The festival, which commenced on Thursday, opened with the screening of "Last Expedition," a film directed by Eliza Kubarska that pays homage to the legendary Himalayan mountaineer Wanda Rutkiewicz. Running until May 19, the festival will span seven cities and present nearly 190 documentary films.
"Last Expedition" delves into the remarkable journey of Wanda Rutkiewicz, the first Polish woman to conquer Mount Everest. Director Eliza Kubarska embarks on a captivating exploration of Rutkiewicz's life and legacy, utilizing archival materials and intimate interviews with renowned climbers like Reinhold Messner and Krzysztof Wielicki.
Rutkiewicz's mysterious disappearance in the Himalayas three decades ago remains an enigma, adding depth to the narrative as the film navigates through her untold story.
Twelve films will vie for top honors in the main competition, featuring a diverse range of subjects and storytelling styles. Among the contenders are Lidia Duda's "The Forest," Ibrahim Nash'at's "Hollywoodgate," and Clara Tasovskaya's "I Am Not Yet What I Want." Additionally, the Polish competition will showcase a compelling lineup of homegrown documentaries, including Paweł Tarasiewicz's "Barrel of Dream" and Małgorzata Imielska's "Listen to What I Want to Tell You."
Beyond the competition entries, the festival promises an eclectic mix of documentary screenings across various thematic sections, including Muse and Venue, Unforgettable Stories of Women, and 75 Years of the Educational Film Studio in Łódź.
Spanning cities such as Warsaw, Wrocław, and Gdynia, the 21st Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival aims to engage audiences with thought-provoking documentaries that capture the essence of contemporary storytelling, this year under the slogan "In relationship with the world". For those unable to attend in person, the online portion of the festival will commence from May 21 to June 3, offering accessibility to documentary enthusiasts worldwide.
For more information and updates, visit the festival's official website.
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Source: PAP
Click on the audio player above to listen to a report by Radio Poland's Danuta Isler, who during the opening night spoke to the film's producer Monika Braid, as well as Marion Feik, who was Rutkiewicz's agent between 1986 and 1992.