The final weekend of MDAG has officially begun. As we approach the festival’s finish line, we are already starting to feel nostalgic. The festival is a celebration of cinema, and we are gathering for the 23rd time to travel together to different corners of the globe and discover deeply moving stories. Saturday and Sunday are your last chance to grab tickets for your favorite films. See you at the movies!
Aleksandra Nogaj, 23rd MDAG Press Office
[alt text: A woman and a man are dancing in a larger circle, holding hands. The man is wearing a white T-shirt that reads "Andrea Arnold".]
SATURDAY
Saturday, May 16 | 6:45 PM | KINOTEKA 3
Screening of "Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird)"
Following the death of her friend, Anna spends ten years obsessively recreating her home at a 1:3 scale for a puppet bearing the same name. When they met, Yo was 73 and Anna was only 24 - despite the age gap, they formed a deep bond that became the foundation of their relationship over time. By creating this miniature space, Anna builds a world where stories can endure and their closeness can continue to evolve. The film weaves the intimate reality of Yo’s final year with a creative reinterpretation of her dramatic experiences. Blurring the lines between memory, time, and imagination, the film showcases the power of artistic creation as a way of experiencing and sharing grief and love.
TICKETS
The film is available with Audio Description (AD) and Polish voice-over. There will also be screenings with Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH). A full list of events and more information can be found under the "Accessibility" tab.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:
SMS / Tel: +48 579 754 101
Email: julia@againstgravity.pl
Saturday, May 16 | 6:45 PM | ILUZJON STOLICA FINA Presents: Documentaries of Transitional Times
TICKETS
In 2025, the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute (FINA) initiated the Polish Film Heritage List. Expanded annually, the list includes films pivotal to the history and development of Polish cinema and audiovisual arts. Documentaries are a vital part of this collection. We invite you to a screening of three titles featured on the list, followed by a discussion.
"People from the Empty Area", dir. Kazimierz Karabasz, Władysław Ślesicki
A group of seventeen-year-olds meets daily by the "Four Sleeping Soldiers" monument in Praga. They have bored faces; they talk and smoke cigarettes. They spend most of the day on the streets of Warsaw, leaning against posts and fences, or they head to the Praga Port, out of the reach of the militia. They are united by boredom and a lack of prospects. They chase away the stagnation with alcohol, dancing in cramped apartments, and trips to the cinema.
"Talking Heads", dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski
[altext: a black and white photo of a young man in a light-colored sweater.]
In "Talking Heads," Poles answer questions about who they are, what matters most to them, and what they desire. The responses are arranged chronologically: starting with a one-year-old child who cannot yet answer, and ending with a hundred-year-old woman who, in turn, cannot quite hear what she is being asked. This modestly produced film has earned a permanent place in the history of Polish cinema and popular culture.
"Bara Bara", dir. Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, Michał Arabudzki
Poland during the early transformation era, where excitement for the West blends with an identity crisis, the promise of social mobility meets the experience of economic fragility, and a newly achieved common goal quickly gives way to hierarchy and stratification. For the creators of "Bara Bara," disco polo serves as the focal point of this reality. By tracking how it permeates various spaces—from stadium bazaars to detention centers, children's fan clubs, and political rallies—the documentarians capture a musical phenomenon at the peak of its popularity.
Saturday, May 16 | 8:45 PM | MURANÓW GERARD Screening of ,,Joybubbles" + Q&A with the Director
A portrait of the life of Joe Engressia - a brilliant boy, blind from birth, who discovered he could control the global telephone system by whistling a "magic" tone. Yearning for connection, he turned his passion for the telephone into a way of engaging with the world. As one of the first "phone phreaks" - proto-hackers using technology to bypass the monopoly of the global telecommunications network - he unconsciously paved the way for a subculture that continues to shape the future of hacking and technology. Defying a paternalistic society, he fulfilled his dream of an independent life without ever giving up on play.
TICKETS
The screening will be followed by a meeting with director Rachael J. Morrison.
The film is available with Audio Description (AD) and Polish voice-over. A full list of events and more information can be found under the "Accessibility" tab.
Contact:
SMS / Tel: +48 579 754 101
Email: julia@againstgravity.pl
[alttext: a man holding two stationary telephones next to his ears.]
Saturday, May 16 | 8:45 PM | MURANÓW GERARD
Screening of ,"The Waldheim Waltz" + Q&A with the Director
TICKETS
"No to Waldheim!" - these cries of protest against the election of Kurt Waldheim as President of Austria could be heard in the center of Vienna in 1986. The UN Secretary-General with a dark Nazi past made headlines worldwide, largely because he denied it. It all began during the 1986 Austrian presidential campaign when Waldheim's previously hidden membership in the Nazi SA organization and his military service from 1943-1944 were revealed. However, he was never found guilty of any war crimes. The film takes a behind-the-scenes look at Waldheim's presidential campaign.
SUNDAY
Sunday, May 17 | 12:00 | Ethnographic Museum
Screening of the film ,,Runa Simi" + workshops for children
Partner: The National Museum of Ethnography
We invite you to a special screening for parents/caregivers and children. While the adults watch the film "Runa Simi", the children will take part in simultaneous creative workshops led by educators from the National Museum of Ethnography.
