Every year, the trailer for Millennium Docs Against Gravity ignites the imagination with visuals that the Polish audience will soon see on the big screen in May. This year’s festival trailer premiere also comes with the announcement of a second, alternative version—after all, the 22nd edition deserves a double introduction!
"The Whole World Between Us" is this year’s MDAG slogan. It refers to a sense of community—among viewers, filmmakers, and everyone contributing to Europe’s second-largest documentary film festival.
22nd MDAG: May 9–18 in Cinemas, May 20–June 2 Online
The 22nd edition of MDAG will take place from May 9 to 18, 2025, in cinemas across seven cities—Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Poznań, Katowice, Łódź, and Bydgoszcz—and from May 20 to June 2 online at mdag.pl! Passes, industry, and media accreditations for the Warsaw edition are now on sale, but their availability is limited. All information is available at book.mdag.pl. Single tickets for screenings will go on sale on April 24 at mdag.pl and at festival cinemas.
A Journey Around the World in a Minute
The festival trailer is composed of scenes from 24 carefully selected films, curated by director and editor Dorota Proba, who won the Best Polish Film Award in 2020 for Between Us: "For nine years, I have had the pleasure of editing the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival trailer. Each year, this short sequence draws from an increasingly rich program, showcasing the beauty, joy, mystery, and hardship of our world," says Proba.
The trailer invites viewers on a journey across the globe and deep within themselves. It presents a complex image of reality, showing both its breathtaking and terrifying aspects.
In the trailer, we travel from a snowy landscape in Folktales (dir. Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady), where three teenagers embark on a bold journey to study in a traditional folk school in northern Norway, to the scorching heat of Spain in Only on Earth (dir. Robin Petré), where relentless wildfires rage due to the disappearance of wild horses. We witness the fragile balance of nature collapse. Apocalypse in the Tropics (dir. Petra Costa), nominated for an Academy Award®, explores a different kind of imbalance—the breakdown of Brazilian society as the evangelical movement paves the way for Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency.
In Champions of the Golden Valley (dir. Ben Sturgulewski), young Afghans turn to skiing as an escape from their harsh reality, just before the Taliban's return to power. Yalla Parkour (dir. Areeb Zuaiter) takes us to Gaza, where the passion for parkour helps locals push through adversity, just before the tragic events of October 7, 2023.
The trailer also features Polish productions, including King Matt the First (dir. Jaśmina Wójcik), a contemplative journey into the intimate world of two sisters, guided by curiosity and emotions. Trust Me (dir. Joanna Ratajczak) follows a polyamorous couple in Berlin whose relationship is put to the test by one partner’s longing for freedom.
Other highlights include Lift Lady (dir. Marcin Modzelewski), which portrays a former sniper overseeing the world’s only paid elevator system, and My Dear Théo (dir. Alisa Kovalenko), an intimate video diary of a filmmaker-turned-soldier sending poetic letters from the frontlines to her five-year-old son.
Several visually striking films in the trailer highlight the resilience of extraordinary women. Sally (dir. Cristina Costantini) tells the story of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, who kept her same-sex relationship secret for 27 years. Tack (dir. Vania Turner) follows two athletes who ignited Greece’s #MeToo movement.
She Dances by the Sea (dir. Jian Fan, Isabella Zang) introduces Yu Xiuhua, a Chinese poet with cerebral palsy, while Patrice: The Movie (dir. Ted Passon) portrays Patrice Jetter, an artist and figure skater whose disability prevents her from easily marrying her fiancé under U.S. law.
The trailer also highlights hidden communities and extraordinary phenomena. The Coriolis Effect (dir. Petr Lom) explores life on Cape Verde, where massive hurricanes originate. Abode of Dawn (dir. Kristina Schtubert) immerses us in a utopian religious sect in the Siberian taiga.
Music and environmental activism intersect in Ellis Park (dir. Justin Kurzel), which showcases musician Warren Ellis’s nature conservation efforts in Sumatra. Meanwhile, 2073 (dir. Asif Kapadia) blends sci-fi and horror elements to tackle humanity’s biggest existential threats.
Two Trailers for the 22nd Edition!
As technology evolves, so do conversations about film. To reflect these changes, for the first time in MDAG history, a second trailer has been created in collaboration with TikTok. This vertical-format (9:16) trailer features festival volunteers and Polish TikTok creators discussing community, openness, and the shared emotional experience of cinema.
Edited by Dorota Proba, the main MDAG trailer’s creator, this teaser will be followed by six extended video segments on @millenniumdocsag on TikTok, alongside festival updates, behind-the-scenes content, and audience activations. More details about the MDAG-TikTok partnership will be announced soon!
22. MDAG odbędzie się od 9 do 18 maja 2025 roku w kinach w Warszawie, Wrocławiu, Gdyni, Poznaniu, Katowicach, Bydgoszczy i Łodzi oraz od 20 maja do 2 czerwca online na mdag.pl! Mecenasem tytularnym wydarzenia jest Bank Millennium (https://www.bankmillennium.pl/).
