Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School      |      kieslowski.pl

22.12.2025
Photo by Tomasz Kiełkowski

Dear Sir or Madam,

Due to the holiday period and planned vacations, we would like to inform you that during the pre-holiday and post-holiday period the Department will operate with a reduced staff. Therefore, we kindly ask you to contact the relevant organizational units directly in order to handle your matters. Thank you for your understanding.

18.12.2025

Our films are shining at the 29th Film Festival ZOOM – Zbliżenia Film Festival! ✨

In the fiction films category:

Dad’s not home

Director: Jan Saczek | Cinematography: Patryk Roman | Production Manager: Lidia Le Thanh

Wiraż

Director: Piotr Szubra | Cinematography: Jakub Kaźmierczak | Production Managers: Oskar Sapeta, Oliwia Cofała

Coldness

Director: Lena Jaworska | Cinematography: Daniel Le Hai | Production Manager: Kamil Warszawski

The competition also features SLAP!!, directed by our graduate Mikołaj Piszczan.

In the documentary films category:

Repetitions

Director: Maciej Czuchryta | Cinematography: Maksymilian Łobaczewski

I’m Recording!

Director & Cinematography: Ina Knap | Production Manager: Paulina Tura

It is also worth mentioning the independent (non-school) production by our student Filip Szela, titled Grandpa, which has also been selected for the documentary competition.

Warm congratulations to all the filmmakers, and we keep our fingers crossed for festival success!

18.12.2025
18.12.2025
18.12.2025
Dad’s Not Home is on the Oscar shortlist!

We are delighted to share some fantastic news: our short film, directed by student Jan Saczek, after winning the Gold Medal at the Student Academy Awards gala in October this year, now has a real chance to be selected among the top five live-action short films nominated for the 98th Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

 

Dad’s Not Home | directed by Jan Saczek | cinematography by Patryk Roman | production management by Lidia Le Thanh | produced by the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School at the University of Silesia in Katowice, 2025.

 

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

 

Big congratulations to all the filmmakers involved! The shortlist is available via the link.

 

The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2026. From the 15 shortlisted live-action short films, the final five will be revealed—those that will truly compete for the award every filmmaker dreams of.

 

The Academy’s official announcement is available via the link.

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11.12.2025

Happy Birthday with its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival!

We are delighted to announce that the short feature directed by our student, Aleksander Pakulski, has been noticed by the festival’s selectors and included in the programme of next year’s edition!

The film will be screened as part of the section DIFF Shorts 3: Isn’t It Fantastic?

The screening will take place on Friday, 27 February 2026, at 3:30 PM.

Happy Birthday | directed by Aleksander Pakulski | cinematography Daniel Le Hai | production management Kamil Warszawski | produced by the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School at the University of Silesia in Katowice, 2026.

Since the death of his child, Bogdan, seeing his grieving wife, suppressed his emotions so that he could be the strong support she needed. At the suggestion of Wiktoria's therapist, he helps her organize a birthday party for their deceased son so that his wife can come to terms with the loss. The husband, believing that this is the best way to help his beloved, agrees to this plan, hiding his own pain of longing for the child. While preparing for the party, the situation gets out of control for Bogdan.

A huge round of applause for the creators!

The Dublin International Film Festival will run from 19 February to 1 March 2026.

The film is supported by the Krakow Film Foundation.

11.12.2025
11.12.2025

08.12.2025

More great news from the Poitiers Film Festival and the Grand OFF Witold Kona – Best Independent Short Films in the World!

Recess, directed by Jan Saczek, received the Manifest Prize at the Poitiers Film Festival. The award includes a three-year inclusion of the film in the Manifest sales catalog and one year of festival distribution.

Recess | dir. Jan Saczek | cinematography: Patryk Roman | production management: Lidia Le Thanh

The film If I Had Balls, directed by Karolina Belka, was also recognized, winning Best Editing at the 19th Grand OFF Witold Kona – Best Independent Short Films in the World!

If I Had Balls | dir. Karolina Belka | cinematography: Aneta Bochnacka | editing: Bartosz Strusewicz | production management: Magda Walasek

Congratulations to all the filmmakers!

08.12.2025