The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Camerimage European Film Centre in Toruń was held in the presence of local authority, film, culture and arts personalities. ERBUD is the General Contractor.
The ceremony was attended by, among others, the former Minister of Culture and Director of the Grand Theatre of the National Opera Waldemar Dąbrowski, the Marshall of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province Piotr Całbecki, the Mayor of Toruń Michał Zaleski, as well as other well-known individuals from the world of culture and film - actor Willem Dafoe, prominent director Volker Schlöndorff, cinematographer Adam Holender and photographer Ryszard Horowitz. The event took place on the second day of the 31st EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival.
- We are establishing a European Film Centre that will defend artistic values and humanist qualities in the arts. Alongside the studio, the complex will house an education centre, an exhibition space, a huge premiere auditorium with a capacity of over 150 seats, allowing the organisation of theatre shows and other productions - in addition to screenings, a cinema house with three cinemas, including one IMAX theatre, together with a cinema museum, - declared Marek Żydowicz, President of the Tumult Foundation, the driving force of the entire project.
Following the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone, the gathered guests also filled a “time capsule”, a metal tube that has been sealed and will be entombed for future generations in the construction of the building. The capsule contained, among other things, a miniature poster from the first edition of the festival (by Ryszard Horowitz), an issue of the daily newspaper “Nowości” featuring information about this year’s festival on its cover, and a copy of the letter initiating the creation of the Camerimage European Film Centre.
- Culture and art are actually the only legacy we have left. The only thing that will tell coming generations what we were like. Usually, we insert various artefacts into a time capsule, but I believe that this whole construction project, which we are just starting, constitutes one big time capsule. It will permanently transform the centre of Toruń. I would like to express my appreciation to the investor for their trust, and I would especially like to thank and personally congratulate CEO Marek Żydowicz for his consistency, courage and world-class thinking. The project itself is magnificent, and combined with the manner in which we are able to build it, I know that a gem for future generations! - said Jacek Leczkowski, Vice-President of the ERBUD Group.
Such an event is a symbolic moment that not only paves the way for a new stage in the history of this prestigious festival, but also for the city of Toruń. The Camerimage European Film Centre will be a modern venue dedicated to the art of film and the promotion of audiovisual culture. The first facility - the film studio, represents the initial stage of the whole investment. Ultimately, a multifunctional complex will be created in Jordanki, which, together with the aforementioned Centre for Contemporary Art and the Jordanki Cultural and Congress Centre, will form the cultural hub of Toruń.
The construction contract for the first phase, signed at the beginning of October with ERBUD, amounts to almost PLN 90 million. It is expected to take 22 months to complete. The Contract Manager is Katarzyna Kozakiewicz.