Polish Film "My Nikifor" Winner of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2005 with Three Crystal Globe Awards

Polish film "My Nikifor" won the grand prix at the 40th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Krzysztof Krauze, who was also awarded the prize for Best Director received the trophy at the clocing ceremony of the Cezch film festival.

85-years-old Krystyna Feldman was awarded the prize for the Best Actress, for her role as Nikifor in Krauze's movie, while Italian actor Luca Zingaretti (Come into the Light) and Israeli actor Uri Gavriel (What a Wonderful Place) shared the Best Actor Award.

The jury gave a Special Mention to Sion Sono, the director of the Japanese film Noriko's Dinner Table (Noriko no shokutaku).

In the international documentary film competition, the prize was given to Belarusian film My God by Galina Adamovich, and Estamira by Brazilian film maker Marcos Prado.

In the course of the nine days of the 40th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 12,112 accredited visitors attended, of which 8,473 were holders of Festival Passes, 361 were filmmakers, 968 were film industry professionals and 569 were journalists, according to the official web site of the festival.


My Nikifor, directed by Krzysztof Krauze, 52, tells the story of Epifan Drowniak, famed naïve painter Nikifor Krynicki, who was discovered in 1960 by another painter, Marian Wlosiñski.
The latter was working on the décor of the spa buildings in Krynice where Nikifor offered his paintings to the spa guests. Nikifor has further settled into Marian's workspace.
The academic painter started to look after him, fascinated as he was by the purity and grace of the primitive painter's artistic manifestations. In his effort to understand the phenomenon of the physically and mentally disabled man, Marian gave up his own work and even his family life.
Devotedly, not demanding any response or sign of gratitude, he secured a social foundation for Nikifor, and in 1967 organized an exhibition at a prestigious Warsaw gallery.
The film takes its style from Nikifor's naïve manner of seeing, and the disabled protagonist is played by 85-year-old Krystyna Feldman with perfect empathy.(www.iffkv.cz)