The 22nd edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity will be an opportunity to meet two legends of documentary cinema—Mads Brügger and Lauren Greenfield. This time, however, they won’t be presenting their latest films but rather their TV series. Brügger’s four-episode The Black Swan is, as always with his work, a gripping and subversively led investigation. Greenfield’s five-episode Social Studies, on the other hand, is a characteristically deep dive into social phenomena shaping our everyday lives—this time, focusing on the daily experiences of teenagers living in Los Angeles.
The 22nd MDAG will take place from May 9 to 18, 2025, in cinemas across seven Polish cities, and from May 20 to June 2 online at mdag.pl!
The Black Swan – At the Heart of Danish Crime
Mads Brügger needs no introduction to the MDAG audience. The acclaimed Danish director and journalist, known for his provocative investigations—sometimes even risking his life—has gained recognition with exposé films such as The Ambassador, Cold Case Hammarskjöld, and the two-part series The Mole: Undercover in North Korea. His previous works are shocking due to his bold and unconventional approach, and The Black Swan is no different.
This four-episode series follows the extraordinary story of Amira Smajic, a lawyer who spent years advising Denmark’s most dangerous gangs before deciding to leave the criminal underworld. Working with Brügger and a team of investigative journalists, she installed cameras in her office. The operation exposed a terrifying network of money laundering, fraud, and even torture and environmental crimes—shattering the myth of Denmark as a corruption-free country. However, Smajic’s double game leads to dramatic consequences that will surprise even the most seasoned viewers.
Social Studies – How Does Technology Shape Us?
Lauren Greenfield is also well known to Polish audiences. A multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and last year’s Main Competition juror at Millennium Docs Against Gravity, she will present her latest work—a five-episode series titled Social Studies, filmed in Los Angeles.
Greenfield follows teenagers over the course of a school year, capturing how growing up in the digital age shapes their lives. Through the lens of social media, the young protagonists grapple with issues such as peer violence, racism, unrealistic beauty standards, and the search for identity. Dubbed “America’s foremost visual chronicler of plutocracy” by The New York Times, Greenfield has long explored the impact of consumerism and mass culture on younger generations. Social Studies continues the themes she previously examined in Generation Wealth and Thin.
The Polish premieres of The Black Swan and Social Studies at Millennium Docs Against Gravity will also be a unique chance to meet Brügger and Greenfield in person—an experience that always draws packed cinema audiences and sparks passionate discussions.
The 22nd MDAG will take place from May 9 to 18, 2025, in cinemas in Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Poznań, Katowice, Bydgoszcz, and Łódź, and from May 20 to June 2 online at mdag.pl! The festival’s title sponsor is Bank Millennium. (https://www.bankmillennium.pl/).
