Honouring the Generations, Art and Work of the Great Director.

For the twelfth time, the Hommage à Kieslowski Festival welcomes cinema enthusiasts to delve into the oeuvre of Krzysztof Kieślowski, alongside some of the most compelling film productions of recent times. This year’s programme offers not just a revisit to the iconic works of the Master, but also encounters with his protegés, screenings inspired by the works of Pier Paolo Pasolini and Nanni Moretti, and exclusive interactions with the filmmakers. To commemorate the 35th anniversary of “A Short Film About Love”, a rendezvous with Olaf Lubaszenko and Grażyna Szapołowska, the lead actors, will be hosted at the Zdrowie cinema. The festival is set to take place from 25th to 27th August.

The Hommage à Kieślowski film festival serves as an avenue not just to closely analyse the masterpieces of Krzysztof Kieślowski, but also to reflect upon today’s pressing issues through the lens of cinematic artistry. This year’s edition, once again curated by Diana Dabrowska, hones in on the topic of generations and their experiences.

“Each edition offers a window not just into the work of our patron but also into the significant milestones in cinema. This year, we turn our lens towards generations and their narratives. We aim to explore how Krzysztof Kieślowski has influenced an entire generation of both male and female filmmakers,” remarks Diana Dabrowska, the film connoisseur and artistic director of Hommage à Kieslowski.

This year’s festival promises a memorable journey, from the revival of Kieslowski’s legendary works, like “Seven Women of Different Ages” and “A Short Film About Love”, to the distinctive performance “S E V E N”, inspired by “Seven Women of Different Ages”. Audiences will also have the chance to meet Kieslowski’s disciples, including prominent directors such as Magdalena Łazarkiewicz, Waldemar Krzystek, and Krzysztof Lang, all of whom had the privilege of being mentored by the genius behind “The Case”.

Particularly noteworthy is the segment celebrating “great little people”—courageous individuals of all ages striving to shape their realities amidst overwhelming challenges. Here, films like “Tonia” by Marcin Bortkiewicz, “Kiosk” by Daniel Stopa, and “My Old” by Natalia Parzymies will be showcased.

In the section themed “landscapes of art/landscapes of life”, attendees will be treated to cutting-edge audiovisual pieces such as “All this Beauty and Blood” by Laura Poitras and “Solaris Mon Amour” by the collaborative trio of Kuba Mikurda, Laura Pawela, and DJ Lenar.

The festival programme will also spotlight Italian cinematic dialogues linked to the contributions of Pier Paolo Pasolini and Nanni Moretti, including the lauded documentary “Love Congregations” (1964). A sneak peek of “A Better Tomorrow”, featured in the main competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is also on the agenda.

A special segment is dedicated to Ukraine, a nation close to our hearts. This year will witness the poignant documentary-fiction duo: “The Hamlet Syndrome” by Elvira Niewiera and Piotr Rosolowski, alongside “Pamfir”, directed by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk.

Sokolovsko will echo with tales of Film Team X, one of Poland’s cinematic gems. Luminaries like Janusz Zaorski, Andrzej Wolf, and Ajka Tarasov will introduce the audience to the world of “Iks”.

Renowned film critics and scholars, such as Michal Oleszczyk, Lukasz Maciejewski, Diana Dabrowska, Mikolaj Jazdon, Tomasz Kolankiewicz, and Jaroslaw Grzechowiak, will orchestrate the festival dialogues, all being cherished allies of Sokolovsko’s film heritage.

All this and more beckons the attendees of this year’s Hommage à Kieślowski, set against the scenic backdrop of Sokołowsko during the last weekend of August.

“We are confident that this year’s curated segments have something invaluable for every viewer. Our film selections in Sokolowsko are never arbitrary. After all, serendipitous encounters, even with films, are often the most destined moments in our lives,” states Diana Dabrowska.

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