The year 2024 has drawn to a close, and with it numerous film festivals where Polish productions have continued to shine. As always, these works have kept an exceptionally high standard, delivering unique topics, distinctive execution and leaving lasting impressions on audiences all over. From touching narratives and nail-biting plots to delightfully subversive tales, Polish cinema has kept its creative excellence. Join us for our annual roundup!

Over the past twelve months, Polish fiction films have appeared on screens across the globe more than 170 times. Leading the pack with an impressive 19 screenings was Michał Toczek's A Dead Marriage. Following closely behind with 16 festival appearances was Burial directed by Jerzy Czachowski. Other short films made somewhat fewer international appearances. Anna Płonka's Leben enjoyed eight screenings, including at festivals in Germany, the United States, and Slovakia. Matching this result was Wojciech Pokorski's Saudade, which garnered acclaim from audiences in America and Korea, whilst Michał Janik's darkly atmospheric The Mandala sent shivers down spines at festivals in Norway and Italy.

The first triumphs for Polish productions on the international festival circuit came in January. In the month's opening days, Andrzej Danis's Feeder claimed the Best Short Film award at a film festival in Uruguay. The latter half of January saw Leben make its mark, advancing to the semi-finals in the Best Medium-Length Movie category in Berlin.

New month, new accolades, with Yulia Yukhymets's In Heaven and On Earth securing the Grand Prix at the Cinenova Festival in Portugal. The month also witnessed multiple screenings of Burial, whilst A Dead Marriage and Cezary Orłowski's Here For You began making their presence felt on the stage.

As spring emerged, Polish fiction films continued their journey across international events. March opened with Hiatus by Joo Jostberens screening at a festival in Israel, coinciding with the presentation of Jakub Jakubik's Lament No.1. Thus, the first half of the month immersed audiences in painful memories, loss, and mourning. The latter half featured Everything for My Friend , alongside repeated screenings of films shown previously.

April saw Polish short films venture as far as the United States and Brazil. Everything for My Friend, Mikołaj Janik's The Mandala, and Wojciech Pokorski's Saudade were all featured at the New Directors, New Films 2024 festival in the US. Meanwhile, Ming-Wei-Chiang's Warsaw, Netherlands appeared at the CURTA CINEMA short film festival in sun-drenched Rio de Janeiro.

May brought with it fresh awards. A Dead Marriage received a special jury prize at a festival in Hungary, captivating audiences with its character’s nuanced emotional performances. The project developed by Jan Bujnowski also achieved remarkable success – Dancing in the Corner screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France, where it secured the prestigious Rail D'or for best short film, as determined by a 100-member jury. Polish artistry was further recognised in Turkey, where Liosza by Miłosz Sawicki won the award for best screenplay.

The summer, traditionally rich with festivals, saw Polish productions featured prominently across several events. Early June brought acclaim for Magda Matwijow's A Doll's House, which received special recognition from accredited festival journalists. Mere days later, Szymon Jarząbek, the cinematographer for Burial, was named Best Director of Photography at a short film festival in Portugal. The latter half of the month proved exceptionally fruitful for Polish cinema: The Mandala claimed the title of Best Horror Film at an event in Rome, whilst Leben triumphed as Best Short Film in Slovakia. Further success came at a festival in Bratislava, where Everything for My Friend earned Lulu Pomorova the Best Student Film award, while In Heaven and On Earth by Yulia Yukhymets secured Best Black-and-White Film honour.

As summer was reaching its peak, Polish short films continued to make waves on the international circuit. Naked Eye by Helena Oborska nabbed the title of Best Short Film at an Albanian festival, earning praise for its insightful analysis of the protagonist's psyche. Karolina Portaci succeeded in the same category. Her film Victoria captivated the Italian audience at the Fernando di Leo Festival.

August was an equally diverse month when it comes to Polish fiction films at international festivals. Alan Ruczyński and Eliza Godlewska's Heart Flutters was presented at a Rhode Island event in the United States. Concurrently, and also in the US, The Joy of Living by Szymon Waćkowski secured second prize in the Short Film Competition at the GreenPoint Festival. The month concluded with Lament No.1 receiving a Special Mention at one of Poland's premier film festivals, Etiuda&Anima.