During the classes, children will explore how language shapes our identity and relationships with others. They will visit the exhibitions "Forms of Presence. Art of the Lemkos/Carpathian Rusyns" and "Common Houses," where they will learn about the Lemko and Ukrainian languages and their role in culture and everyday life.
The workshops are designed for children aged 6–10 whose parents/caregivers are attending the screening.
Participation in the workshops is free but requires prior registration – please send an email to: barbara@againstgravity.pl along with confirmation of your movie ticket purchase. Space is limited, so purchasing a ticket alone does not guarantee a spot in the workshop.
ABOUT THE FILM:
Can language be a bridge between generations? Can one family's passion save an endangered culture? Fernando Valenci – a Peruvian dubbing artist, radio personality, and activist – along with his son Dylan, take on the challenge of dubbing the animated film "The Lion King" into Quechua (Runa Simi), also known as the language of the Incas. The film poses questions about the role of tradition in a world that is rapidly forgetting its roots, showing that language is not merely a communication tool, but also a vessel of memory and a living tissue of identity.
[alt text: A man and a boy in a recording studio speaking to microphones.]
Sunday, May 17 | 12:15 | Iluzjon Stolica
With a Toddler at MDAG: screening of the film ,,The Oldest Person in the World"
During this year's edition of the festival, we invite parents and caregivers with infants and children up to 4 years old to screenings prepared with our youngest viewers in mind. The screenings take place under conditions tailored to children's needs – with dim lighting in the cinema hall and lowered sound levels. They have a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, so that caregivers can comfortably enjoy the movie together with their toddlers.
Children participate in the screenings free of charge.
About the film:
The film, created over a decade of the director's travels around the world, portrays the oldest people on Earth, combining reflections on time, chance, and the joy of life with the director's personal experiences. Humor, warmth, and a light melancholy create a deep, funny look at the art of being alive.
[alt text: Elderly woman surrounded by journalists with microphones]
Sunday, May 17 | 14:15 | Luna B
Screening of the film "Mariinka" + SDH subtitles
During the war in Ukraine, a promising female boxer becomes a paramedic, while a young woman takes up courier services, smuggling goods across the front line. Mirroring a Greek tragedy, two brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the conflict, while the youngest brother lives safely with a foster family in the United States. Through letters, video calls, and quiet encounters, the film explores belonging, national loyalty, and the fault lines that can override even the bonds of blood.
The film is presented as part of the "Cinema as Laboratory V" project, co-funded by the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.
The film is available with audio description (AD) and a Polish voiceover. There will also be screenings with subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH). A full list of events and more information can be found in the "accessibility" tab.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us:
SMS / Tel: +48 579 754 101
Email: julia@againstgravity.pl
[alt text: A woman sitting on a roof of a burnt car during a sunset.]
Sunday, May 17 | 18:00 | Kinoteka 4
Screening of the film ,,Hex" + post-screening discussion
Three young Norwegian women form the black metal band Witch Club Satan. Before they know it, they are playing at major international festivals. The figure of the witch – a symbol of violence and control over the female body – blends personal experiences with collective memory, creating a trance-like story of shame, resistance, and emancipation. The film's narrative is built on rituals, gestures, voice, and the physical presence of the protagonists. The film combines visual arts, choreography, and vocal work, creating a space where private experience transforms into a political act of defiance.
The screening will be followed by a discussion: Modern Witches - the new face of rebellion?
Partner: Okultura Publishing House
In the Romantic imagination, the figure of the rebel often wore the face of Lucifer, the "fallen angel" who defied the divine order. Today, various emancipation movements increasingly look to a different, powerful, and demonized figure – the figure of the witch. In Maja Holland's film, three Norwegian women with no musical background, but embodying the roles of modern witches, decide to start a black metal band and, to their own surprise, achieve success. They navigate the patriarchal environment successfully, smuggling feminist themes into it. During our discussion, we will look at the figure of the witch in contemporary feminist art and socially engaged esotericism. We will also consider whether the rising popularity of witches is merely a capitalist trend or a force with the potential for real change.
Guests:
Olga Drenda, Paweł Frelik and Dariusz Misiuna
Sunday, May 17 | 18:30 | Kinoteka 2
Screening of the film "Bugboy" + SDH subtitles
Yorgos – a shy teenager with a visual impairment – struggles to connect with others after his parents' divorce. A bond with a cricket named Isabella becomes a catalyst for transformation and self-discovery. Even the smallest creatures can help you find your place on Earth. Yorgos discovers that he no longer has to be alone. His passion for insects opens the door to lessons on trust, friendship, and growing up.
The film is available with audio description (AD) and a Polish voiceover. There will also be screenings with subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH). A full list of events and more information can be found in the "accessibility" tab.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us:
SMS / Tel: +48 579 754 101
Email: julia@againstgravity.pl
The 23rd edition of MDAG will take place from May 8 to 17, 2026, in cinemas in Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Poznań, Katowice, Bydgoszcz, and Łódź, and from May 19 to June 1 online at mdag.pl! The titular sponsor of the event is Bank Millennium (https://www.bankmillennium.pl/).
