POLISH ANIMATIONS AT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS – A ROUND-UP OF 2025
The year 2025 turned out to be an exceptionally dynamic and successful one for Polish animations. Our productions were showcased at international festivals across Canada, the United States, Chile, France, Armenia, Brazil, and South Korea, reaffirming the strong position of Polish filmmakers on the global stage. Established filmmakers and emerging talents alike drew attention through the diversity of their formal approaches, bold visual experimentation and themes exploring contemporary anxieties, relationships, and liminal experiences. We invite you to take a closer look.
In total, Polish animated films were shown at 291 festival events in 2025*, collecting an impressive 37 awards and special mentions during their international journeys. The most frequently screened title was Joko by Izabela Plucińska, which appeared at 31 international festivals, garnering numerous accolades along the way. Kept in a grotesque style, the film offers an ironic yet brutally incisive reflection on the mechanisms of power, violence, and endless exploitation.
Another title to enjoy extensive international circulation was Anastazja Naumenko’s Can You Hear Me?, which enjoyed over 30 screenings abroad. The film centres on the relationship between an adult daughter living overseas and her mother, whom she attempts to teach how to use the Internet. The clash between different approaches to technology reveals deeper intergenerational and familial tensions, with digital communication functioning as a metaphor for the arduous search for mutual understanding.
One of the year’s most striking revelations was also its youngest participant: the remarkably gifted Jeremi Rządowski. Just ten years old, he completed his first animation at the age of six, and his work is already circulating successfully on both Polish and international festival circuits. In 2025, his animated short Paper Love – a gripping, dark fairy tale told using stop-motion animation – was screened at 24 international festivals, confirming the young filmmaker’s exceptional talent and his extraordinary creative potential.
There Will Be No Other End by Piotr Milczarek also enjoyed a strong festival presence, appearing 17 times, while Void Spaces by Marta Koch was selected for 14 festivals. Koch’s film, set within the framework of a therapy session, weaves together memories from different stages of life to form a moving meditation on trauma, loss, and the slow process of emotional recovery. Other frequently screened titles include Nabu by Joanna Rusinek (11 screenings), an animated portrayal of war and displacement seen through a child’s eyes, and Four Walls of Memory by Joanna Płatek (also 11 screenings), a dark, symbolic tale about confronting fear, confinement, and the lingering weight of past trauma. Continuing its strong international run, Zima by Tomasz Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki also maintained a notable festival presence. Following its spectacular success the previous year (over 50 festival screenings), the film remained in demand in 2025, appearing at 12 international events and collecting multiple awards along the way.
JANUARY
January was a month of relatively modest yet nonetheless significant international activity for Polish animation. The festival year opened with The Sleeplessness of Jutka by Maria Görlich-Opyd — an adaptation of Dorota Combrzyńska-Nogala’s book with illustrations by Joanna Rusinek. Set in the Łódź Ghetto, this moving story about the experience of childhood marked by war, trauma, and historical memory was screened at the Miami Jewish Film Festival. At the same time, Sheep Out by Zofia Klamka was selected for Norway’s Minimalen Short Film Festival, signalling the presence of Polish animation on the Scandinavian circuit as well.
FEBRUARY
February brought a genuine surge in festival invitations. Polish animated films made a particularly strong impression at Animac in Lleida, where a total of nine domestic productions were screened, including Izabela Plucińska’s Outside, Marta Magnuska’s Misaligned, Piotr Chmielewski’s Crab, Zima, and Potatoes by Marcin Podolec. At the same time, Crab was also selected for the Youth Film Festival Antwerp in Belgium.
The musical and visual dimension of Polish animation came to the fore in Italy, where Agnieszka Kotulska’s Cosmic Routine was screened at the SeeYouSound International Music Film Festival. The film offers a hypnotic meditation on escaping everyday monotony, drawing on the aesthetics of 1980s music videos, saturated with neon lights, repetitive gestures, and an unsettling sense of suspension.
