Painting, photography, music, cinema – artists from all these fields are the protagonists of the films competing for the Chopin’s Nose award this year.
Ten exceptional stories about figures such as Genesis P-Orridge, Jacek “Budyń” Szymkiewicz, Martin Parr, Amanda Lear, Charlie Chaplin, Hayao Miyazaki, and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham await the audience at the 22nd MDAG. We take a closer look at their fascinating work and the documentary portrayals of their often eventful lives.
CHOPIN’S NOSE AWARD
A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, dir. Mark Cousins
A film narrated by Tilda Swinton that delves into the mystery of creativity, taking us on a journey through the world of art. Director Mark Cousins, known for his monumental films on the history of cinema, examines the life and work of Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. The painter’s unique approach to colors reveals new ways of perceiving abstract painting. The misogynistic climate of the era in which Willie (as she was commonly known) lived prevented her from being remembered as the genius she truly was.
Mark Cousins' new film is accompanied by a retrospective of his work, The Stories of Looking, curated by the festival's artistic director, Karol Piekarczyk. Cousins will visit Warsaw, meet the festival audience, and hold a unique masterclass.
A Photographic Memory, dir. Rachel Elizabeth Seed
Director and photographer Rachel Elizabeth Seed embarks on a journey to learn more about her mother, who passed away 30 years earlier. Sheila Turner-Seed, a globetrotting journalist, died of a brain aneurysm when her daughter was just 18 months old. The filmmaker discovers that in the 1970s, her mother recorded over 50 hours of interviews with some of the greatest photographers of the last century, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lisette Model, Gordon Parks, W. Eugene Smith, Roman Vishniac, Cornell Capa, and Bruce Davidson. The film is a meditation on memory, legacy, and confronting loss.
S/He Is Still Her/e: The Official Genesis P-Orridge Documentary, dir. David Charles Rodrigues
Co-founder of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV, avant-garde artist, spiritual explorer, occultist, and a transgressive revolutionary in gender matters, Genesis P-Orridge identified as pandrogynous. Until now, the true life of Genesis P-Orridge remained largely unknown. The film documents the period when she battled leukemia, revealing the sacrifices and rewards of her extraordinary existence. Featuring appearances by William Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Timothy Leary, Nepalese monks, African shamans, and… Queen Elizabeth II.
About a Hero, dir. Piotr Winiewicz
"Even in 4,500 years, artificial intelligence will never make a better film than me," Werner Herzog once declared. Piotr Winiewicz challenges this claim by hiring Kaspar, an AI model, to write a screenplay. Using Herzog’s films as its foundation, the AI generates a hybrid piece—a fusion of narrative fiction and self-reflective storytelling interwoven with documentary elements. Conversations with artists, philosophers, and scientists explore the concepts of originality, authenticity, immortality, and the soul in the age of AI.
At Least. At Last., dir. Sebastian Juszczyk
"At least. At last." presents Budyń an extraordinary, talented artist and stage personality, known for exceptional, poetic lyrics and passion for music. The film consists of statements from the protagonist himself, conversations with friends, and remarks from well-known figures in the music scene. It's an inspiring story about how music can become a way of life, a form of therapy and self-creation, as well as about making difficult decisions and facing challenges, which may be significant for those starting their artistic journey and those seeking deeper meanings in life.
I Am Martin Parr, dir. Lee Shulman
The works of Martin Parr, one of Britain’s most recognizable and controversial photographers, act as a wake-up call, forcing viewers to confront their own flaws and social issues. While often humorous, his images can leave us feeling uncomfortable or even embarrassed. They demand a deeper look at his uncompromising portrayal of consumer society. This film is both a retrospective of Parr’s 50-year career and a tribute to his work.
Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, dir. Elegance Bratton
It all started at the Warehouse club in Chicago. The director uses archival footage and contemporary interviews with those who witnessed the birth of the most danceable and joyous genre of electronic music—house. The film takes us back to the late 1970s when Disco Demolition Night—a racist and homophobic backlash against disco—became the catalyst for a new musical movement deeply rooted in Black American heritage. Chicago and its underground scene of the 1980s emerge as collective protagonists in this electrifying documentary.
Enigma, dir. Zackary Drucker
April Ashey and Amanda Lear allegedly transitioned at the same time—in the 1950s. While Amanda found stardom under the flashing lights of disco, April faced the harsh glare of a transphobic press. The film revisits their intertwined destinies, revealing previously unknown facts. For decades, Amanda deliberately obscured her identity, effectively shrouding the truth. Their contrasting journeys expose different but interconnected legacies of transgender sisterhood, survival, and liberation.
Charlie Chaplin: The Spirit of the Tramp, dir. Carmen Chaplin
Carmen Chaplin’s documentary debut is both a biography of her legendary grandfather and an exploration of his Romani heritage. The director claims that Charlie Chaplin was not actually born in London but in the Romani community of Black Patch in Birmingham. His roots, she argues, inspired him to create the Tramp—a lonely gentleman in oversized shoes and trousers, with a cane and bowler hat, dreaming of adventure and true love.
Miyazaki, Spirit of Nature, dir. Léo Favier
Hayao Miyazaki is undoubtedly the most influential animator alongside Walt Disney, known for masterpieces such as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. His prolific career includes 11 feature films, 10 short films, and several mangas. Interviews with anthropologist Philippe Descola, philosopher Timothy Morton, his son Gorō Miyazaki, and longtime producer Toshio Suzuki provide insights into the enigmatic genius behind Studio Ghibli’s timeless works.
HOW A MASTERPIECE WAS MADE: A FILM ABOUT CLAUDE LANZMANN’S SHOAH
When discussing outstanding works and artists, one cannot overlook a film outside the competition that unveils the behind-the-scenes story of one of the greatest masterpieces of documentary cinema. This year’s program includes All I Had Was Nothingness (dir. Guillaume Ribot), featured in the We can Be Heroes section.
Claude Lanzmann spent 12 years filming Shoah (1985), a work that forever changed the representation of the Holocaust in cinema—without using a single archival image or photograph. Forty years later, Guillaume Ribot delved into 220 hours of footage shot by Lanzmann that never made it into the final version.
Lanzmann worked blindly. He knew he wanted to speak with victims, witnesses, and perpetrators, but the concept of his film constantly evolved. He was not an easy person. We see him as a relentless reporter, chasing an elusive truth, exhausted by travel and struggling with financial difficulties. Initially, he dismissed Poland as an uninteresting place because “there was nothing there anymore.” But upon arriving, he immediately realized the magnitude of what he had to confront.
Ribot relies solely on Lanzmann’s own words—excerpts from his diary and never-before-seen interviews conducted while working on one of cinema’s greatest masterpieces. In 2023, Shoahwas added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah (1985) will be screened on April 12 (Part I) and April 13, 2025 (Part II) at Kino Muranów as part of the 2nd edition of the Timeless Film Festival Warsaw (April 7–14, 2025). More information: www.timelessfilmfestival.pl
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/).
