czekała, Jerzy Kucia, Julian Antoniszczak, Piotr Dumała and Zbigniew Rybczyński, winner of the Academy Award for the film Tango, made their debut. Motto: none Voivodship Lesser Poland Municipal government Rada miasta Kraków Mayor Jacek Majchrowski Area 326,8 km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 757,500 (2004 est. ... Krzysztof KieÅ›lowski (June 27, 1941 Warsaw, Poland – March 13, 1996 Warsaw) was an influential Polish film director and screenwriter, known internationally for his film cycles Three Colors and The Decalogue. ... Zbigniew RybczyÅ„ski is a filmmaker who has won numerous prestigious industry awards internationally. ...

Yet, such renowned documentary and animated film makers were not the only ones to participate and win prizes in Krakow, for the international festival laureates included also numerous artists who made their names as feature film directors: Pier Paolo Pasolini, Werner Herzog, Zoltán Huszárik, Jaromil Jireš, Claude Lelouch, Patrice Leconte, Mike Leigh and the recent Oscar laureate, Jan Svěrák. Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (March 5, 1922, Bologna-November 2, 1975, Ostia, Rome) was an Italian poet, intellectual, film director, and writer. ... Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (born Werner Stipetic on September 5, 1942) is a Bavarian film director, screenwriter, actor and opera director of Croat descent. ... Claude Lelouch (born October 30, 1937) is a French film director, writer and producer. ... Patrice Leconte (born November 12, 1947, in Paris, France) is a French film director and screenwriter. ... Mike Leigh (born February 20, 1943) is an award winning British film and theatre director. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Jan SvÄ›rák (born February 6, 1965 in Žatec and living in Prague) is the most successful Czech film director since the Velvet Revolution in 1989. ...

Since three years the Festival grants an international life achievement award, called the Dragon of Dragons. Its first laureate was Bohdan Kosiński, Polish documentary maker, in 1999 the Prize was awarded to the classic of Polish animation, Jan Lenica. In 2000 the Dragon of Dragons Special Prize went to the French documentary maker Raymond Depardon. And the laureate of 2001 was Jan Švankmajer, 2002 – Werner Herzog. Jan Lenica (1928-2001) was a Polish poster illustrator. ... Animation: Dimensions of Dialogue Jan Å vankmajer (born 4 September 1934 in Prague) is a Czech surrealist artist. ... Werner Herzog Werner Herzog (born Werner Stipetic on September 5, 1942) is a Bavarian film director, screenwriter, actor and opera director of Croat descent. ...

The unique character of the Cracow festival derives not only from the programme of the competition screenings, the Dragon and Hobby Horse prizes awarded by an international and Polish jury, the Prix UIP Cracow, the FIPRESCI and the FICC awards or numerous other prizes granted outside festival regulations, but also from the programme of accompanying events. FIPRESCI (short for Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique), in English known as International Federation of Film Critics, comprised of the national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world for the promotion and development of film culture and for the safeguarding of...

See also: other film festivals, A film festival is a mostly annual festival in one or more movie theaters with a special program showcasing many films. ...

External links

• The Cracow Film Festival Official website