GDYNIA FOR (YOUNG) FILMMAKERS

A unique Campus

This year’s Gdynia Industry opens with a unique event. Its program was created by students of Polish film schools and film departments in line with the motto of the Polish Film Festival, ‘Gdynia for Filmmakers’.

Zuzanna Pytel talks to Sebastian Szewczykowski, a student at the Gdynia Film School and a representative of the young filmmakers responsible for organising Gdynia Campus ’24, about the details of working on this event.

Zuzanna Pytel – Gdynia Campus is something completely new at the Polish Film Festival. Can you tell us about the behind-the-scenes of this event’s creation?

Sebastian Szewczykowski – I learned about it from Jerzy Rados, the director of the Gdynia Film School. Every film school in Poland designated its representatives, which allowed the Gdynia Campus programme to represent a wide range of needs from aspiring filmmakers across the country, who are an important, though previously overlooked, link in Polish cinematography. Film school education operates by its own rules, and the period after graduation is the most challenging for the vast majority of graduates. It’s crucial to discuss this and seek systemic solutions to facilitate communication between students and professionals in the industry.

How did the organisational process look? Were students given a voice here as well?

Yes, the Gdynia Campus programme was entirely devised by students. Initially, each of us proposed one or several programme elements, which were then reviewed by Ola Salwa, the moderator and co-creator of the event. We collectively voted on what we wanted to keep. A pleasant surprise was the scholarships funded by Netflix for students living outside the Tri-City area. You could say the industry has reacted enthusiastically to this event.

What can we expect from Gdynia Campus?

I definitely recommend the meeting with Damian Kocur, who will talk about working with non-professional actors. You won’t learn that in school. I also recommend the meeting with Grzegorz Łoszewski, the new president of the Polish Filmmakers Association, and I highly encourage participation in the networking lunch with representatives from organisations such as PISF, Netflix, Canal+, Kino Świat, Galapagos, Next Film, and ZAPA. It’s a unique opportunity to meet someone and ask important questions to employees of key industry organisations.