The end of February belonged to one of Europe’s most important animation events: ANIMA – the Brussels International Animation Film Festival. Both Joko and The Sleeplessness of Jutka were selected for the Belgian competition, bringing an intense and highly promising opening stretch of the year to a close.
MARCH
In March a long-awaited thaw came about – also in the Polish animation's festival run. Contrary to what its title might suggest, it was Zima ('Winter') by Tomasz Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki that truly warmed the hearts of animation enthusiasts, launching an impressive festival run that began at the International Independent Film Festival in Greece before its ultimate triumph in Finland. At the prestigious Tampere Film Festival, the filmmakers received the award for Best Animation – a particularly significant distinction given the festival’s status. Tampere is, after all, one of Europe’s oldest and most important showcases for short film.
Another award came from Spain, where Ola Szmid’s Medusas received the prize for Best Experimental Animation, reaffirming the strong position of Polish filmmakers in the field of formal exploration and artistic experimentation. The end of the month was marked by the premiere of the animated children’s series I Love This Job. Created by Grzegorz Wacławek and directed by Kasia Wilk and Arina Sizova, the series approaches questions of work, passion, and future careers in a way that is humorous and accessible to younger viewers.
Simultaneously, March alone saw eighteen additional Polish animated films screened at festivals around the world – a clear sign that with the arrival of spring, Polish animation had gathered remarkable momentum:
Sheep Out, dir. Zofia Klamka (Tokyo Anime Award Festival, Japan)
There Are People in the Forest, dir. Szymon Ruczyński and Magda, dir. Adela Kaczmarek (Bergamo Film Meeting, Italy and Cambodia International Film Festival, Cambodia)
Such Miracles Do Happen, dir. Barbara Rupik and Outside, dir. Izabela Plucińska (XXVIII Rencontres Internationales Traverse, France)
Can You Hear Me?, dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Glasgow Short Film Festival, United Kingdom)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Animation festival of Roanne - Ciné court animé, France)
Composition of Existing Experiences, dir. Joanna Szlembarska (The Regensburg Short Film Week, Germany)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek and Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Kaboom Animation Festival and Movies that Matter Festival, Netherlands)
Lack, dir. Paweł Prewencki (Festival MUSIC & CINEMA Marseille, France)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska and MoMo & LuLu, dir. Anita Kwiatkowska – Naqvi (Annual American Documentary And Animation Film Festival [AmDocs], USA)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek and All my fucking Superheroes, dir. Piotr Kabat (Athens Animfest Festival, Greece)
Paper Love, dir. Jeremi Rządowski (Psaroloco International Children's & Young People’s Film Festivals)
APRIL
April reaffirmed the international reach and diversity of Polish animation. In China, at TOPU International Animation Week, the Jury Award went to Wait for me in a dream by Natalia Durszewicz – an enigmatic work distinguished for its atmosphere and deliberately ambiguous form.
At the prestigious Oberhausen International Short Film Festival in Germany, the Jury Prize was awarded to the animated documentary Dear Leo Sokolosky by Weronika Szyma. The film takes the form of a poetic dialogue between a young woman and her long-deceased great-grandfather – an intimate meditation on lost ideals, the contemporary world, and a yearning for closeness. Germany made a particularly noteworthy presence this month. Four Polish animated films were screened at the 37th edition of FilmFest Dresden: Joko, Potatoes, Sheep Out, and Oh, God! by Betina Bożek. Meanwhile, Jeremi Rządowski’s Paper Love continued its impressive international run, receiving an international award at the CineYouth Festival in Chicago.
