# Warsaw Film Festival

Warsaw Film Festival (Polish: Warszawski Festiwal Filmowy; WFF), also known as Warsaw International Film Festival, is an annual international film festival held every October in Warsaw, Poland.
The 40th edition of the festival will take place from 11 to 20 October 2024.

## History

The festival has been held every year since 1985.
In 2008, it was recognised by FIAPF as an international competitive film festival.

### Timeline

* 1985 – Film Discussion Club "Hybrydy" founds the festival, originally named Warsaw Film Week. Creator Roman Gutek becomes its first director
* 1991 – Stefan Laudyn becomes new director of the festival and name Warsaw Film Week changes to Warsaw Film Festival
* 1995 – organised by Warsaw Film Foundation for the first time
* 2000 – festival gets accreditation from FIAPF and changes its name to Warsaw International Film Festival.
* 2005 – for the first time, FIAPF jury gives special awards during Warsaw International Film Festival
* 2008 – FIAPF adds Warsaw Film Festival to its list of international festivals, accredited as a competitive film festival specialised in first and second features and films from Central and Eastern Europe

## Description

The festival is host to the International Federation of Film Critics awards for enterprising filmmaking in Central Europe and beyond.

### Programmes

The programme consists of the following sections:
* The International Competition – premiering competition for international features
* 1–2 Competition – for 1st and 2nd feature films
* Free Spirit Competition – competition for independent, innovative, rebellious feature length fiction and documentary films from all over the world.
* Documentary Competition
* Shorts Competition – For narrative, documentary and animated shorts (up to 40 minutes) from all over the world. Winners are Academy Awards eligible.
* Special Screenings – non competitive section dedicated to acclaimed filmmakers from all over the world
* Discoveries
* Family Cinema Weekend
All the films presented, regardless of the section (competitive or non-competitive), are eligible for the Audience Award.

### Juries

* International Competition Jury
* The Competition 1–2 Jury
* Free Spirit Competition Jury
* Documentary Competition Jury
* Shorts Competition Jury
* Jury FIPRESCI
* Jury NETPAC
* Ecumenical jury – by SIGNIS

## Award winners
### International Competition winners
#### Warsaw Grand Prix (called the Grand Prix Nescafé from 2002 until 2007, 18th-23rd edition)

| Year | Film | Original Title | Director | Country |
| 2002 | Edi | Edi | Piotr Trzaskalski | Poland |
| 2003 | With Love, Lilly | Russian: С любовью, Лиля (S luboviu, Lilia) | Larisa Sadilova | Russia |
| 2004 | The Beautiful City | Persian: شهر زیبا (Shahr-e Ziba) | Asghar Farhadi | Iran |
| 2005 | Sorry for Kung Fu | Oprosti za kung fu | Ognjen Sviličić | Croatia |
| 2006 | Euphoria | Russian: Эйфория (Eyforia) | Ivan Vyrypaev | Russia |
| 2007 | Night Train | Chinese: 夜行列车; Chinese: 夜行列车; pinyin: Yè háng lièchē | Yi'nan Diao | China / Hong Kong / France |
| 2008 | Yuri's Day | Russian: Юрьев день (Yurev Den) | Kirill Serebrennikov | Russia / Germany |
| 2009 | Lourdes | Lourdes | Jessica Hausner | Austria / France / Germany |
| 2010 | Incendies | Incendies | Denis Villeneuve ≈ | Canada |
| 2011 | Rose | Róża | Wojciech Smarzowski | Poland |
| 2012 | Tango Libre | Tango Libre | Frédéric Fonteyne | Belgium / France / Luxembourg |
| 2013 | Ida | Ida | Paweł Pawlikowski | Poland |
| 2014 | The Coffin In the Mountain | Chinese: 心迷宫; pinyin: Xīn mígōng | Xin Yukun | China |
| 2015 | Neon Bull | Boi Neon | Gabriel Mascaro | Brazil |
| 2016 | Malaria | Persian: مالاریا (Malaria) | Parviz Shahbazi | Iran |
| 2017 | To Kill a Watermelon | Chinese: 杀瓜; pinyin: Shā guā | Zehao Gao | China |
| 2018 | The Delegation | Delegacioni | Bujar Alimani | Albania |
| 2019 | Shindisi | Shindisi | Dito Tsintsadze | Georgia |
| 2020 | 18 Kilohertz | 18 килогерц | Farkhat Sharipov | Kazakhstan |
| 2021 | Miracle | Miracol | Bogdan George Apetri | Romania / Czech Republic / Latvia |
| 2022 | May Labour Day | Praznik rada | Pjer Žalica | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 2023 | The Shadow of Catire | La sombra del Catire | Jorge Hernandez Aldana | Venezuela / Mexico |
| 2024 | Traffic | Reostat | Teodora Ana Mihai | Romania / Belgium / Netherlands |