May 9 – June 2
Seven cities, over 165,000 viewers in 2024, and hundreds of volunteers across the country – all of these people, institutions, and places make up the MDAG festival family.
Thanks to their work and love for cinema, over the past two decades Millennium Docs Against Gravity has become the second-largest documentary film festival in Europe, right after IDFA in Amsterdam. Such a major undertaking is the result of the efforts of many individuals. This year’s poster focuses on the largest group among them – the volunteers. It features two long-time volunteers from different generations – Zofia and Anna. The slogan of this year’s MDAG edition also refers to a sense of community: “The Whole World Between Us.”
The 22nd edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity took place from May 9 to 18 in cinemas in Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Poznań, Katowice, Łódź, and Bydgoszcz. As always, unforgettable film journeys were accompanied by meetings with filmmakers and protagonists, as well as debates on the important topics presented on screen.
From May 20 to June 2, the online edition at mdag.pl allows viewers across Poland to access the festival films!
A Festival with Its Finger on the Pulse
Each year, the Millennium Docs Against Gravity program introduces new thematic sections, reflecting the issues most important to documentary filmmakers over the past 12 months. The festival stays on top of emerging trends in the documentary world. This year, we present five new sections: Political Science, On Photography, Investigative Reporting, American Contrasts, and Women Changing the World.
Contemporary politics often relies on more or less subtle manipulation and clever use of public sentiment. In the Political Science section, we explore how those in power shape our reality and dissect the methods they use. Thanks to the work of investigative journalists, we can learn about events and processes that politicians, governments, corporations, criminals, or businesspeople try to hide from the public. The films in the Investigative Reporting section bring crucial facts into the light, helping us make more informed life decisions.
In the American Contrasts section, we’ve gathered stories showing the evolution of American society over the past decades. Social and political issues mix with deeply personal stories, answering the question: what happened to the American Dream? The On Photography section focuses on exceptional artists who not only documented key events, figures, and transformations through their images but also used photography as a means to communicate with the world – a passion that became a way of life.
The films in the Women Changing the World section feature protagonists fighting for justice and equality through various means – from filmmaking and music to stand-up comedy and even space travel. Born in different times and places, from diverse backgrounds, they are united by one thing: their actions transform both their personal microcosms and the broader geopolitical order.
Festival Gems from Sundance and Berlinale
As always, this year’s Millennium Docs Against Gravity features films that have won acclaim from critics and audiences at some of the world’s biggest festivals – including Berlinale and Sundance.
At this year’s Berlinale, Bedrock by Kinga Michalska was screened – a moving psychological journey through a landscape of destruction. From Sundance, the premier celebration of independent cinema, MDAG programmers brought back stories about politics, self-discovery, concern for the future, and the fight for justice. These include Mr. Nobody Against Putin by David Borenstein – the story of a Russian teacher watching in horror as his country changes – and Free Leonard Peltier, co-directed with Jesse Short Bull by Oscar® nominee David France. This film tells the story of the titular character, who fought for Native American rights and has spent over 50 years in prison as a result.
The program also features a selection of exceptional films that have become milestones in the history of Millennium Docs Against Gravity and documentary cinema. These classics and newer titles will be presented under the banner The Best of MDAG.
The 22nd Millennium Docs Against Gravity is a fascinating journey – not only around the world but also through a range of vital topics, including ecology, politics, psychology, human rights, art (including avant-garde), pop culture, and family relationships.