In addition, April saw Polish animation featured at even more international festivals:
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Go Short – International Short Film Festival, 2025, Netherlands)
Potatoes, dir. Marcin Podolec (2ANNAS Riga International Short Film Festival, Latvia)
I Dream of Cities Often, dir. Maciek Stępniewski (24Frame Future Film Festival, Italy)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek (CINELEBU Lebu International Film Festival,Chile)
Magda, dir. Adela Kaczmarek (Brussels Short Film Festival, Belgium)
MAY
May proved to be one of the most intense months of the year for Polish animation, bringing with it a wealth of festival screenings and prestigious awards. A strong Polish presence was felt at the 35th Mediawave International Film and Music Festival in Hungary, where the programme included Outside, Hot and Cold (dir. Jakub Siedlecki), Smell of the Ground (dir. Olivia Rosa), Sheep Out and Zima. The festival jury recognised two Polish titles in particular: Sheep Out received a Special Prize, while Zima claimed both of the festival’s Main Prizes — the awards of the Professional Jury and the Student Jury. At the Moscerine Film Festival, Jeremi Rządowski was honoured with an award for best original idea.
Further successes followed in Italy, where Izabela Plucińska’s Joko won the Cocal d’Oro (First Prize) at the Stop e-Motion Days festival. At the Moscerine Film Festival, Jeremi Rządowski was honoured with an award for best original idea. Meanwhile, in Egypt, Marta Koch’s Void Spaces received the Jury Award at the Aswan International Women Film Festival. In France, Szymon Ruczyński was awarded the Bronze Crown at the Le Cri du Court Festival for There Are People in the Forest. The Sleeplessness of Jutka by Maria Görlich-Opyd continued its successful international run as well, winning the award for Best International Animation Short Film at Portugal’s Leiria Film Fest.
A rich Polish presence was also evident at the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, where both competition and out-of-competition screenings featured Joko, Crab, I'm Here (dir. Julia Orlik), Fences (dir. Natalia Krawczuk), We Have One Heart (dir. Katarzyna Warzecha), and Asiunia (dir. Tomek Ducki).
Izabela Plucińska’s presence in Canada drew particular attention. At the Sommets du cinéma d’animation festival, a retrospective of her work showcased a total of seven films – Joko, Outside, Portrait of Suzanne, Afternoon, Evening, Sexy Laundry, and Esterhazy – turning it into one of the strongest Polish highlights of the event.
In addition, May saw several Polish animated films featured across a wide range of international festivals:
There Are People in the Forest, dir. Szymon Ruczyński (Gilgandra Film Festival, Australia)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek (Curtocircuíto – International Film Festival, Spain)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Anifilm 2025 International Festival of Animated Film, Czechia)
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, Poland)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek and Outside, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Melbourne International Animation Festival (MIAF), Australia)
Asiunia, dir. Tomek Ducki and III, dir. Marta Pajek (Vienna Shorts International Short Film Festival, Austria)
Zima, dir. Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki, When From Heaven Snow Has Fallen, dir. Bogusz Max Żelech and Sheep Out, dir. Zofia Klamka (Animatricks, Finland)
Her Own Truth, dir. Agnieszka Kruczek (Zlín Film Festival, Czechia)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Brooklyn Film Festival, USA)
And Don't Call Me Crazy, dir. Dorota Skupniewicz (Animation Bucharest International Film Festival, Romania)
Paper Love, dir. Jeremi Rządowski (Meet Film Festival, Preferite Animate, VAFI & RAFI International Children and Youth Animation Film Festival)
JUNE
In the beginning of June, we learned the verdicts of the 65th Kraków Film Festival, once again confirming the strong position of Polish animation. The Golden Hobby-Horse for Best Animated Short went to The Pool or the Death of a Goldfish by Daria Kopiec – a moving, visually evocative story exploring the impossibility of continuing to deny one’s own existence. A Jury Special Mention was awarded to Paulina Ziółkowska for Tears for its hypnotic portrayal of life in an age of excess.
The National Competition at Krakow Film Festival presented a broad and diverse selection of animated films, including numerous world premieres. Alongside Daria Kopiec’s award-winning work and Tears, audiences were introduced to Dear Leo Sokolosky by Weronika Szyma, Hello, Headquarters by Zuzanna Heller, The Crooked Heads by Jakub Krzyszpin, Peace To This House by Kinga Kociarz, The Show by Agnieszka Popińska, Birds of Paradise by Tomasz Ducki, Horde by Janina Księska, and Cold Home by Alicja Liss.
