Seattle-Gdynia Sister City has exciting projects in the works! Our annual
Polish Film Festival has moved to spring. We are having our first Film Festival
Poster Competition. Interested artists can go to www.polishfilms.org for
details.
Vice-President, Cindy Okinczyc, festival director, Krys Koper and festival
advisor, Andy Okinczyc were guests of the Mayor of Gdynia at the 29th Festiwal
Polskich Filmów Fabularnych in September. Cindy, Krys and Andy attended
special press screenings of the movies vying for the awards.
During the festival we had a meeting with the directors of the festival
out of which came the following: Beginning in the fall of 2005, judges for
the Gdynia Film Festival will give an award for cinematic excellence to
the best independent film on behalf of the Seattle Polish Film Festival.
The winning film will be featured at our Festival and the filmmaker will
receive a special statuette and an invitation to attend the film's showing
in Seattle.
Additionally, the Seattle Polish Film Festival was invited to join directors
of other Polish film festivals from around the world in selecting the winner
of the Foreign Polish Film Festival Award. This award is selected by the
directors for what they believe is the best film at the Gdynia Film Festival.
The Award this year was given to the film "Pregi", a film we plan
to feature in our upcoming Seattle Polish Film Festival.
From this special relationship with the festival we hope to bring more current
and popular films to Seattle. Please contact pffcoordinator@hotmail.com
if you are interested in donating or volunteering for the festival.
On September 11th Cindy and Andy participated in a 9/11 observance. This took place at a plaque dedicated to the 9/11 tragedy. A letter, written by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, recognizing the sacrifices of the Polish Navy in Iraq and especially the dive team Formoza from Gdynia, was presented to Mayor Wojciech Szcurek
Vice-President, Cindy Okinczyc, also attended to other Sister City business
while In Gdynia. One thousand dollars was presented to the Hospicjum to
help purchase a vehicle for transporting patients. They are In the process
of expanding their day care program and need a specially designed vehicle.
Cindy and Andy also met with the Deputy Commander of the Destroyer Blyskawica
and presented $360 from donations in memory of Commander Wilhelm Pacewicz.
This ship is moored permanently in Gdynia as part of the Polish Naval Museum.
This was of special significance as Commander Pacewicz served on the Blyskawica
as Navigation Officer during the Norway Campaign and the battle of Narwik
in 1940.
Cindy and Andy enjoyed coffee with Captain Henryk Sniegocki on the magnificent
tall ship Dar Mlodziezy. The discussion was centered on the Dar visiting
Seattle in 2005. This may turn into reality as the Dar may be participating
in the 2005 Trans Pacific Tall Ships Challenge coming to the west coast
in June and July.
SGSCA invites anyone interested in participating in activities to attend
their monthly meetings on the 2nd Friday of the month at Polish Home at
7:30pm. Families with children are welcome. Meetings are held in English
and end promptly by 8:30 when most members move out to the dining area (now
smoke free) for some of the wonderful Polish kitchen fare (and Polish Beer).
OTHER PROJECTS:
2004 Gdynia Film Festival Visit