Polish film director jury president of 65th BFI London Film Festival

Malgorzata Szumowska has been named the Official Competion Jury President of this year's BFI London Film Festival.

Szumowska, a director, screenwriter and producer of feature and documentary films as well as one of Poland's most recognized filmmakers said that she was hounoured to be the Jury President of this year's festival.

"The selection of films is of a high standard… Film festivals prove that in difficult times, real cinema is still alive and has a chance to survive," she added, as quoted in a film festival communique.

She said: "As a director, I actually grew up with the London Film Festival, which screened my first film, "Happy Man," when I was just 25 years old."

"It is beautiful that, more than 20 years later, I am able to be the Jury President of that same festival," she added.

Eight films will be competing for this year's Best Film Award which recognizes inspiring, inventive and distinctive filmmaking.

The event, organized by the British Film Institute, opened on Wednesday and runs through October 17.