Polish animators also enjoyed success abroad. Anastazja Naumenko received the award for Best Animated Film at Portugal’s Beast International Film Festival. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Izabela Plucińska’s Joko triumphed at Mecal Pro, winning the Grand Prix in the Obliqua section and the Young Jury Award. The festival’s competitive sections also featured Nabu, Potatoes, and There Will Be No Other End.
An equally strong showing was present at Portugal’s FEST – New Directors | New Films Festival, where four Polish animations were screened: Void Spaces, Me, Monster by Zofia Tomalska, Potatoes, and There Will Be No Other End. June also brought further recognition for Jeremi Rządowski, who received the award for Best Film in Norway.
In addition, the following films were featured in international competitions in June:
Foreign Body, dir. Marta Magnuska, Ziegenort, dir. Tomek Popakul and Fury, dir. Julia Siuda (Fest Anča International Animation Festival, Slovakia)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska, The Other, dir. Marta Magnuska and There Are People in the Forest, dir. Szymon Ruczyński (World Festival of Animated Film - Animafest Zagreb, Croatia)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (River Film Festival, Italy)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek (Guadalajara International Film Festival)
There Are People in the Forest, dir. Szymon Ruczyński ("One Shot" International Short Film Festival, Armenia)
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish, dir. Daria Kopiec (Annecy International Animated Film Festival, France)
White Room, dir. Monika Augustyniak-Dumała (London Experimental, United Kingdom)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Raindance Film Festival)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Festival LENT, Słowacja)
Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch and Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Palm Springs International ShortFest, USA)
Outside, dir. Izabela Plucińska, The Sleeplessness of Jutka, dir. Maria Gorlich-Opyd and Magda, dir. Adela Kaczmarek (International Film Festival of Nancy, France)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska, Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch (IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival, Bulgaria)
JULY
July unfolded at a slower pace, yet Polish animation remained firmly present on the international circuit. The only award presented this month was the Bronze Animusz at the Animator – International Festival of Animation, which went to Can You Hear Me? by Anastazja Naumenko. The film was also screened at the prestigious FIDMarseille and the San Giò Verona Video Festival, further confirming its strong position in the international festival circuit.
A Special Mention at Lago Film Fest went to Nutcracker Girl by Michalina Musialik. Drawing from the aesthetics of children’s drawings and set to the music of Tchaikovsky, the film gradually reveals a darker undercurrent beneath its fairy-tale surface. A story about initiation and loss of innocence leads viewers from festive magic to a confrontation with violence and corporeality, with the visual language shifting in step with the protagonist’s emotional awakening.
Throughout July, the following Polish animated films were screened at international festivals:
Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch (Tabor New Frame Festival)
And Don't Call Me Crazy, dir. Dorota Skupniewicz (Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Australia)
Dear Leo Sokolosky, dir. Weronika Szyma, My Mom, dir. Agnieszka Popińska (International Animated Film Festival)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska, Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch (Anibar International Animation Festival, Kosovo)
Sheep Out, dir. Zofia Klamka (European Film Festival Palić, Serbia)
Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch, Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Cortocircuiti Short Film Festival 2025, Italy)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Incheon International Short Film Festival 2025, South Korea)
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (San Giò Verona Video Festival)
AUGUST
August brought particularly encouraging news for Polish animation from the European industry scene. The nominations for the Emile Awards – the prestigious honours presented by the European Animation Awards Association – were announced, recognising the most significant achievements in European animation. Every year these awards go to creators, artists, and technical teams whose work helps shape the future of the medium across the continent.
