POLISH DOCUMENTARIES AWARDED AT BIFED 2025
Two Polish documentary films were honored during the 12th edition of the Bozcaada International Festival of Ecological Documentary (BIFED), held from October 8 to 12, 2025. This event, organized on the Turkish island of Bozcaada, has for years promoted socially and environmentally engaged cinema, focusing not on trends or popularity, but on sincerity of expression and an authentic look at the challenges of the modern world.
One of this year’s award-winning films was “Bloodline”, directed by Wojciech Węglarz, which received the Naci Güçhan Student Award. The documentary takes viewers to the Białowieża Forest Europe’s oldest forest, located on the border between Poland and Belarus – depicting the drama of the border situation through the perspective of a bison, a symbol of untamed nature. The animal, separated from its herd by a growing fence, becomes a metaphor for the consequences of human actions on the environment and living beings. Free from moralizing, the film subtly explores the notion of boundaries—geographical, political, and emotional.
The second Polish documentary recognized at the festival was “The Town that Drove Away”, directed by Natalia Pietsch and Grzegorz Piekarski, which received the Jury Honorable Mention Award. Over six years, the filmmakers documented the fate of the ancient city of Hasankeyf, whose 12,000-year history was cut short by the construction of a dam. The film, almost entirely devoid of narration or commentary, gives voice to the residents themselves, capturing their daily lives, sense of loss, and attempts to adapt to a new reality. The sounds of construction machinery, absurd municipal loudspeaker announcements, and quiet conversations in homes and workshops compose a poignant portrait of a world where technological progress collides with the memory of the past.
For years, BIFED has emphasized the importance of truth and authenticity in documentary art, striving to create a space for dialogue among artists, scientists, farmers, and the residents of Bozcaada. The organizers stress that in an age of information overload, we need films that allow us to pause and see the world from the perspective of what is local, modest, and geuine.
More information about the festival and the awarded films can be found here.