In Darkness and Suicide Room bag Camerimage awards

The international event, now in 19th year, is dedicated to “the art of cinematography,” echoing the prestige enjoyed worldwide by Polish cinematographers.

Accordingly, the main award goes to most outstanding cinematographer rather than director, and in this instance the victor was Jolanta Dylewska, for her work on Holocaust drama In Darkness.

Dylewska had faced a considerable challenge with the film as much of the work, as the title suggests, is shot in relative darkness, with torches providing the main sources of light.

Directed by veteran film-maker Agnieszka Holland, In Darkness follows the the true-life plight of a group of Jews that spend over a year in the sewers of Lwow (now Lviv, Ukraine), in an attempt to escape the clutches of the Nazis.

Meanwhile, Radoslaw Ladczuk won the prize for best debut cinematographer for innovative teen drama Suicide Room.The film, directed by Jan Komasa, also won in the category of best Polish film.

This year, the lifetime achievement award went to Poland's pre-eminent director, Andrzej Wajda, who has just started shooting a biopic about legendary Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. (nh/pg)