This year, Polish animation was represented by three nominated titles. Izabela Plucińska’s Joko received two nominations: for Best Animation in Short Film and for Best Character Design and Backgrounds, testifying to the strength of its artistic vision and the expressive power of its visual design. Meanwhile, Zima by Tomek Popakuł and Kasumi Ozeki was recognised in the sound category, earning a nomination for Best Sound and Music Design in Short Film.
Also shortlisted in the category of Best Student Film was There Are People in the Forest by Szymon Ruczyński, which only confirms the strong international standing of the younger generation of Polish animators.
In August, international audiences had the opportunity to see the following Polish animated films:
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (ANIMIX - International Animation & Comics Festival)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek, Potatoes, dir. Marcin Podolec (Benagluru International Short Film Festival)
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Sarajevo Film Festival, 2025, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch (Imaginaria – International Festival of Authorial Animated Film 2025, Italy)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Annual Sidewalk Film Festival, USA)
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Turku Animated Film Festival, 2025, Finland and Telluride Film Festival, USA)
Zima, dir. Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki (Oslo Short Film Festival 2025, Norwegia)
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish, dir. Daria Kopiec (OFF - Odense Film Festival 2025, Denmark)
Paper Love, dir. Jeremi Rządowski (San Diego International Kids Film Festival, Mangalia Youth Film Festival)
O Shineth, dir. Paweł J.J Modzelewski (Benagluru International Short Film Festival)
SEPTEMBER
September confirmed the strong and increasingly global presence of Polish animation. At the 20th edition of Shorts México – the largest short film festival in Latin America – Four Walls of Memory by Joanna Płatek received a Honorable Mention in the International Animation Competition, drawing the jury’s attention to its distinctive, authorial form.
More accomplishments came from South America. In Colombia, at the International Film Festival of Norte de Santander, Monika Augustyniak-Dumała’s White Room won the award for Best Experimental Short for its bold formal exploration and experimental character. Polish animation also made a strong impression in Ukraine. At the Kyiv International Short Film Festival, Can You Hear Me? by Anastazja Naumenko received the Best Film Award by Film Critics Ukraine, while Four Walls of Memory was also selected for the competition programme, contending for further festival honours. In Venice, meanwhile, Dorota Bator received the award for Best Short Film at the Son of the Pitch festival for Here – a deeply moving animated film in which the boundaries between waking life and dream begin to dissolve.
The Polish animation also reached South-East Asia. Titles such as Joko and Can You Hear Me? were screened at Minikino Film Week 11 – Bali International Short Film Festival, one of the region’s most significant short film events, confirming that Polish productions are successfully reaching even the most distant corners of the globe.
In addition, September saw further Polish titles appear at festivals abroad:
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Fantoche International Animated Film Festival, Lille International Short Film Festival, Helsinki IFF Love Camp)
MoMo & LuLu, dir. Anita Kwiatkowska – Naqvi (Serbest International Film Festival, Moldova)
Tears, dir. Paulina Ziółkowska (Drama International Short Film Festival, Greece)
And Don't Call Me Crazy, dir. Dorota Skupniewicz (KO:SH Film Fest, Albania)
Four Walls of Memory, dir. Joanna Płatek (Lviv International Film Festival Wiz-Art, Ukraina and Tripoli Film Festival, Lebanon)
Zima, dir. Tomek Popakul, Kasumi Ozeki (Helsinki International Film Festival - Love & Anarchy, Finland)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Galician Freaky Film Festival (GFFF), Spain)
Tears, dir. Paulina Ziółkowska, There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Tirana Intermnational Film Festival, Albania)
Birds of Paradise, dir. Tomek Ducki (Ottawa Interantional Animation Festival 2025, Canada)
Tears, dir. Paulina Ziółkowska, The Pool or Death of a Goldfish, dir. Daria Kopiec (Stoptrik Animation Festival, Slovenia).
Paper Love, dir. Jeremi Rządowski (Valparaiso Amateur Film Festival, Lantern &Light International Children' Film Festival, Animator FEST - European Youth Festival of Animated Film, Secondigliano Film Festival, TrikFilm Festival)
OCTOBER
October turned out to be an exceptionally intense month for Polish animation, marked by a series of high-profile artistic and festival events.
