More Festivals and Awards
March and April continue to be busy and exciting months for productions from the Warsaw Film School. So, where have our short films appeared this time?
On April 4th, the LGBT+ Film Festival Poland kicked off, celebrating both Polish and international queer cinema. In the “Best Polish Shorts” section, WSF’s film “The Rest of Our Lives” directed by Filip Tomczak was featured.
Also part of the Lesbian Stories (Shorts) block was a short etude created by graduates of our school — “The Conversation” was written and directed by Karolina Tomanik, a WSF alumna, with a large number of our graduates involved in the production.
Congratulations to the team!
On April 5th, screenings for the Film O’Clock International Festival were held at Kino Iluzjon, marking Poland's first participation. All films were screened simultaneously across participating countries — from Eastern Europe to South Africa.
Two of our films were featured in the lineup:
“Noises and Fones”, dir. Piotr K. Kamiński
“Because of You, After You”, dir. Jędrzej Górski
Piotr Krzysztof Kamiński returned from Taiwan, where he presented his previous film “The Kyczejewska Ballad” at the Chiayi International Art Doc Film Festival. He was personally invited and represented our school on the other side of the world. Congratulations!
The Lisboeta International Short Film Festival also took place during the last weekend of March. Two of our films were screened in Portugal:
“Podorozhnyk” by Maryna Suslovets
“Because of You, After You” by Jędrzej Górski
We wish them sunny screenings and warm receptions!
On April 5–6, the audience at Hollywood Shortfest in Los Angeles had the chance to see “Moja”, directed by Kaja Sajdak. Congrats to Kaja and her film on yet another successful trip overseas — this time to the iconic Hollywood Hills!
Meanwhile, “Buddha’s Ashtray” by Adam Unierzyński is heading to much chillier shores. On April 11–12, it will screen at the Hastings Rocks International Film Festival, held on the rocky, windy coast of southern England. This festival celebrates boundary-breaking films that defy genre conventions. Congrats to Adam on the adventure!
We also have a premiere to announce!
“Don’t Be Afraid With Me”, directed by Monika Klimkiewicz-Dudziec as part of her postgraduate studies at our school, will have its first public screening at the Prague Film Festival, taking place April 23–26. We wish the entire team a fantastic premiere!
The end of April also marks the Short Movie Club Film Festival “Nefiltravanae Kino”, an independent Belarusian film event. It screens shorts in Minsk, Vilnius, and Warsaw.
The repeatedly awarded film “I Am”, directed by Cezary Orłowski, will be available on the VOD library as part of the “Stitching Lines” program.
“I Am” has also been selected for the Main Competition at the International Festival of Young Actors (FIJA) in Paris. We’re rooting for Szymon Grzech and Paula Rakowska, two young acting talents who continue to capture the hearts of festival selectors!
TIME FOR AWARDS!
“I Am”, directed by Cezary Orłowski, continues to surprise and impress. This story of love beyond limitations recently earned not only two new qualifications, but also a nomination and an award!
Szymon Grzech received a nomination for the Jan Machulski Award in the Best Actor category at the ZOOM – ZBLIŻENIA Film Festival. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for him at the awards gala in October!
The film’s beautiful cinematography by Mikołaj Piekarski was recognized with a Special Mention for Best Cinematography at the Ca' Foscari Short Film Festival. We’re proud of the entire team!
We’re also celebrating success across the ocean!
“Rouge”, directed by Sophie Horry, was awarded Best Short Film at the KF Washington Polish Film Festival. This is the fifth award for Sophie and her crew, following previous honors such as the Journalists’ Award at the Koszalin Festival of Film Debuts “Youth and Film”, and the Heliograf Award for Best Cinematography at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia for cinematographer Mauricio Blas.
Here’s what the KF Washington jury had to say about “Rouge”:
“This decision reflects our deep admiration for her masterful direction and visual storytelling. Horry demonstrates a profound understanding of working with actors, creating nuanced performances that feel both authentic and powerful. Her grasp of cinematic language is equally striking — she directs the camera with originality, precision, and evocative strength. She handles a sensitive and thought-provoking subject with subtlety, maturity, and artistic integrity. ‘Rouge’ is a testament to her exceptional talent and signals a brilliant future in filmmaking.”
Huge congratulations to all our filmmakers!