We love cinema | coverage of the Opening Gala

This is the first edition of this type of festival in Poland, but we hope it will not end with a pilot, said BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon Spokesperson Michał Zalewski. He was joined on stage by Programming Director, Kaja Szafrańska, and Creative Director – Magdalena Sroka. During the pandemic, the TV series became our salvation, as well as the most important storytelling language, and that’s why we decided with Szymon Miszczak [Festival Director, editor’s note] that we had to do a festival dedicated to TV series. It was obvious to us that it had to take place in Warsaw. It would not have succeeded if it were not for our partners – the Warsaw City Hall, Stołeczna Estrada and BNP Paribas, who have proven to us more than once that their slogan “We love Cinema” is truly factual said Magdalena Sroka. Kaja Szafrańska added: We celebrate series, because their art is in no way inferior to the art of film.

The fact that we are here as a title partner is natural for us. We have ambitions that in a couple of years this Warsaw festival will be the one that is the largest and most famous television series festival in Europe. Series are not only entertainment, but they also help us make good decisions. We are here because we couldn’t miss it, said CEO & President of Management Board, BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Przemek Gdański.

Aldona Machnowska-Góra, Deputy Mayor of the City of Warsaw, began her speech with the words – The worst thing is to use a clapperboard for the first time, but fortunately we have that behind us. There is no better place than Warsaw, which is home to all filmmakers, and the Palace of Culture and Science is a film venue – and then she smoothly moved on to the official opening of the festival – I consider the first BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon to be open.

Then we met once again the profiles of the international jury: David Caffrey, chairman of the jury – Irish film director, best known for projects such as: Peaky Blinders, Love//Hate, The Alienist and Gentlemen. Gaïa Weiss – French actress and screenwriter, known to audiences for TV series such as Vikings and Marie Antoinette, as well as the award-winning film Meander. Danna Stern – executive producer/director of global content at Transit Productions. Pam Roberts – producer and line producer, making huge contributions to both British television and independent film. Among her series projects are such productions as: The Diplomat for Netflix, Black Mirror, The Last Kingdom and Shetland.

The judges will assess the films in the 2024 Best Polish Series of the Year Competition and award prizes in the following categories:

• Best Polish TV Series of the Year 2024 – PLN 25,000
• Best Actress – PLN 10,000
• Best Actor – PLN 10,000
• Best Director – PLN 10,000
• Best Cinematography – PLN 10,000
• Best Casting Director – PLN 10,000
• Best Screenplay – PLN 10,000
• BNP Paribas Tomorrow’s Icon Award – PLN 10,000

During the Opening Gala, the CUTTING EDGE award was presented for the first time ever. It goes to creators who blur the boundaries between the world of series and film. Those who are constantly searching for new and original forms of telling episodic stories, and breaking genre conventions. They follow paths that require commitment, efficiency as well as consistency. The award aims to recognize personalities who take on bold and meaningful topics, promote diversity and break stereotypes with their work. Kaja Szafrańska and Szymon Miszczak presented it to Jared Harris, justifying it: his multifaceted, poignant creations have become an essential part of the quality TV serial revolution, bringing to television the quality we previously knew from cinema and theater. For his immense artistic sensitivity and extraordinary ability to create characters that are memorable for a long time. Receiving the award, Jared Harris expressed his thanks – Thank you for the great hospitality and congratulations on the idea of the festival, because long gone are the days when series are considered inferior. The series now sets ambitious goals.

The festival was grandly opened, but after all, this is only the beginning, and the best is yet to come – our celebration of series continues until December 8 at Warsaw’s Kinoteka!

photo. Maciej Czyżewski