Polish filmmakers were particularly visible at DOK Leipzig – the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. Four Polish titles were selected for the Panorama: Central and Eastern Europe section, including The Pool or Death of a Goldfish directed by Daria Kopiec – a symbolic stop-motion animation exploring the impossible expectations placed by parents upon their children. The same section also featured Experiences and Learning. And Parenting by Małgorzata Rybak, whose protagonist, a joyful and inquisitive child named 'O', determined to explore the world around it. Despite various obstacles, 'O' gradually accumulates experiences and skills, with the film offering a subtle reflection on learning and forming relationships. Bar Croquette Freestyle by Maria Dakszewicz had its international premiere in the International Competition at DOK Leipzig – a story of a woman from a provincial town who imagines herself escaping into a Bollywood-inspired fantasy, becoming the heroine of a vibrant, passionate love story. Four Percent by Monika Masłoń, was he second Polish entry in the competition: a Polish-German co-production also enjoying in its world premiere in Leipzig. The film examines corporeality, emotion, and intimacy in virtual reality, probing the limits of closeness in the digital age.
October also brought several significant awards. Zima received the award for Best Direction in Animated Films at The Pigeon International Film Festival in Iceland. At the same event, Horse Portrait by Witold Giersz was honoured with the award for Best Animated Short, while There Will Be No Other End by Piotr Milczarek also competed in the festival programme.
Another accolade went to Four Walls of Memory by Joanna Płatek, which won the award for Best Student Short Film at the 15th ANIMAGE – International Animation Festival of Pernambuco, Brazil. The same competition also featured Can You Hear Me? by Anastazja Naumenko and I Am Not Here Anymore by Nawojka Wierzbowska. Adding to the month’s successes, the ever-impressive Jeremi Rządowski received the award for Best International Short Film in the ‘Music&Paper Film’ category at Italy’s Fabriano Film Festival.
Beyond these highlights, October also saw Polish animation represented at numerous other international festivals, including:
And Don't Call Me Crazy, dir. Dorota Skupniewicz (Animaze - Montreal International Animation Festival, Canada)
Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch (International Film Festival BRNO16, Czechia and European Short Film Festival of Nice, Un Festival C’est Trop Court, France)
Nutcracker Girl, dir. Michalina Musialik, She Cat Him dir. Marta Chyła-Janicka, White Room, dir. Monika Augustyniak-Dumała (International Tour Film Festival)
Four Walls of Memory, dir. Joanna Płatek (Vancouver International Film Festival, Canada)
I Dream of Cities Often, dir. Maciek Stępniewski (Simultan Festival, Rumunia)
There is Plenty of Fish in the Sea, dir. Joanna Szlembarska, Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska, Four Walls of Memory, dir. Joanna Płatek and There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Sedicicorto Forlì International Film Festival, Italy)
Dear Leo Sokolosky, dir. Weronika Szyma (Animfest - Bucharest International Animation Film Festival, Romania, DokumentART, Germany)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Indie Cork Festival, Ireland, Canlandiranlar Film Festival, Turkey)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek (Monstrale FIlm Festival, Germany, Cinemagic - International Film Festival for Young People, Ireland)
Birds of Paradise, dir. Tomek Ducki (Show Me Shorts Film Festival, International Short Film Festival Cyprus, Cork International Film Festival)
White Room, dir. Monika Augustyniak-Dumała (Santa Cruz International Film Festival)
Such a Beautiful Town, dir. Marta Koch (Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan)
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Warsaw Film Festiwal, Ukrainian Film Festival, DOXS RUHR, Germany)
Birds of Paradise, dir. Tomek Ducki, Beetles, dir. Piotr Chmielewski, Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko, (Primanima World Festival of First Animations, Hungary)
There is Plenty of Fish in the Sea, dir. Joanna Szlembarska (Riga International Film Festival, Latvia)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek, Potatoes, dir. Marcin Podolec (Filmets Badalona Film Festival 2025, Spain)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan, Armenia)
Four Walls of Memory, dir. Joanna Płatek , Headprickles, dir. Katarzyna Miechowicz (Uppsala Short Film Festival, Sweden)
Void Spaces, dir. Marta Koch (London Breeze Film Festival 2025, United Kingdom)
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish, dir. Daria Kopiec, Tears, dir. Paulina Ziółkowska (Bucheon International Animation Festival 2025, South Korea)
Paper Love, dir. Jeremi Rządowski (New York Short Animation Festival)
NOVEMBER
November was to be an exceptionally fruitful month for Polish animation. Domestic productions appeared more than 40 times across 22 prestigious festivals around the world, impressing with their diversity of form and subject matter, as well as a consistently high artistic standard.
