33rd year of the International Festival PAF Tachov 2011 - press release
Underwater photographers and film makers from all over the world met for already 33rd contest in Tachov during the weekend 20.-22.5.2011 . For many years the Festival have been including also the category of children's artwork in the field of painting, drawing, graphics and ceramics. The main organizer of the festival is the Club of Sport Diving Tachov with the substantial support of the Diving Union of the Czech Republic and City of Tachov. The organisational cooperation is provided by the City Cultural Centre in Tachov and Museum of the Czech Forest in Tachov. The Festival, however, is supported by many other partners and sponsors.
The photo jury led by Ladislav Smelik was assessing ( anonymously, of course) in total 419 photos and 3 AV programmes in nine categories, always awarding first three positions. The Top Photographer prize ( best photographer) for the portfolio of the author (series of photographs) as well as the prize Top Photo for the best photo of all won the Italian Michele Davino. The other jury members were Jiří Řezníček from the Czech Republic and Henri Eskenazi from France.
Video jury led by Miroslav Hrdý, who himself had reached several times the highest prize in the past, was assessing 30 films in both the professional and amateur category and awarded twice 1.-3. positions and two special prizes - for camera and sound. The highest prize - Grand Prix won Florian Guthknecht from Germany for his film Catfish - A monster in the lake?, about the biggest fresh-water fish. Also the audience liked this film and awarded the prize of the audience. The prize of the audience was also awarded for photography and portfolio of the author and prize of children's audience was awarded for photography.
Remaining video jury members were Kamil Vondrášek from the Czech Republic, Pavol Sviatanok and Štefan Bartoš - both from Slovakia and the professional diver and cameraman Danny Van Belle from Belgium.
In the category of children's artwork were assessed 227 works in two age categories, while each of them was classified according to technique into painting, drawing, graphics and ceramics. The jury members Tomáš Kotouč - photographer, Zuzana Schweinerová - professional artist, Svatava Horáčková - artist and Jana Honzíková-Hiclová - artist, awarded four times 1.-3.prizes. Majority of awarded works were produced in the Elementary School of Arts in Tachov, however also students of ZUŠ Planá, DDM Stříbro and Elementary school Tachov Kostelní have succeeded.
The Festival presented varied program during three days. Competition films were projected on Friday and Saturday together with the exhibition of photographs. More than 800 pupils of Tachov grammar schools visited the Friday afternoon projection. Part of the Festival was also the traditional fair exhibition of diving equipment and related products.
For more than ten years the Festival co-organizer Muzeum of Czech Forest in Tachov reserves the space for exhibition of the author, with the traditional opening on Friday evening. This year's exhibition of Tomáš Kotouč is completed with interesting text descriptions of displayed fauna. Therefore the exhibition introduces not only the aesthetic experience but also serves as a source of information. The exhibition will be open in the Tachov Museum till 20.6.
Also lectures have become the traditional part of the Festival during several last years. There were four of them this year. Zdeněk Skružný spoke about disciplines and international successes of Czech sport divers. Paľo Král spoke about Tatras and Tatra mountain lakes not only from the hydro-biological aspect. Robert Dvořák and Miloš Chlápek lectured not only about diving in less used locality but also about distorted media image of Sudan. RNDr. Adam Petrusek spoke about undersea fauna of the Adriatic sea frequently visited by Czechs.
The news of this year's Festival program was 1st diving ball, during which were announced and awarded winning film makers and photographers.
33rd year of the Festival PAF Tachov 2011 is now the history. Participants from 18 countries of the world joined the Festival.
For more details go to www.paftachov.cz or contact the Festival president Bohumír Kráčmar, festival@paftachov.cz