September and October saw Polish productions screened worldwide. A Dead Marriage appeared at festivals in Croatia, Indonesia, and Italy, while Dancing in the Corner was screened in Albania and Luxembourg. Newborn by Zuzanna Grajcewicz achieved significant recognition, winning the Best Lead Performance award at a festival in Iceland. In a warmer part of Europe, Justyna Nowak's film also received acclaim, with Nothing About You Scares Me claiming the Cinematic Achievement title at a prestigious event in Greece.

The closing months of 2024 proved fruitful for Polish fiction films. Dog Days Are Over directed by Kinga Pudełek received the award for Best Direction at the Early Bird student festival in Bulgaria. Son of Happiness by Dominik Jarecki and Żaneta Homa stirred profound emotions among Italian audiences, coming home with both Best International Film and Best Cinematography honours. Polish productions continued to be featured prominently at international festivals through December, showcasing the artistry of Polish short cinema. In summary, 2024 has been an extraordinary year for Polish short films, which have taken festivals all over the globe by storm. Our productions have demonstrated that quality, passion, and talent know no boundaries, and this year will undoubtedly bring even more successes on the international film stage!

Award-winning Polish short films in 2024:

IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, dir. Yulia Yukhyments.

Bratislava International Film Festival, Slovakia 2024 (Best Black&White Short Film)

CineNova Film Festival, Portugal 2024 (Grand Prix)

THE MANDALA, dir. Mikołaj Janik

Roma Short Film Festival, Italy 2024 (Best Horror Film Prize)

EVERYTHING FOR MY FRIEND, dir. Lulu Pomorova

Bratislava International Film Festival, Slovakia 2024 (Best Student Film Award)

SON OF HAPPINESS, dir. Dominik Mirecki, Żaneta Homa

Uno Sguardo Raro – Rare Disease International Film Festival, Italy 2024 (Best International Film, Best Picture)

NAKED EYE, dir. Helena Oborska

KO:SH Film Festival, Albania 2024 (Best Short Movie)

VICTORIA, dir. Karolina Porcari

Fernando Di Leo Short Film Festival, Italy 2024 (Best Short Movie)

WHEN THE HOUSE TURNS, dir. Maria Ornaf

19. Toronto International Women Film Festival, Canada 2024 (Best Student Film)

A DEAD MARRIAGE, dir. Michał Toczek

32. Alter-Native International Short Film Festival, Romania 2024 (The Grand Prize)

34. Mediawave International Film and Music Festival, Hungary 2024 (Special Jury Prize)

NEWBORN, dir. Zuzanna Grajcewicz

The Pigeon International Film Festival, Iceland 2024 (Best Lead Acting in Shorts)

DANCING IN THE CORNER, dir. Jan Bujnowski

Semaine De La Critique, France 2024 (Rail D’or Award)

LIOSZA, dir. Mikołaj Mielczarek, Miłosz Sawicki

UAFF International Disaster Film Festival, Turkey 2024 (Best ScreenPlay Award)

DEBTORS, dir. Andrzej Danis

Fest New Directors New Film Festival, Portugal 2024 (Special Mention)

THE JOY OF LIVING, dir. Szymon Waćkowski

GreenPoint Film Festival, USA 2024 (2nd Prize in The Short Feature Film Competition)

NOTHING ABOUT YOU SCARES ME, dir. Justyna Nowak

18. Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival, Greece 2024 (Cinematic Achievement Award)

MY OLD GALS, dir. Natasza Parzymies

Perlen Queer Film Festival Hanover, Germany 2024 (Audience Award)

DOG DAYS ARE OVER, dir. Kinga Pudełek

Early Bird International Student Festival, Bulgaria 2024 (Award For Directing)

*data collected from information received by Polish Shorts from producers, filmmakers, and festivals. If you're aware of any foreign prizes awarded to Polish short films that have not been included on this list, please contact our editorial office at: redakcja@polishshorts.pl

FEBRUARY 2025