The strongest presence was felt in Estonia at PÖFF Shorts – the largest short film and animation festival in the Baltic region. The programme featured an impressive range of Polish titles, including Four Walls of Memory (dir. Joanna Płatek), Love Me Tender (dir. Betina Bożek), Birds of Paradise (dir. Tomek Ducki – Jury Mention for Animated Children's Film), Tonight I'll Dream About Water (dir. Adrianna Matwiejczuk), I Am Not Here Anymore (dir. Nawojka Wierzbowska), The Pool or Death of a Goldfish (dir. Daria Kopiec), There Will Be No Other End (dir. Piotr Milczarek), Almost There or a Weenie (dir. Alicja Jasina), Experiences and Learning. And Parenting (dir. Małgorzata Rybak), and Can You Hear Me? (dir. Anastazja Naumenko). Tallinn also hosted the international premiere of the feature-length animated film The Boy at the Edge of the World, directed by Marta Szymańska and Grzegorz Wacławek.
Another highlight of the month was Portugal’s Cinanima – International Animated Film Festival, one of the oldest animation festivals in Europe. Polish productions were again strongly represented, with screenings of Birds of Paradise (dir. Tomek Ducki), Tonight I'll Dream About Water (dir. Adrianna Matwiejczuk), The Pool or Death of a Goldfish (dir. Daria Kopiec), Potatoes (dir. Marcin Podolec), Void Spaces (dir. Marta Koch), and Joko (dir. Izabela Plucińska).
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish directed by Daria Kopiec' – one of the most frequently screened Polish animated films of the month – received the Best Short F(r)iction Award from the Youth Jury at Italy’s FrontDoc International Film Festival. The film was also shown at LIAF – London International Animation Festival and GIRAF – Festival of Independent Animation. Meanwhile, Dear Leo Sokolosky (dir. Weronika Szyma) won Best Animated Short at the International Film Festival of St Andrews in the UK, and Jeremi Rządowski’s Paper Love received an Honourable Mention at the Animanie festival.
Last but not least, Joko received one of Europe’s most prestigious animation honours: the Emile European Animation Award for Best Character Design and Backgrounds. Zima was also recognised at the same ceremony, winning awards for Best Sound Design (Michał Fojcik) and Music in Short Films. Zima was also screened at Short Film Festival Cologne in Germany and at the Kolkata International Film Festival in India.
