Sekcje 2025: Showcase. Polish Short Films

  • And Don’t Call Me Crazy

    And Don’t Call Me Crazy

    And Don’t Call Me Crazy

    reż. Dorota Skupniewicz

    The protagonist, who is treated at a mental health facility, carries out the vivisection of the psychiatric care system. Physicians do not have enough time to get to know and understand their patients. They formulate easy-to-classify diagnoses, prescribe pills and ‘normal’ life, such as work, family and stabilisation. The main character is trying to escape this reality by listening to interesting discussions on mental illnesses conducted by people with bird heads. The film provides a sad review of the healthcare system in which a diagnosis is for doctors, while for patients it signifies stigmatisation and the treatment of symptoms, not looking for causes.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Dorota (dorotes) Skupniewicz

    Filmmaker based in Belfast (Northern Ireland). Grown up during start of brutal capitalism in Poland, after systematic change in her country. This strongly affected her view of the World and the Art. Most of her life focused on activism connected with Human Rights and the Earth. Graduated Animation faculty on the University of Arts in Poznań. Connected with organisation IDHA NYC.

    Director: Dorota Skupniewicz

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • Smile

    Smile

    Smile

    reż. Katarzyna Bialik
    Poland / 2025 / 1 min

    Pulling braids, snapping a bra strap, catcalling on the streets. He is teasing you, because he likes you. That’s a compliment. Anger makes you ugly. Smile. That’s how I-as a woman-was raised in a patriarchal culture. Learned, that being attractive in men’s eyes is more important than my integrity and sense of security. That I don’t have the right to feel fear and anger, because it’s ‘wrong’. And my pain is just a price I pay for being desired. Overdrawn smile-mask is a symbol of dissociation from true feelings. Taking it off-a manifestation of opposition and emancipation.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Katarzyna Bialik

    Reżyseria: Katarzyna Bialik

    Scenariusz: Katarzyna Bialik

    Zdjęcia: Alicja Klich

    Montaż: Alicja Klich

    Dźwięk: Katarzyna Bialik

    Producent_ka: Katarzyna Bialik

    Produkcja: Katarzyna Bialik

  • Hope

    Hope

    Hope

    reż. Franciszka Sutryk
    Poland / 2025 / 3 min 41 sec

    Hope is a short, experimental documentary about the search for identity, the exploration of one’s roots, and the rediscovery of the past. It tells the story of a journey to the director’s ancestral Polish region of Podlasie in search of mythicized Slavic witches – szeptuchy – and in search of answers. Unexpectedly, in a circular motion, it leads us to another source – a forgotten childhood love.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Franciszka Sutryk

    Frania (they/them, 2003) comes from contrasting environments: the Podlasie countryside and Warsaw. They are currently studying Experimental Film at the Academy of Art in Szczecin. In their work they explore various short film forms, such as documentary, animation, video art, and found footage. In their work, they focus on tangibly close topics: their relationships, memories, emotions, body, and history. Guided by the principle that the more intimate something is, the more universal it becomes (Carl R. Rogers), they try to capture and explore the broader contexts and patterns of their experience, to show its universality and commonality. The aim of their work is to bring the potential viewer closer to their own experience, towards themselves.

    Their filmography includes titles such as: i kochanie (and darling) – a short experimental film about generational trauma, the experience of war and the passage of time, shown at the ASPOL exhibition in Paris; Widok (View) – a stop-motion animation created from materials cut out of Polish magazines and newspapers, referring to John Berger’s theory, the film explores the theme of femininity, shown at the UnArchivefest festival in Rome; for movement – a 360° film, an immersive experience exploring movement and dance, taking the viewer through various dance spaces, from dark clubs to brightly lit, mirrored studios; Foria – an intimate video art piece focusing on the theme of gender dysphoria, in which the body is fragmented.

    On the other side of the camera, he participated in projects such as the film active/passive directed by Jana Górska (shown at the Post P_rn Arts Fest in Warsaw and the Porn Film Festival Amsterdam) and Poliamoryczne Ogródki Działkowe by Danielka Weiss.

