COMPETITION AND JURY 2024

In the competition of the 22^nd Warsaw Jewish Film Festival 2024 – Camera of David there are 13 international full-length feature films and 12 short films from Poland, Germany, France, Austria, Israel, Romania, Hungary, Great Britain, Canada and the United States.

Films that have been qualified to the competition compete for the GRAND PRIX-POLIN funded by the Director of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN (10 000 Polish zloty), and for the Special Prize funded by the Polish Television! The jury verdict will be announced during the closing gala on November 10^th in the POLIN Museum, before the closing screening of „AMONG NEIGHBORS".

JURY OF 22nd COMPETITION OF CAMERA OF DAVID FESTIVAL 2024 ARE REPRESENTED BY:

JURY OF FULL-LENGHT AND SHORT FEATURE FILMS:

AGATHA DOMINIK, scriptwriter, member of the Writers' Guild of America, graduee of Theatre Science at the Warsaw Film School. After her studies she migrated to the US and started her career in Hollywood, where she worked as production vice-president in Columbia/Tri-Star studio. As scriptwriter she wrote over 60 features, among others for Warner Bros, DreamWorks, Paramount, Universal, Fox 2000, Lifetime TV, as well as for few independent studios in Europe. Dominik specializes in book adaptations, biographies and mini series. She wrote plenty of them, including the acclaimed and Emmy and Golden Globe nominated HUMAN TRAFFICKING with Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland. In Poland she cooperates in projects like THE BEST, THE SECRET OF LITTLE ROSE 2 and currently in the DUEL.

MIRIAM (MARIA) SYNGER is an educator in social media on her profile @jestem_zydowka (I am a Jewess), she gives lectures, organizes meetings and workshops for each age group. She says that the word JEW is not an insult, religion does not have to fight with feminism, that she has the right to cover her hair and it does not hurt anyone, that her patriotism is reminding that Polish culture was co-created by Jews. As well as many other things. She wrote two books – autobiography for adults „I am Jewish" and for children „Rut's Diary", a story about adventures of young girl. In both of them she uncovers the life of a numerous Jewish family in Poland. Additionally, she educates both, elder and younger readers, what judaism is and what Jewish culture is like.

MAŁGORZATA KIRSTEIN started her career in media, working for many years for companies like Univision and Univision Group, producing programs for television, among others the American hit Wheel of Fortune. For the next years she worked in Kinoteka cinema in Warsaw as director of PR department. She was responsible for organizing events, film festivals, Q&As and coordination of cooperation with media. In 2017 she received Honourable Golden Ticket for her activity and the prize was given to her by the association „Polish Cinemas”. She is a creator of proprietary program "STRONG TOGETHER"- women's cinema.

JURY OF FULL LENGHT AND SHORT DOCUMENTARIES:

JOLANTA GUMULA – alumnae of art history at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and Academy of Leadership Psychology in the Business School of Warsaw University of Technology. Culture manager and museologist, for many years she created cultural programs for visitors of National Museum in Krakow, The Royal Łazienki Museum and Polin Museum. She is an academic teacher, member of the board of International Council of Museums. Member of the Programming Council of the European Centre of Solidarność in Gdańsk. For many years she is a loyal audience of the WJFF. Currently she works as deputy director of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, together with her team she creates museum's program according to Marian Turski's saying: „XI Thou Shalt Not Be Indifferent”; she is also responsible for the ongoing museum's program for researching and fighting antisemitism and other prejudices in Poland.

CEZARY ŁASICZKA – journalist of TOK FM radio station. Laureate of the prize „Popularizer of Science" (2010) organized by the Polish Press Agency and Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Year later, in 2011 Polish Book Chamber awarded him with the prize „PIK laurel“ for promoting books and reading in electronic media. In November 2013 he was the finalist of Teresa Torańska Newsweek Competition. In 2015 he received special mention from the President of National Chamber of Polish Architects for series of radio programs on architect's role in creating space. In his series OFF Czarek on TOK FM radio station he often speaks about films, filmmakers and film critics.

ADAM ŚLESICKI – founder and president of the board of Władysława Ślesicki Film Foundation; director of DOC LAB POLAND – the biggest Polish consulting program and presentation platform for documentary filmmakers. Producer of documentary films. 2001- 2015 he worked in Andrzej Wajda Film School as programming deputy director (since 2011), director of documentary program DOK PRO (since 2009), director of PR (2005-2010) and director of nine editions of Polish Script Competition Script Pro (the first 5 editions were known under the name Hartley-Merrill). Born in 1973, graduee of the University of Warsaw, department: Institute for International Relations, American Studies and Latin America Study Center. 1995-2002 he worked as scriptwriter, translator and journalist. As producer and executive producer in Andrzej Wajda Studio he was nominated for his documentaries all over the world (a.o. Oscar nominee, European Film Award nominee, Grand Prix at the New Horizons Film Festival, Grand Prix for his documentary in Palm Springs, Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Film Awards).