The competition lineup, announced on the festival’s website on Monday, includes productions such as Franz Kafka by Agnieszka Holland, Dom dobry by Wojciech Smarzowski, and Ministranci by Piotr Domalewski.
Also vying for the top award are Brat by Maciej Sobieszczański, Capo by Robert Kwilman, Chopin, Chopin! by Michał Kwieciński, Klarnet by Tola Jasionowska, Larp. Miłość, trolle i inne questy by Kordian Kądziela.
Other standout productions include Nie ma duchów w mieszkaniu na Dobrej by Emi Buchwald, Światłoczuła by Tadeusz Śliwa, Terytorium by Bartosz Paduch, Trzy miłości by Łukasz Grzegorzek, Vinci 2 by Juliusz Machulski, Wielka Warszawska by Bartłomiej Ignaciuk, Zamach na papieża by Władysław Pasikowski, and Życie dla początkujących by Paweł Podolski.
“This year’s main competition is unusually diverse,” said artistic director Joanna Łapińska in a statement. “We’ve got big names, titles that are already generating buzz, and some remarkable discoveries. Sixteen films that differ greatly in style, subject, and genre. I see in this a great starting point for a conversation about Polish cinema and where it’s headed. That reflection on the future must not be absent from this year’s anniversary edition.”
The lineup of short films includes 32 titles produced by film schools, independent producers, and the Munk Studio’s “30 Minutes” program.
According to Łapińska, the selection reflects the concerns and creative energy of a new generation of filmmakers.
"These shorts are often commentaries on the world around us, its fears and uncertainties," she said. "They deal with major crises like war, migration, and the erosion of social ties, but also with intimate, personal stories centered on families or individuals. Their thematic richness is matched by stylistic variety, with filmmakers exploring strong genre conventions, bold visual forms, or a bracing sense of humor.”
Subjects range from the trauma faced by Ukrainians under Russian aggression, to teenage angst, a contemporary Jewish rites-of-passage parable, drag culture, and portraits of complex family dynamics.
The 50th Gdynia Film Festival, Poland’s most important national showcase of feature filmmaking, will take place from September 22 to 27.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR/PAP