The event spans the Kinoteka, Atlantic and Iluzjon cinemas, aiming to deepen Polish-Ukrainian cultural dialogue.
Competitive sections include nine features, 10 documentaries and 25 shorts selected from over 150 entries, with cash prizes awarded by a professional jury.
The feature lineup ranges from war-themed dramas about Bucha — Egor Olesov’s “Daughter” and Stanislav Tiunov’s “Bucha” — to Zhanna Ozirna’s “Honeymoon,” and the opening film, Pavlo Ostrikov’s festival-lauded “You Are the Universe.”
Two entries star noted Ukrainian actor Bohdan Benyuk: “My Carpathian Grandfather” and “Devil’s Case.”
Among highlights is the anthology “Animals at War,” with segments from directors including Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi and Andrii Lidahovskyi, offering a first Polish screening of stories told from animals’ perspectives.
The documentary slate features “Viktor,” directed by French war photographer and two-time Emmy winner Olivier Sarbil, with Darren Aronofsky among its producers. Awards hopefuls include Ukraine’s submission “2000 Meters to Andriivka” by Mstyslav Chernov and Irish contender “Sanatorium” by Gara O’Rourke.
Polish short “People and Things” by Damian Kosowski also screens.
A retrospective honors Oleksandr Dovzhenko — the father of Ukrainian cinema — with early works and the premiere of the documentary “Dovzhenko.” A Crimea program spotlights Crimean Tatar women, followed by a panel. Genre nights bring “Kakhovka Object,” “Morena” and “Perfect Friend,” alongside last year’s award-winners, children’s animation and filmmaker Q&As.
Accessibility expands this year: “My Dear Theo” offers audio description via the Kino Dostępne app and SDH subtitles, while “Viktor,” “Flowers of Ukraine” and “Two Sisters” include audio description in the app for visually impaired audiences.
Guests include Alisa Kovalenko (“My Dear Theo”); Kateryna Gornostai and Nikon Romanchenko with “Path of Time”; and actor Marina Koshkina, appearing in “Malevich,” “Animals at War” (which also features Sean Penn) and “Kakhovka Object.” Audiences can also meet director Egor Olesov, actor Cezary Łukaszewicz and producer Volodymyr Filippov.
The finale at Iluzjon pairs Grammy-nominated British trio The Tiger Lillies with a live score to Dovzhenko’s silent comedy “Love’s Berries,” followed by a short concert. The group, long active in supporting Ukraine, previously performed in Kyiv and Lviv and released the album UKRAINE for humanitarian aid.
After Warsaw, the festival tours to Łódź, Przemyśl, Wrocław, Poznań, Lublin, Kraków, and Płock.
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Source: UFF