Krakow Film Festival will be held at the end of May and the beginning of June for the 53rd time. The programme of the event consists of the screenings of documentary, short and animated films from all over the world. The reputation and high esteem of the Krakow Film Festival is confirmed by official recognition from FIAPF, the European Film Academy and the AMPAS, which makes the films awarded in Krakow automatically eligible for the European Film Awards and the Oscars in the short films categories.

Next year, three internationally well recognized competition sections will be expanded with the new one – music documentary competition. The new competition has evolved out of “Sound of Music”, the cycle much loved by the viewers, presenting biographies of bands and musicians, showing music tours and penetrating the history of different music genres. The main prize of the music documentary competition will be the Golden Heynal for the director of the best film. The Heynal, also known as the Cracovian Hymn, is a traditional tune closely tied to the history and traditions of the city of Krakow. It is played by a trumpeter four times consecutively each hour from the highest tower of St. Mary’s Church in Krakow.

“The names of the all Krakow Film Festival prizes are deeply rooted in the history and culture of our city,” says Krzysztof Gierat, Festival director. “Heynal tune played from the tower of St. Mary’s Church is truly exceptional and inseparably connected with Krakow. Therefore Golden Heynal joins the Horns, Dragons and Hobby-Horses as an homage to Krakow, our host city."

The 53rd edition of the Festival brings some technical improvements as well – films for the selection can be submitted traditionally – by sending the DVD or in a modern way – by uploading the files straight to the Festival’s server.

Krakow Film Festival awaits the submissions of films in the four competitive sections:

1. international short film competition open to documentary, animated and feature films with a running time of 30 minutes or less.

2. international documentary film competition open to documentaries with a running time exceeding 30 minutes (mid- and feature-length).

3. international music documentary competition open to music documentary films with a running time exceeding 30 minutes (mid- and feature-length).

4. national competition open to films made in Poland with a running time of:
• documentary films – no time limit
• animated and feature films – 30 minutes or less
 
 

Polish producers submit their films only to the national competition. The Selection Committee decides about Polish films which will participate in the international competitions. Polish premiere is required in all three international competitions. In the national competition Polish premiere is not required, but preference is given to the films that have not been theatrically released or screened at any festival in Poland before the 53rd KFF.Only the films completed after 1st January 2012 are eligible for the competitions.

Selection deadlines:

• 30th November 2012 for films completed before 31st August 2012
• 8th February 2013 for films completed after 31st August 2012