The opening ceremony featured a show by third-year acting students from the Lodz Film School, prepared by Wacław Mikłaszewski, lecturer in the Acting Department. The concert was performed with visual support from the Animation Student Club and musical support from students of the Academy of Music in Łódź.

On Monday evening, May 18th, we inaugurated the Drama Schools Festival. A celebration of youth, hope, and creativity. A gathering of young enthusiasts, experienced artists, educators, audiences, and above all, students. At this festival, those who are now shaping the history of contemporary Polish theatre and cinema took their first steps. Today, we are witnessing the beginnings of the journey of future artists.

To the pulsating rhythm of hip-hop, students welcomed the GUESTS:

* Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Ms. Ewa Szymanowska,
* Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Włodzimierz Tomaszewski,
* Senator Mr. Krzysztof Kwiatkowski,
* Mr. Sławomir Rogowski, Deputy Minister of Culture and National Heritage
* Mr. Marcin Iskra, Director General in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education,
* Ms. Agnieszka Hejduk-Domańska, Director of the Department of Artistic Education at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage,
* Ms. Beata Świderska – Director of the Department of Education of the Marshal's Office of the Lodz Voivodeship,
* Ms. Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka – Vice-President of the City of Lodz,
* Ms Małgorzata Kania – Director of the Department of Culture of the Marshal's Office of the Lodz Voivodeship,
* Ms Karolina Kępka – Chairwoman of the Culture Committee of the City Council of the City of Łódź Office,
* Vice-Rector of the University of Lodz, Mr. Radosław Olszewski with his wife,
* Director of the Kazimierz Dejmek Nowy Theatre, Mr. Marcin Brzozowski;

RECTORS
* Rector of the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw, Prof. Wiesław Czołpiński,
* Rector of the Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow, Prof. Grzegorz Mielczarek,
* Rector of the Leon Schiller Film School in Łódź, Milenia Fiedler, PhD;

JURY MEMBERS
* Jerzy Kapuściński,
* Andrzej Konopka,
* Paweł Kulka,
* Aneta Kyzioł,
* Eliza Kujan,
and students of all universities and the theatre audience.

From the Nowy Theatre, we took the city bus to the Film School campus, where we celebrated the festival opening all night long. Because before it comes to enjoying theatre, there's… laughter, conversation, fun, and dancing!

We are starting the festival week – we invite you to the shows.

And on 24th, May, we will know the winners of the 44th Drama Schools Festival.

festiwalszkolteatralnych.pl

The Event Partner is the Łódź Voivodeship - Marshal's Office.

ORGANIZER
Lodz Film School

CO-ORGANIZERS
Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow
Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow, Bytom Branch
Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow, Wrocław Branch
Academy of Theatre in Warsaw
Studyjny Theatre in Łódź
Kazimierz Dejmek Nowy Theatre in Łódź

CO-FINANCED BY
The Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special-purpose fund.
Project co-financed by the City of Łódź

HONORARY PATRONAGES
Minister of Culture and National Heritage Marta Cienkowska
Lodz Voivode Dorota Ryl
Marshal of the Lodz Voivodeship Joanna Skrzydlewska
Mayor of the City of Lodz Hanna Zdanowska

PARTNERS
Henryk Ryl Arlekin Puppet Theatre in Łódź, Medicus Clinic, TOYA, Opus Film, Polish Actors' Union ZZAP, Polish Stage Artists' Union ZASP, University of Łódź, ADiT Drama and Theatre Agency, MPK Łódź, P29 Club, Charlie Cinema, Kamera Akcja Festival

MEDIA PATRONAGES
TVP Kultura, TVP Łódź, TVP INFO, TV Toya, Dziennik Łódzki, Radio NOWY ŚWIAT, Radio Łódź, E-Teatr.pl, THEATRE FOR ALL, Dziennik Teatralny, Teatralny.pl, Come to the Theatre, Newspaper of the Student Scientific Circle of Theatre Studies TUPOT

photos: sztukafotografii.com