    Reżyseria: Franciszka Sutryk

    Scenariusz: Franciszka Sutryk

    Zdjęcia: Franciszka Sutryk

    Montaż: Franciszka Sutryk

    Dźwięk: Franciszka Sutryk

    Producent_ka: Franciszka Sutryk

    Produkcja: Franciszka Sutryk

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • In My Day

    In My Day

    In My Day

    reż. Iga Lis
    Poland / 2024 / 12 min

    A visual poem exploring the intergenerational experience of love. Through intimate, real-life phone calls between grandmothers and their granddaughters, we are invited into the heart of personal confessions, where stories of heartbreak, enduring love, and loss unfold. The film paints a universal portrait of womanhood, shaped by love’s complexities across time. At its heart, In My Day is a reflection on the shared experiences that connect generations of women.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Iga Lis

    Polish filmmaker. Upon receiving a bachelor’s degree in History from the London School of Economics in 2021, Iga channeled her social initiatives into her film work. She wrote and directed short films on environmental topics and co-founded projects aimed at increasing voter turnout among the Polish youth. Age and the stages of human life are concepts at the heart of Iga’s work, reflected in her short film In My Day (2024) and documentary feature film Bałtyk (2025).

    Director: Iga Lis

    Scenariusz: Iga Lis

    Zdjęcia: Nadia Szymańska

    Montaż: Tomasz Naruszewicz

    Dźwięk: Bartosz Kruczyński

    Producent_ka: Julia Grzeszczak

    Produkcja: Lumiere Lab

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • The Whale Visited Me Today

    The Whale Visited Me Today

    The Whale Visited Me Today

    reż. Matylda Maciejewska
    Poland / 2025 / 2 min 51 sec

    The Whale Visited Me Today is an abstract, metaphorical portrayal of a person overwhelmed by everyday life and exhausted by an existence that leaves no room to breathe. The phrase “You can’t breathe here on earth either” becomes a metaphor for inner tension and a burden that is hard to shed. It is a film about how difficult it can sometimes be to simply exist.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Matylda Maciejewska

    Reżyseria: Matylda Maciejewska

    Scenariusz: Matylda Maciejewska

    Zdjęcia: Matylda Maciejewska

    Montaż: Matylda Maciejewska

    Dźwięk: Matylda Maciejewska

    Muzyka: Franciszek Puk

    Producent_ka: Matylda Maciejewska

    Produkcja: University of the Arts Poznan

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • I Was Dreaming About The Journey

    I Was Dreaming About The Journey

    I Was Dreaming About The Journey

    reż. Maja Soś
    Poland / 2023 / 5 min 52 sec

    A film experiment shot on 8 mm film during the director’s first visit to her half-sister, who is thirteen years older than her. The work explores the fragile and shifting process of building a relationship. Through observing the sister’s daily rituals, surroundings, people, and animals, the film reveals an intimate portrait of closeness that emerges not from carefully planned gestures but from simple, shared moments: preparing a meal, watching television, or eating breakfast on a train. It is a subtle study of encounter, where personal longing intertwines with the attempt to understand another person.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Maja Soś

    Graduate of the Faculty of Media Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and has completed a documentary course at the Wajda School. She professionally works with photography completed a documentary course at the Wajda School. She professionally works with photography and short video formats. Maja has realized various intermedial projects at the intersection of film and performance, such as the project Big Bear in a Small House in collaboration with people with visual impairments and the video I Tell Noone. Currently, she is working on a short film in cooperation with BWA Gallery in Bielsko-Biała and the Wyspy Pamięci Foundation.

    Reżyseria: Maja Soś

    Scenariusz: Maja Soś

    Zdjęcia: Maja Soś

    Montaż: Maja Soś

    Dźwięk: Maja Soś

    Producent_ka: Maja Soś

    Produkcja: Academy of Fine Arts Warsaw

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • Lezje

    Lezje

    Lezje

    reż. Urszula Haber
    Poland / 2024 / 2 min

    Lezje is a short film with a distinctly avant-garde character, focusing on toxic human relationships – portrayed through an unusual metaphor related to food. The film’s title is a Polish phonetic adaptation of the French word «les yeux» (“eyes”), which may suggest the gaze as a theme, explored through the prism of food and relationships.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Urszula Haber

    Creative young woman interested in film, ecology and inclusivity. She studied film and audiovisual culture, and in her free time she promoted her friends’ projects and scouting activities.

