Natalia Zuch expresses her passion for Polish cinema in discussing her role as curator for Germany's largest Polish film festival.
The filmPOLSKA festival, a celebration of Polish cinema in Berlin, is set to return for its 19th edition on September 11. Under the leadership of its new head, Natalia Zuch, the festival promises a diverse lineup of contemporary Polish films, German-Polish co-productions, and special events.
Natalia Zuch, who grew up in Łódź and moved to Berlin in 2014, has approached her role with a focus on fostering cultural dialogue and mutual understanding between Poland and Germany. She emphasizes creating a platform that highlights Polish-German cooperation in film, showcasing stories that reflect shared histories, contemporary issues, and artistic connections between the two countries.
This year's festival theme is change, and the programming reflects this theme in various ways. The Competition programme features young Polish filmmakers, while the HER Docs festival from Warsaw will present a programme called 'Good Girls No More', focused on female rebellion. A Retrospective programme in collaboration with Deutsches Historisches Museum will mark the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.
The festival will kick off with a screening of Maciek Hamela's documentary In The Rearview, which was shortlisted for the Oscars this year. Besides the film programme, filmPOLSKA also includes an exhibition, masterclass, documentary film workshop, and a festival party.
Three short film programmes will be presented, with a focus on attempts to critically illuminate the phenomenon of ritual. A new festival format will be introduced, inviting different film festivals to co-curate at filmPOLSKA, adding a fresh perspective to the event.
filmPOLSKA will showcase over 50 films in six different programmes, appealing to a broad audience with diverse genres such as drama, documentary, and animation. In addition to the screenings, there will be panel discussions, workshops, and Q&A sessions with directors and actors to deepen audience engagement.
Natalia Zuch's approach to communicating between two countries involves exchanging stereotypes with curiosity and mutual inspiration. She believes in the power of cinema to bridge cultural divides and promote understanding. With filmPOLSKA, she aims to create a space where Polish and German audiences can come together to celebrate their shared love for cinema and explore the rich cultural exchange between the two countries.
- Natalia Zuch, as the new head of the filmPOLSKA festival, has a focus on fostering a lifestyle that promotes cultural dialogue and mutual understanding, specifically between Poland and Germany.
- The theme of this year's filmPOLSKA festival, set to return on September 11, is change, and it will showcase stories that reflect shared histories, contemporary issues, and artistic connections between the two countries.
- The festival will feature over 50 films in six different programs, appealing to a broad audience with diverse genres such as drama, documentary, and animation.
- In addition to the film screenings, the festival will include panel discussions, workshops, and Q&A sessions with directors and actors to deepen audience engagement.
- Fashion-and-beauty enthusiasts might also find interest in the festival party, while education-and-self-development can be gained from the documentary film workshop.
- For those who love relationships and social-media, following the event on various platforms will provide updates and insights into the latest Polish cinema.
- To add a fresh perspective, a new festival format will be introduced, inviting different film festivals to co-curate at filmPOLSKA, bringing in new ideas from the world of pop-culture, including music, movies-and-tv, books, celebrities, and sports.