In November, the following films were present at international festivals:
Can You Hear Me? dir. Anastazja Naumenko (Leeds International Film Festival, United Kingdom, Cutout Fest, International Animation Festival, Feinaki Beijing Animation Week, Zinebi - International Documentary and SFF of Bilbao, “Cutout Fest” – International Animation Festival, Student International Film Festival, Kortfilmfestival Leuven)
Asiunia, dir. Tomek Ducki (Kineko International Film Festival, Japan)
Four Walls of Memory, dir. Joanna Płatek, Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (FestCurtas Belo Horizonte, Brazil)
Birds of Paradise, dir. Tomek Ducki (Interfilm Berlin Int’l Short Film Festival)
Joko, dir. Izabela Plucińska (Canberra Short Film Festival, International Film Festival Braunschweig, Centre Film Festival)
Her Own Truth, dir. Agnieszka Kruczek, There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek, Nutcracker Girl, dir. Michalina Musialik, She Cat Him dir. Marta Chyła-Janicka, Wait for me in a dream, dir. Natalia Durszewicz (Girona Film Festival, Spain)
Four Walls of Memory, dir. Joanna Płatek (International Short Film Festival "Ciudad de Soria", Spain)
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Fenêtres sur courts festival, France)
And Don't Call Me Crazy, dir. Dorota Skupniewicz (Tofuzi International Animated Film Festival)
Nabu, dir. Joanna Rusinek (Pixel Vienna Animation Festival, Austria)
The Pool or Death of a Goldfish, dir. Daria Kopiec (GIRAF 2025 - festival of Independent Animation)
Experiences And Learning. And Parenting dir. Małgorzata Rybak (International Animation Festival AJAYU, Peru)
Paper Love, dir. Jeremi Rządowski (ENIMATION Festival, International Children and Youth Film Festival, Toronto Polish Film Festival, Like You Children's Film Festival, Camera Zizanio)
Replace ,dir. Ewelina Duffy (International Student Animation Film Festival Animafantasia, Ionian Contemporary Animation Festival ICONA)
DECEMBER
December, together with the onset of astronomical winter, brought exceptionally good news for Polish animation. Fittingly, it was during that month that Zima ('Winter') by Tomek Popakuł and Kasumi Ozeki achieved another major success. The film received a Special Mention at the GLAS Animation Festival in Los Angeles – one of the most important showcases of independent animation in the United States.
Shortly before Christmas we received more excellent news. The Coach, directed by Sylwia Szkiłądź, was shortlisted for the Academy Awards in the category of Best Animated Short Film ahead of the 98th Oscars. This marks a crucial step towards a potential nomination and serves as a powerful confirmation of the film’s international recognition. Set in the tone of magical realism, the film offers a deeply affecting journey into childhood and the emotional inner world of a migrant, blending personal memory with the universal experience of displacement and longing.
At the beginning of December, Polish animation also enjoyed a strong presence at Animateka in Slovenia. The festival programme featured Birds of Paradise, Can You Hear Me?, Dear Leo Sokolosky, Central-Mart (dir. Alicja Błaszczyńska), Tears, There is Plenty of Fish in the Sea, and Beetles.
The sheer number and diversity of Polish titles at one of Europe’s key animation festivals underscored the breadth of formal approaches and thematic explorations – from intimate, personal stories to works aimed at younger audiences.
Beyond Animateka, Polish animated films were also screened at a range of other international festivals throughout December, bringing the year to a close on a high note and heralding an equally dynamic presence on the global stage in the months to come:
There Will Be No Other End, dir. Piotr Milczarek (Aguilar Film Festival, Spain)
I Dream of Cities Often, dir. Maciek Stępniewski (T-Short Animated Film Festival, Germany)
Tonight I'll Dream About Water, dir. Adrianna Matwiejczuk (Bogota Short Film Festival Bogoshorts)
The past year has confirmed that Polish animation now occupies a place at the very forefront of the global scene. Present at the most important international festivals across nearly every continent, Polish films not only secured prestigious selections but also returned with awards and distinctions, steadily building a strong and recognisable brand for Polish animated cinema. These animations are thematically bold, engage with contemporary concerns, memory, identity, relationships, and bodily experience, while at the same time dazzle with their formal diversity, narrative maturity, and exceptional artistic quality. They move, amuse, unsettle, and astonish – proving that animation today is not merely a genre, but a fully-fledged artistic language in its own right. Maintaining such a strong presence on silver screens around the world, Polish animation not only represents the country with class, but also inspires confidence and pride, offering every indication that the future of the field is exceptionally promising.
*Data compiled by Polish Animations based on information provided by producers, filmmakers, and festivals.