This year marks the 12th annual Camerimage International Festival of the Art of Cinematography, which includes competitive and non-competitive screenings, student films, seminars, and an awards gala where an international jury selects the most artful cinematography of the year.

Reporting from Poland is David Heuring. Heuring served as editor of American Cinematographer Magazine from 1990-1995, and has been writing about cinematography, filmmaking and postproduction ever since.

This year’s closing ceremony, held in a packed Grand Theater, featured two new Golden Frogs. These new awards were presented for technical achievement in the areas of production and postproduction. A special jury led by Jost Vacano, ASC, BVK determined the winners.

“Our ideas come from our brains, our heart, our stomach,” said Vacano while presenting the first award. “We need help in the form of technical devices to get our ideas to the screen. We often hear that this is a digital age, that we’ve had film for more than 100 years, and it’s time for something new. But we cameramen, most or possibly all of us, need film images. We feel in our hearts that we’ll be making films forever. So tonight we’re recognizing a company that has a deep commitment to film. They are constantly developing new systems for shooting film, something they’ve done again and again. So the Golden Frog for Technical Achievement in the area of production goes to ARRI for the ARRI Camera System.”

Technical Award jury member Suki Medencevic presented the Technical Award for post tools. “As we all know the cinematographer’s profession is a constantly evolving one,” he said. “And currently we are moving into a new chapter in the development of cinema and cinematography. The digital medium is upon us, and is giving us powerful new tools to apply in order to express ourselves. Being able to make a bridge between digital and film is one of the crucial tasks every cinematographer is facing. One of the most important requirements for cinematographers bridging this gap is the ability to clearly state the film being made, how that film is going to look, and most importantly to be able to be a part of the process all the way from the beginning to the end. The Kodak Look Manager System is an important step forward in helping cinematographers convey their ideas and maintain their vision throughout the process. So I present this award to the Eastman Kodak Company.”

The awards for excellence in cinematography in the student competition were presented by student jury foreman Michael Chapman, ASC. “Overall, we were impressed with the level of craftsmanship, and the ambition shown by the films in competition,” said Chapman. “We also noted that most of them had access to the most modern technical equipment. However, technical expertise and visual flash are not what the jury considers the heart and soul of cinematography. The true art of cinematography lies in arranging light in such a way that it can express the deepest and most profound emotions. The jury wants to emphasize that you are there to serve the story, and that the story is not there to serve your photography. Jean-Luc Godard said that the only things you need to make a movie are a camera, a pretty girl and a gun. And the jury would like to remind the students of that primal impulse that makes one want to grab a camera, put one’s eye to the eyepiece, and rush out to look for the world in all its complexity and richness.”

The Bronze Tadpole went to Jacek Podgorski, a student at the Polish National Film School in Lodz. He won for his film Body of Mine. The Silver Tadpole went to Isaac Vila, a student at the Escola Superior de Cinema/Audiovisuals de Catalunya in Spain, for his film The Next.

Presenting the Golden Tadpole for the Best Cinematography in a student film, Chapman said, “This honest and mature film is a visual gem. And this touching vision is the result of a keen eye and a warm heart. The story, directing and cinematography are in perfect balance, and come from the same person. Filmed in black and white, its narrative is poetic and sensitive and the camera beautifully conveys the story. Everything in this short film, from the perfect choice of location, to the shots with mirrors and windows, changes in focus and touching depictions of melting snow, shows a deep perspective and an intelligent mind. The Golden Tadpole goes to Piotr Sobocinski, Jr. for Winter.”

Sobocinski, whose father and grandfather were world-renowned directors of photography, is a student at the Polish National Film School in Lodz. Sobocinski also received a lighting package from ARRI presented for Most Creative Lighting in a student film.

The Camerimage Lifetime Achievement Award was then presented to David Watkin. Many of Watkin’s films had screened during the festival as part of the tribute. In accepting the award, he said, “Since I retired, many people ask me what I miss most about filmmaking, and I always reply without hesitation that it’s the people. Being here at Camerimage this week has been like being back on a film set, and I can’t think of a nicer compliment to return to you. Thank you very much indeed.”

Main competition jury foreman Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC took the stage and presented the main awards with the help of his co-jury members. The Bronze Frog went to Manuel Alberto Claro for Reconstruction, a lower-budget film from Denmark. In the film, a man falls in love with a woman he sees on a subway platform and impulsively leaves his girlfriend to follow her, only to find that the object of his desire is married.

The Silver Frog went to Rodrigo Prieto, ASC for his work on Oliver Stone’s Alexander. Earlier in the week, Prieto led extended lighting workshops where he explained his approach to shooting Alexander, a huge project that took him all over the world.

Zsigmond complimented the winner of the Golden Frog by saying, “The winner of this year’s grand prize is a complete film. The cinematography, the acting and the directing succeeded in making this a perfectly balanced film. The mood and lighting was totally appropriate. This humanitarian film is deeply touching, and the visual style combined all the elements and showed the result of many years of collaboration between the cinematographer and the director.”

He was describing Vera Drake, shot by Dick Pope, BSC and directed by Mike Leigh. Pope had won previous Golden Frogs for Secrets and Lies and in recognition of his partnership with Leigh. Pope had been at the festival for most of the week, but was not present at the ceremony due to an assignment. Accepting on his behalf was Billy Williams, BSC.

“I’m very glad to accept this beautiful award on behalf of my friend Dick Pope,” said Williams. “I congratulate him on the wonderful photography, which as Vilmos just said, was so appropriate to the story. It’s a wonderful movie. May I take this moment to send on behalf of the many cinematographers and aspiring cinematographers here a big thank you to Marek Zydowicz and his dedicated team of helpers, who have once again brought us from all over the world to celebrate this wonderful festival of our work and the art of cinematography. Marek, you have been an inspiration to us all in creating this fest and in continuing to provide us with new challenges, to make each year even better than the last. So Marek, thank you for everything you’ve done for us. It really matters. We come here to enjoy, to study and to have the opportunity to question the filmmakers. The seminars, workshops and technical discussions are all terribly important to us. We come here to learn and to share our knowledge. There isn’t anywhere else that this happens to this degree. And we thank you for that.”

With that, the 12th Annual Camerimage International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography came to a close.

• Tuesday, November 30 – Friday, December 3

• Saturday, November 27 – Monday, November 29