Top Cities / Łódź / Łódź - city of festivals
more information: www.cityoflodz.pl
There are at least 40 festivals taking place in Lodz. No wonder periodic events are becoming the speciality of Łódź. The cultural calendar of the city is full of international festivals and local ones. Each one of them is an original artistic offer for spending spare time.
The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography “ Plus Camerimage”
Since 2000 Łódź has been hosting the world’s largest festival of the art of cinematography. Its guests are both distinguished and also less known film directors, operators, actors and film producers from all over the world. David Lynch, Ed Harris or Andrzej Wajda honoured the festival with their presence. Films, which have been already awarded at other festivals and regarded as events of the year, are presented here. Like festivals in Cannes or Hollywood, Łódź festival also has its awards. Golden, Silver and Bronze Frogs are awarded in category of feature films, and the special award for the career achievement.
Festival of Dialogue of Four Cultures
Łódź, formerly a multicultural city, where Polish, Germans, Russians and Jews lived together, now lives on the reminiscences of the past. The Festival of Dialogue of Four Cultures promoting intercultural dialogue that has been organized in Łódź since 2002 gives its residents a unique opportunity to rediscover city’s history. Presently the Festival has gained recognition as one of the most important cultural events in Poland – an interdisciplinary event of a worldwide renown. The Festival is designed to present the modern face of the partner cultures. Many attractions are included into the programme such as concerts, exhibitions of works, theatres, happenings or film projections of creators from all over the world.
photo by Krzystof Bieliński
Explorers Festival
Explorers Festival – organized in Łódź since 1999 – has been attracting world famous travellers, mountain climbers and documentary film-makers. Every year the greatest explorers are awarded with ‘Explorer’ Prize and best documentary film-makers (documentaries about exploration, extreme sports and outstanding feats) with film prize ‘Camera Extreme’. Former editions of the Festival were visited by i.e.: Norman Kent, Heinz Zak, Don Walsh and Hans Florine. As always the programme of the festival includes Visual Forms and Art of Presentation Contest ARTSHOW – all of the films and reports selected for the contest can been seen during special shows held during the Festival. The youngest visitors to the Festival can also take part in a series of lectures - ‘Big Geography Lesson’ prepared and conducted by scientists and travellers.
photo: Colin Agnus, guest of the 10th Explorers festival in Łódź
International Festival of Comics
The International Festival of Comics is the biggest event of this kind in this part of Europe and is attended by thousands of visitors from Poland and abroad. Each Festival offers meetings with graphic artists, screenwriters and publishers from all over the world. So far artists from such countries as the US, France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Russia, the Czech Republic and German has taken part in the Festival. The authors not only meet with the public but also carry out artistic workshops. The Festival is accompanied by numerous exhibitions, comic fair, albums premieres, special events for children, film shows, drawing presentations, scientific conference, computer games competition and a short comic competition.
Capital of Culture
Thanks to its extraordinary artistic heritage, prestigious festivals, and new cultural investments, Łódź runs for the title of the European Capital of Culture 2016. Łódź as a European culture and art centre in 2016 does not seem remote. It is a strategy for cultural development for the next years. This plan will result in the development of tourism, strengthening of the image of Łódź as a culture and art city. It will bring the consolidation of the artistic circles.
For more click here: www.lodz2016.eu
Among the most important Łódź events, the Festival of Dialogue of Four Cultures must be mentioned. This festival reminds us of multicultural traditions of Łódź. It shows contemporary achievements of Polish, Russian, German and Jewish culture.
Celebrities of world cinema come to Łódź for the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography. The most acclaimed cinematographers will compete for the Golden Frog award. According to American monthly Variety, this Łódź festival is one of 50 most important film festivals in the world.
Additionally, Pepsi Vena Music Festival attracts vast audience because of alternative music concerts and young talents contest. Łódź Photofestival is one of the most appealing points on world photography agenda. Łódź Design, the only event fully devoted to applied art in Poland, is developing fast.
There are more culture events, among them: the Christian Culture Festival, Łódź Ballet Meetings, the Festival of Comics and ReAnimacja (The International Animation Festival). They give an opportunity to meet foreign artists and role-models from various fields of art.
In order to promote Łódź as a festival city, in 2007 organizers of different cultural events combined their initiative under the name Festival Łódź.
www.evl.pl