    Reżyseria: Urszula Haber

    Scenariusz: Urszula Haber

    Zdjęcia: Emilia Czajewska

    Montaż: Emilia Czajewska

    Dźwięk: Urszula Haber, Emilia Czajewska

    Producent_ka: Urszula Haber

    Produkcja: Urszula Haber

    Makeup Artist: Laura Szpręga

    Actors Image / Voice Actor: Julia Oćwieja, Monika Lenkiewicz

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • Submarine

    Submarine

    Submarine

    reż. Oliwia Zakrzewska
    Poland / 2024 / 18 min

    In Submarine, director Oliwia Zakrzewska turns the camera on herself and her young son to tell a story of single motherhood. She seeks help in many places — within the healthcare system, her family, the Church, even on Tinder. Yet the walls of the titular submarine close in as that help never arrives. This intimate film is a candid portrayal of loneliness and helplessness, offering an unvarnished look at the everyday reality of motherhood. At the same time, it is a deeply universal portrait of the bond between parent and child — a relationship in which the protagonist still manages to find joy.

    21.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Oliwia Zakrzewska

    Reżyseria: Oliwia Zakrzewska

    Scenariusz: Oliwia Zakrzewska

    Zdjęcia: Andrii Shostak

    Montaż: Jakub Broda

    Dźwięk: Jacek Kurzawa

    Muzyka: Adam Adams

    Producent_ka: Maciej Ślesicki

    Produkcja: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa

    Światowa dystrybucja: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • Meander

    Meander

    Meander

    reż. Aleksandra Korpysa & Michał Radoń
    Poland / 2025 / 1 min 55 sec

    Meander is a poetic short documentary—just two minutes long—that captures the atmosphere of life in Gdańsk’s “falowce,” those iconic undulating housing blocks in Przymorze and Nowy Port. Made by Aleksandra Korpysa and Michał Radoń, the film focuses on the everyday ambiance and mood of these buildings, conveyed through a rhythmic spoken-word narration that gives the piece a deeply personal and emotional quality. Produced entirely without institutional support and conceived as a “micro-adventure,” the creators enjoyed the process of engaging with residents and curious passers-by.

    20.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Aleksandra Korpysa

    Born in 1992, graduate of the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, co-founder and creative producer at Visual Department, a company specializing in art direction and video advertising. She gained professional experience both in Poland and during extensive travels across Asia, where she discovered how diverse and fascinating human life can be. This perspective, shaped by her encounters with different cultures, continues to inspire her creative work and brings a unique, authentic voice to the projects she develops.

    Michał Radoń

    Born in 1990, graduate of the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, co-founder and creative director at Visual Department, a company specializing in art direction and video advertising. He has produced hundreds of commercial projects, ranging from short social media reels to large-scale, high-budget campaigns. His creative work is inspired by the surrealism of everyday life, revealed in strange, abstract moments that he transforms into artistic reflection and visual storytelling.

    Reżyseria: Aleksandra Korpysa & Michał Radoń

    Scenariusz: Aleksandra Korpysa & Michał Radoń

    Zdjęcia: Aleksandra Korpysa & Michał Radoń

    Montaż: Michał Radoń

    Dźwięk: Michał Radoń

    Muzyka: Artlist

    Producent_ka: Aleksandra Korpysa & Michał Radoń

    Produkcja: Aleksandra Korpysa & Michał Radoń

    Język: Polish

    Subtitles: English

  • Aqualines

    Aqualines

    Aqualines

    reż. Mila Nowacka & Clarice Calvo-Pinsolle
    Poland / 2024 / 5 min 41 sec

    The Aqualines sonic video is an audiovisual exploration of water and the processes associated with it. Sound artist Clarice Calvo-Pinsolle [BE] created an intimate soundscape, for which Mila Nowacka [PL] composed the visuals. Both artists’ vision revolved around flow, the relationship between air, fluid, and light, and the processes that occur in the depths of both our bodies and our planet. The audiovisual piece attempts to convey the subtlety, delicacy, fragility, and power of nature, of which we are a part.

    20.09.2025
    16:00
    Kinoteka

    Mila Nowacka

    Clarice Calvo-Pinsolle

    Reżyseria: Mila Nowacka

    Scenariusz: Clarice Calvo-Pinsolle

    Zdjęcia: Mila Nowacka

    Montaż: Mila Nowacka

    Dźwięk: Rafał Smoliński

    Muzyka: Clarice Calvo-Pinsolle

    Producent_ka: Mila Nowacka

    Produkcja: Mila Nowacka