Jan Englert receives the Marshal’s Award at the opening of Tofifest (photos)

The 23rd Bella Tofifest International Film Festival began on Saturday, 28 June, with a grand opening gala. The event was attended by Marshal Piotr Całbecki and President of the Regional Parliament Elżbieta Piniewska.

During the opening night, the outstanding actor, director and educator Jan Englert, professor at the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw, received the Pola Negri Honorary Film Award of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodship from the marshal. This award has been presented for three years, and previous winners include Jerzy Skolimowski, Krzysztof Zanussi, Magdalena Różczka and Jan Jakub Kolski.

Another Pola Negri statuette, this time for Agnieszka Dulęba-Kasza, will be presented on 4 July during the closing gala.

On Saturday evening, Eliza Rycembel was honoured with the Golden Angel for European Actress, the Bella Woman award. The award was presented by Katarzyna Czachowska from the TZMO SA Group. Elżbieta Starostecka received the Golden Angel for the Lady of Polish Cinema. The statuette was presented by the Mayor of Toruń, Paweł Gulewski.

In the main competition of the festival, viewers will see a total of twelve films. The winner of the Golden Angel will be decided by a jury consisting of Gabriela Muskała, Jowita Budnik, Anna Maliszewska, Andrzej Konopka, Piotr Trojan and Tomasz Wasilewski.

The programme also includes the national premiere of the Polish comedy ‘Teściowie 3’ (The In-Laws 3). The audience will have the opportunity to see films by Luc Besson, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Scottish debuts and take part in meetings with the filmmakers. Skrzyżowanie (Crossroads) has already appeared on screens, and Sezony (Seasons) will be shown soon – both featuring this year’s winners of the Marshal’s Film Award.

The regional government of Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship has been consistently supporting filmmakers for years through the Kujawy and Pomerania Film Fund. Four productions co-financed by the fund will premiere soon: ‘Chopin, Chopin’, ‘Dom dobry’ (A Good Home), ‘Piernikowe serce’ (Gingerbread Heart) and ‘Morderstwo w filharmonii’ (Murder in the Philharmonic).

Beata Krzemińska

Press Spokesperson for the Marshal’s Office

30 June 2025