The Grand Prix Prize – The Golden Angel of Tofifest – goes to Germany. The awards of the 14th edition of the Tofifest International Film Festival were given on Saturday, 22nd October, during the Closing Ceremony. The winner of the ON AIR Main Competition of the festival was “Toni Erdmann” by Maren Ade. Other awards in the international competitions were divided among film-makers from France, Great Britain, Romania, Belgium, and Spain.
This year, the debate among members of the jury was a genuine fight of the “my argument against your argument” type. Finally, the decision to make Toni Erdmann by Maren Ade the winner of the festival was made by the international jury unanimously. This year, the most important prize given at Tofifest was presented both to the producer (Komplizen Films) and to the director of the winning film, for the very first time in the history of the festival. Both prizes were funded by Piotr Calbecki, Marshal of Kujawsko-Pomorskie, and Michal Zaleski, President of Torun. The Silver Angel for the best directing was given to Morgan Simon for his Taste of Ink (Compte tes blessures). That prize was funded by Magdalena Sroka, director of the Polish Film Institute. The Young Jury in the ON AIR competitions gave their prize to Taste of Ink by Morgan Simon, and the Student Jury to Zoology by Ivan I. Tverdovsky.
The main prize in the SHORTCUT competition for short films was given to Stutterer by Benjamin Cleary from Great Britain. The main prize in the Shortcut competition was funded by Piotr Glinski, Minister of Culture and National Heritage. Let us remind you that Stutterer has also won an Oscar, this year. In addition, the following three films in the Shortcut competition received special mentions: Timecode (dir. by Juanjo Giménez Peña, Spain), Empire (dir. by Kristof Hoornaert, Belgium), and 4:15 P.M. The End of the World (dir. by Gabi Virginia Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru, Romania). As for the FROM POLAND competition,the winner was The Last Family by Jan P. Matuszynski. The prize was given to the producer of the film – Aurum Film. The Golden Angel in the LOKALIZACJE competition was given to Koniec świata by Monika Pawluczuk.
Two great artists received Special Golden Angels for lifetime achievement were given to Andrzej Seweryn and Allan Starski, two excellent artists of international cinema, during the Closing Ceremony. There were also Special Golden Angels for artistic insolence given to three other artists – Wojciech Smarzowski, Marek Kondrat, and Erik Poppe, during the Opening Ceremony, and throughout the festival. There was also a second Flisak of Tofifest Award given during the festival. It was presented to Remigiusz Zawadzki, a film director. The first Flisak of Tofifest was given to Katarzyna Zak, during the Opening Ceremony of Tofifest 2016.
The Torun-based Tofifest, referred to as a “rebellious festival”, presented over 150 films divided into more than ten sections, among which there were many films that had their premières in Poland. The leading topic of the festival was the 25th anniversary of “Thelma & Louise” and the corresponding issue of people’s freedom and women's rights. The Opening Ceremony of the Festival was accompanied by the concert of “Steve Nash & Film Orchestra” with guest appearances of Tomasz Organek and Natalia Nykiel. The Closing Ceremony featured the first European concert that paid homage to David Bowie – the concert was entitled “Tribute to David Bowie” and the following artists made guest appearances: Brodka, Skubas, Tymon Tymanski, Natalia Przybysz, and Tomek Makowiecki. The 15th edition of the Tofifest IFF in Torun will take place in October 2017.
The primary patron of the festival is the City of Torun. The festival was financed from the funds of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Regional Government, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, and European funds. The primary sponsor of the festival is TZMO S.A. Bella.