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It was another excellent year for Polish documentary cinema, reflected both in the number of awards won by Polish filmmakers at the world’s most important festivals and in the outstanding quality of the films themselves. This year, the Polish Competition at MDAG will feature ten exceptional films competing for three awards: Best Polish Film, Best Production (awarded by Smakjam Studio), and the Award of the Association of Arthouse Cinemas.The films in the Polish Competition were directed by six women and six men. Four Polish films have also been selected for the International Short Film Competition. During the 22nd MDAG, we will take a closer look at the work of the legendary Andrzej Munk in a special section curated by Wojciech Diduszko, the director of the Polish Competition. The section is presented in partnership with the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute. |
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Das Deutsche Volk, directed by Marcin Wierzchowski – International Premiere
The film presents the story of a racist attack in Hanau in 2020 from the perspective of grieving families and survivors. The attacker shot nine people in a bar, believing they were not "real Germans." What direct and long-term effect did this murder have on the residents of the city? The director accompanies the families and their friends for four years as they try to cope with their grief. They feel abandoned because, apart from words of comfort, they received no other support and have to conduct their own investigation into the circumstances of the murder.
The Guest, directed by Zvika Gregory Portnoy, Zuzanna Solakiewicz – Polish Premiere
Maciek and his mother Renata live in a Polish village near the Belarusian border. It’s the winter of 2021, and the crisis at the border is deepening. The several-kilometer stretch along the border is a military zone, a closed area patrolled by border guards and the army, who are looking for "illegal" migrants and pushing them back into Belarus. One day, Maciek’s mother lets a weary Syrian refugee into their home. The film won the Best Cinematography Award at this year’s IDFA festival in Amsterdam!
KOMPLETA, directed by Tomasz Śliwiński, Magdalena Hueckel – World Premiere
The film is an intimate record of a difficult period in the filmmakers’ lives. The main character, in her eighth month of pregnancy, is diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. This dramatic event disrupts the joy of the upcoming birth. Magdalena Hueckel and Tomasz Śliwiński, known for their Oscar-nominated personal documentary Our Curse, make an experimental attempt to process trauma through art, blending raw documentary footage with elements of music video, photography, and collage.
King Matt the First, directed by Jaśmina Wójcik – Polish Premiere
The world of twin sisters Zoi and Lea is built on shared play, discoveries, conversations, and everyday clashes and arguments. Initially, the girls are almost identical, sharing an incredible bond, but over time, the older sister begins to grow up and distance herself from the younger. The film raises the question: can we clearly define when childhood ends and adulthood begins? Jaśmina Wójcik draws inspiration from Janusz Korczak's novel, which remains relevant even 100 years after its publication.
Letters From Wolf Street, directed by Arjun Talwar – Polish Premiere
A street in downtown Warsaw. Arjun, who emigrated from India to Poland over a decade ago, still struggles with feelings of alienation. He begins filming his neighbors, uncovering a mosaic of hidden stories, shared yearnings, and fascinating characters: a postman who, besides delivering letters, also brings prescriptions for loneliness, or an immigrant from Damascus trying to recreate his hometown from memory. Wolf Street emerges as a portrait of contemporary Europe, and through the director’s lens, Poland – often seen as unwelcoming – gains a tender and humorous portrayal.
My Dear Théo, directed by Alisa Kovalenko – Polish Premiere
Through intimate video diaries and poetic letters sent from the front to her five-year-old son Théo, Alisa Kovalenko – a filmmaker turned soldier – captured the destructive reality of the war in Ukraine, while also reflecting on her decision to serve in defense of her country. The film, both a testament of love and a war documentary, intertwines Kovalenko’s personal story with the broader narrative of those fighting for a future where generations to come may live in peace.
The Passenger Andrzej Munk, directed by Michał Bielawski – World Premiere
A documentary portrait of Andrzej Munk, the creator of unforgettable films such as Człowiek na torze, Eroica, Zezowate szczęście, and Pasażerka. This personal perspective on the work of one of the leading figures of the Polish Film School is illustrated with film fragments, chronicles, and photographs from the rich archive of the filmmaker, complemented by striking reenactments. The narrative, built from interviews with Andrzej Munk and his collaborators and friends, guides us through his life and work.
Trains, directed by Maciej Drygas – Polish Premiere
An artistic, reflective journey through the 20th century, created entirely from archival footage. Without narration, it presents a beautiful and bittersweet image, where the fascination with movement becomes a curse, and tears of joy mix with the pain of despair. The film's soundtrack includes fragments of Paweł Szymański's Compartment 2, Car 7. The film won the Grand Prize at this year’s IDFA festival in Amsterdam!
Bedrock, directed by Kinga Michalska – Polish Premiere
The film is a calm, psychological journey through contemporary Poland, portraying the lives of people whose homes are located in places connected to the Holocaust. It takes the viewers on an expedition through landscapes where traces of violence are intricately woven into the fabric of everyday life. Using a series of intimate observational scenes, the film explores the shadows of the past. The characters navigate the complex terrain of memory, responsibility, and trauma. It reveals the echoes of a brutal past still resonating in a dystopian present.
Trust Me, directed by Joanna Ratajczak – Polish Premiere
Alicja and Sebastian seem to have an ideal life, with a loving family and a successful business. However, Sebastian’s desire for freedom sets them on a turbulent journey that tests their relationship. For Alicja, a Polish woman living in Berlin, deeply rooted in societal expectations and family traditions, navigating the complexities of love, independence, and societal norms becomes a difficult journey. She struggles with the rigid constraints of her upbringing and must confront her own desires and break free from old patterns.
POLISH FILMS IN THE SHORT COMPETITION
Can You Hear Me?, directed by Anastazja Naumenko – Polish Premiere
Nastia, who has lived abroad for many years, starts teaching her mother how to use online services. Their differing perceptions of technology become the starting point for revealing intergenerational tensions and changing communication dynamics in a digitalized world.
Lift Lady, directed by Marcin Modzelewski – Polish Premiere
Brutalist architecture, a paid elevator, and surreal surroundings are part of the everyday life of Mzia, a former sniper who oversees the only such communication passage in the world. The grotesque housing estate and the flaws of its residents paint a tragicomic picture of contemporary Georgia.
The Secret Life of Flowers, directed by Jakub Wenda – World Premiere
Seventeen-year-old Kamila is about to leave a youth center. As the leader of the group, she acts almost like a mother figure to the younger girls. From now on, they will have to manage on their own and find hope in the place where they live.
In My Day, directed by Iga Lis – Polish Premiere
In phone conversations with their granddaughters, grandmothers reveal stories of love, loss, and broken hearts. Words that had remained unspoken now find their way out – sometimes for the first time. Their stories not only record personal experiences but also echo shared experiences of women across generations. The film invites reflection on what is really passed down from generation to generation – not only pain, but also strength, tenderness, and life wisdom.
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/).
