Polish film wins top prize

What Belongs to Others by Grzegorz Dębowski has won the Warsaw Grand Prix at the 42nd Warsaw International Film Festival, which took place from 9 to 18 October. The award comes with PLN 120,000 (approximately €27,450), funded by the Mayor of Warsaw.

Praise for the film’s storytelling

The film, which previously premiered at Venice’s Orizzonti section, was praised by the jury for its delicate storytelling, strong performances and its non-judgemental portrayal of a woman who finds the possibility to transform her life by assuming a stranger’s identity.

Best Director award in International Competition

Cai Chengjie received the Best Director Award and PLN 10,000 (€2,287) for Suzhou Quartet in the International Competition. The jury highlighted the film’s formal ambition, with four stories unfolding simultaneously to create a layered reflection on life and mortality.

Special Jury Award for performance

Maria Dębska won the Special Jury Award, worth PLN 5,000 (€1,143), for her performance in Through the Wall by Maciej Sobieszczański. The film also received the FIPRESCI Award for its unconventional prison-set love story, distinctive black-and-white cinematography and message of human connection.

Other awards in International Competition

Jens Sjögren’s Bloody Men earned a Special Mention, while Lorin Terezi’s Agia won the 1-2 Competition, dedicated to first and second fiction features, receiving PLN 10,000. The jury praised the completeness of the debut and its portrayal of a young woman resisting patriarchal tradition.

Documentary Competition highlights

In the Documentary Competition, Jonas Spriestersbach’s Meanwhile in Namibia received the main award and PLN 5,000 (€1,143) for its precise visual language and willingness to leave moral interpretation to the viewer. María Molina Peiró’s Like Any Other Mortal received a Special Mention.

Short Film Competition winners

Elisabeth Werchosin’s Meteorit won both the Short Grand Prix and the Best Live-action Short Film Award. Dylan Glynn’s Knowing Gaze took home Best Animated Short, while Sina Aghazadeh’s A Letter to Home received Best Documentary Short.

Industry Days and awards

Warsaw Industry Days reported increased submissions to its Co-Production Forum and new international partnerships. The forum presented ten projects in development and six works in progress through pitches, consultations and one-to-one meetings.

Additional awards and recognitions

Myro Klochko’s Letters to the Future won the ORKA Award, comprising €10,000 in picture post-production services. Other awards included the Polish Film Institute Award and the No Problemo Music Award, among others, recognizing achievements in production, music and screenwriting.

Industry events and discussions

Under the theme “The Rules of Attraction. Where Stories Meet Audiences”, Warsaw Industry Talks examined audience engagement throughout development, production, distribution and promotion. The programme included panels on international co-production, virtual production, sustainability and European film promotion.

Partnerships and educational initiatives

The festival featured partnerships with the WEMW and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, along with educational initiatives like Warsaw Next and the FIPRESCI Warsaw Critics Project. These efforts aimed to support emerging filmmakers and critics from Central and Eastern Europe.