Barbara Orlicz-Szczypuła has been appointed as the new director of the Krakow Film Festival. She replaces Krzysztof Gierat who stepped down earlier this year after 25 years at the helm. On Orlicz-Szczypuła’s recommendation, Anita Piotrowska will take up the position of artistic director.
“I am deeply grateful to the Programme Council for their confidence and for entrusting me with this new role,” comments Orlicz-Szczypuła. “I’m delighted to continue working with such a magnificent event in this new capacity. It brings me joy but also presents a tremendous challenge – one that I, together with our brilliant team – will strive to meet. My aim is to create a welcoming space for filmmakers, producers, and the film industry in general, but above all, I wish to consistently introduce our audiences to the most fascinating documentaries, short fiction films, and animations from around the globe.”
Orlicz-Szczypuła has been with the Krakow Film Foundation since its inception, serving as vice-president for many years before taking the helm as president in 2021. Throughout her career, she has spearheaded numerous initiatives, involving the Foundation in projects aimed at popularising documentary and short films: both Polish – through the KFF Sales & Promotion agency – and international ones, by bringing documentaries to Polish cinemas, but primarily by showcasing them at the Krakow Film Festival.
In her new role as overall director, Orlicz-Szczypuła will be responsible for managing the entirety of the festival – from strategic, organisational, and programming aspects to financial oversight, Krakow FF writes. She will ensure all activities align with the festival’s mission, maintain its international prestige, and represent the festival within the film community.
Anita Piotrowska has collaborated with the Krakow Film Festival for over 20 years. More recently, she has served as curator of the documentary programme. She is a film critic and columnist for the Tygodnik Powszechny weekly, a regular contributor to the psychology magazine Charaktery, and publishes in the monthly Kino and quarterly EKRANy. As a member of FIPRESCI, she has served on juries at numerous festivals in Poland and internationally. In 2014, she received the Polish Film Institute Award for film criticism, and in 2021 she was honoured with the Krzysztof Teodor Toeplitz Award from ZAiKS.
As artistic director, Piotrowska will shape the festival’s artistic vision whilst making sure it aligns with its mission and objectives. Her responsibilities will include selecting films, collaborating with filmmakers, and ensuring “artistic coherence” throughout the event.
