50th Polish Film Festival Competition Films
More than two months before the Festival, we are happy to announce the list of films qualified for the Main Competition and the Short Film Competition of the 50th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia!
As many as 16 films have been qualified for the Main Competition. They include 6 full-length directing debuts and 2 director’s second films.
In accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the 50th PFF, the films for the Main Competition were selected by the Artistic Director of the Festival, Joanna Łapińska, with the support of the Selection Team appointed by her (advisory body comprised of: cinematographer and director Marcin Koszałka, producer Irena Strzałkowska and film director Janusz Zaorski) and the Organising Committee.
As Joanna Łapińska says: We are closing the festival’s half-century with an exceptionally diverse set of films from the Main Competition We have strong names here, titles that have already become high-profile and our discoveries this year. Sixteen films that vary in style, topics, and genre. I find this an interesting starting point for a conversation about Polish cinema and its future. This reflection on tomorrow certainly cannot be missed in Gdynia during the festival’s anniversary edition.
MAIN COMPETITION OF THE 50TH PFF
Brother, directed by: Maciej Sobieszczański, written by: Maciej Sobieszczański, Grzegorz Puda, producers: Dariusz Jabłoński, Violetta Kamińska, Izabela Wójcik
Permit, directed by: Robert Kwilman, written by: Robert Kwilman, Malwina Górecka, Kirk Kjeldsen, producers: Malwina Górecka, Peter Sand Magnussen
Chopin, a Sonata in Paris, directed by: Michał Kwieciński, written by: Bartosz Janiszewski, producers: Michał Kwieciński, Małgorzata Fogel-Gabryś
Good Home, written and directed by: Wojciech Smarzowski, producers: Wojciech Gostomczyk, Janusz Hetman
Franz, directed by: Agnieszka Holland, written by: Marek Epstein, Agnieszka Holland, producers: Marcin Wierzchosławski, Sarka Cimbalova, Agnieszka Holland, Alicja Jagodzińska-Kałkus
Clarinet, written and directed by: Tola Jasionowska, producers: Adrian Skwiercz, Joanna Jankowska-Flis
Larp. The Movie, directed by: Kordian Kądziela, written by: Kordian Kądziela, Michał Wawrzecki, producers: Andrzej Papis, Maciej Sowiński
The Altar Boys, written and directed by: Piotr Domalewski, producers: Leszek Bodzak, Aneta Hickinbotham, Piotr Walter, Jarosław Jakubiec
There Are No Ghosts in the Apartment on Dobra Street, directed by: Emi Buchwald, written by: Emi Buchwald, Karol Marczak, producers: Jerzy Kapuściński, Magdalena Tomanek
Photosensitive, directed by: Tadeusz Śliwa, written by: Tomasz Klimala, Hanna Węsierska, producers: Klaudiusz Frydrych, Inga Kruk, Agata Dybul
Territory, directed by: Bartosz Paduch, written by: Marcin Grabowski, Bartosz Paduch, producers: Jacek Kulczycki, Paweł Jóźwik
Three Loves, directed by: Łukasz Grzegorzek, written by: Łukasz Grzegorzek, Krzysztof Balcewicz, Weronika Bilska, Natalia Grzegorzek, producer: Natalia Grzegorzek
Vinci 2, directed by: Juliusz Machulski, written by: Juliusz Machulski, Robert Więckiewicz, producer: Zbigniew Domagalski
The Great Warsaw Race, directed by: Bartłomiej Ignaciuk, written by: Jan Purzycki, Bartłomiej Ignaciuk, producer: Alicja Grawon-Jaksik
Operation Pope, written and directed by: Władysław Pasikowski, producers: Klaudiusz Frydrych, Inga Kruk
Life for Beginners, directed by: Paweł Podolski, written by: Paweł Podolski, Lynn Kucharczyk, producers: Anna Wereda, Alicja Gancarz
The Short Film Competition of the 50th Polish Film Festival will present 32 films produced by film schools and independent producers, and also made as part of the “30 Minutes” programme held by the Munk Studio operating at the Polish Filmmakers Association. The films have been selected also by the Artistic Director of the Festival, supported by the recommendations of her appointed advisors – film historian Monika Talarczyk and producer Agata Szymańska.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION OF THE 50TH PFF
Asomia, directed by: Wojtek Węglarz, Gracjana Piechula, produced by: Szkoła Filmowa im. Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach
Love (Af)Fair, directed by: Jakub Pycak, produced by: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa
Nothingelse, directed by: Jakub Prysak, produced by: Studio Munka – Stowarzyszenie Filmowców Polskich
Closer, directed by: Aleksandra Szczyrek, produced by: Szkoła Filmowa im. Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach
Quarter, directed by: Maja Górczak, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Dickflip, directed by: Dominik Hadziewicz, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Fish and Chips, directed by: Bartłomiej Błaszczyński, produced by: Szkoła Filmowa im. Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach
Fuck Them All, directed by: Polina Biliaieva, produced by: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa
Glitter, directed by: Konrad Kultys, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Houdini, directed by: Mariusz Rusiński, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Blueberries, directed by: Marta Kowalska, produced by: Gdyńska Szkoła Filmowa
How to Fall Out of Love, directed by: Varvara Zarytska, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Yoghurt, directed by: Aleksandra Góralewska, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Lucciola, directed by: Aleksandra Neyman, produced by: Szkoła Filmowa im. Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach
People and Things, directed by: Damian Kosowski, produced by: Studio Munka – Stowarzyszenie Filmowców Polskich
Marga’s Christmas, directed by: Marcia Majcher, produced by: Staron-Film
Neverlandex, directed by: Agata Kapuścińska, produced by: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa
You Never Fade Away, directed by: Jakub Cyryl Grabarczyk, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
I Gaze at the Sky, directed by: Alexandra Strunin, produced by: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa
Just, directed by: Olga Kałagate, produced by: Szkoła Filmowa im. Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach
Farewell to the Sea, directed by: Mateusz Nowak, produced by: Katarzyna Strumnik
SLAP!!, directed by: Mikołaj Piszczan, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Soap Opera, directed by: Anja Zalewska, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Fear, directed by: Robert Zawadzki, produced by: Gdyńska Szkoła Filmowa
The Dybbuk, directed by: Maciej Tyburski, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Hushes and Phonics, directed by: Piotr Krzysztof Kamiński, produced by: Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa
Dad’s Not Home, directed by: Jan Saczek, produced by: Szkoła Filmowa im. Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach
Transl. It’s Okay to Be Quiet, directed by: Filip Jakubowski, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
The Islands, directed by: Jakub Wenda, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Pinguin Habits, directed by: Jakub Poterała, produced by: Gdyńska Szkoła Filmowa
Dying of the Young Deer, directed by: Angelika Cygal, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
The Croak, directed by: Xymena Zaręba, produced by: Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Filmowa, Telewizyjna i Teatralna im. L. Schillera w Łodzi
Artistic Director of the Festival Joanna Łapińska says: “As many as 190 films were submitted to take part in the competition, so the choice was really hard. I think this is the essence of what young people want to talk about today. It is often a commentary on the surrounding world – its fears and anxieties. The topics include major cataclysms: war, migration, the erosion of social bonds, and alongside intimate, personal stories centred on the family or the individual. This diversity of content is complemented by the richness of style. The filmmakers often use expressive formal frameworks, specific genre conventions, or invigorating humour. I think that if we are talking about the future of Polish cinema, it is rising right here: in the Short Film Competition, which I highly recommend to everyone.”
The list of films qualified for the Perspectives Competition will be announced by the end of July.
The 50th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia will take place on 22nd–27th September 2025. The producer of the Festival is the Pomeranian Film Foundation in Gdynia.
