𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬, directed by Jan Saczek, has been selected for this year’s Shortlist presented at the 26th BNP Paribas New Horizons International Film Festival! 🎬

🗣️: Speaking of fantasies, every self-respecting institution should have — following the example of the National Archaeological Museum in Naples — its own il gabinetto segreto, a hidden chamber presenting erotic content that stimulates the imagination. Jan Saczek acts as the curator of this section, presenting the exhibition Recess and provocatively asking how one should nurture their sexuality in a world of new technologies and increasingly blurred boundaries between the public and the private.

— wrote 𝐏𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐫 𝐂𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐤𝐢, curator of this year’s Shortlist.

🎬 Recess | directed by Jan Saczek | cinematography by Patryk Roman | production manager Lidia Le Thanh | produced by the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School at the University of Silesia in Katowice, 2025

Ania, a young primary school teacher, accidentally sends her nude photo to a student who has a crush on her.

Also featured on the Shortlist are 𝐊𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬, directed by Zuza Banasińska and produced by our alumna Aleksandra Aleksander, as well as 𝐍𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐢𝐫, directed by our alumna Joanna Różniak.

Among the directors featured in the Shortlist section who are under the age of 30, one will receive the Zuzanna Jagoda Kolska Award. The winning film will be announced during the festival awards gala and will receive a prize of PLN 8,000 funded by the Zuzanna Jagoda Kolska Foundation, AMA Film Academy, and the New Horizons Association, as well as a voucher from Dr Irena Eris and a statuette created by the Julia Crystal Glassworks, designed by Sebastian Pietkiewicz.

Link to the full list of selected films.

We warmly congratulate all selected filmmakers and wish them the best of luck!

The festival will take place from July 23 to August 2, 2026.

18 May 2026

We warmly invite you to explore the latest exhibitions by Prof. Rafał Milach – photographer, visual artist, and lecturer affiliated with the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School at the University of Silesia in Katowice.

Together. 20 Years of Sputnik Photos Collective

Museum of Photography in Kraków

11 April – 13 September 2026

The exhibition presents the work of one of the most important photographic collectives in Central and Eastern Europe. Sputnik Photos projects explore photography as a tool for collaboration, relationship-building, and critical reflection on the social and political realities of the region.

1534 Days

Museum Schwab, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland

as part of Journées photographiques de Bienne

9–31 May 2026

Created in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the project reflects on displacement, migration, and the memory of war. Based on testimonies from people fleeing the conflict, the installation creates an intimate space for reflection on trauma, responsibility, and solidarity.

More information:

https://www.mufo.krakow.pl/odwiedzaj/wystawy/wspolnie-20-lat-kolektywu-sputnik-photos

https://bielerfototage.ch/en/Exhibition/1534-days/

15 May 2026

“Show Me the World I Haven’t Seen Yet” — under this slogan we invite you to a unique workshop led by Barry Braverman!

This will not be an ordinary cinematography course. It will be three intensive days focused on image, emotion, and visual storytelling under the guidance of an American cinematographer, author of Video Shooter, and collaborator on productions such as Moonrise Kingdom, Equals, and projects for National Geographic.

The programme includes:

• working with camera and lighting
• building stories through images
• frame composition and point of view
• cinematography exercises and scenes shot in the streets of Katowice
• a practical approach to visual storytelling

Where? Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, University of Silesia in Katowice

When? May 25–27, 2026

The number of places is limited.

Registration: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Basic knowledge of film editing will be appreciated.

The project “Show Me the World I Haven’t Seen Yet: Masterclass in Visual Storytelling with Barry Braverman” has been co-financed by the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis under the programme “Metropolitan Science Support Fund”.

12 May 2026

We are proud to announce that our student short films received three awards at the MEDIAWAVE Film & Music Festival, including two top prizes!

🏆 Grand Prize from the Professional Jury and the Student Jury in the Short Fiction Film Category for DAD’S NOT HOME

🏆 Special Mention from the Professional Jury in the Short Documentary Film Category for THE MIME AND HIS GRANDDAUGHTER

Congratulations to the creators of these outstanding short films - we are keeping our fingers crossed for their continued success, and we thank the festival for this recognition!

🎬 Dad’s not home | Directed by Jan Saczek | Cinematography by Patryk Roman | Production Manager: Lidia Le Thanh | Produced by Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, University of Silesia in Katowice, 2025

Two underage brothers hide from the world that their father suffers from frontotemporal dementia. They must care for him and manage the household in order to stay together.

🎬 The Mime and His Granddaughter | Directed by Jan Seraphim | Cinematography by Maria Majerczyk | Production Managers: Gabriel Banaszczyk, Hanna Rusin & Małgorzata Desput | Produced by Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, University of Silesia in Katowice, 2025

As a young man in his twenties, Bogdan left Poland following tragic events in which his father was murdered by the communist militia. He eventually settled in France, where fate led him to the Paris mime school of the legendary Marcel Marceau. Recognizing his talent, Marceau appointed him as his assistant. After many years of a successful international career, Bogdan returned to his hometown of Bolesławiec for a well-earned retirement. There, years later, he discovered stage talent in his six-year-old granddaughter, Blanka. He decided to pass on his knowledge and experience to her, beginning her training in pantomime.

Congratulations once again to the filmmakers behind these remarkable short works, and thank you to the festival for the recognition!

06 May 2026