At the 65th Krakow Film Festival, accessibility is not a slogan – it represents tangible actions enabling those with visual and hearing impairments to fully participate in cultural experiences. This year too, selected screenings are going to feature audio description (AD) and closed captions (CC+). Individuals using these accommodations can enjoy films with complete comprehension of both visual content and sound elements.
A screening of Two Cigarettes, directed by Rafał Łysak, will be held on Monday morning, 26th May at 11:30 at Kino Pod Baranami (Blue Auditorium). The film explores an attempt to understand tragedy and the meaning of forgiveness. The protagonist, Rafał, decides to meet the young man who took his father’s life. This encounter starts a process that transcends ordinary conversation, creating space for reflection on guilt, responsibility, and the possibility of change.
On Wednesday, 28th May at 12:00, also at Kino Pod Baranami (Blue Auditorium), audiences can watch On My Own Terms directed by Tadeusz Chudy. The film follows Paweł – a children’s home pupil who trains as a boxer and dreams of a sporting career. However, being on the cusp of adulthood forces him to confront the realities of life outside the institution. When his adoptive sister inherits a flat, Paweł sees an opportunity for a fresh start – but the decisions he must make are not easy. The film illustrates the challenges of building independence and security without strong role models or stable foundations. It’s a story about relationships, responsibility, and coming of age, set against the emotional backdrop of a young man at life’s crossroads.
Double Screenings
On Thursday, 29th May at 19:30 at Kino Sfinks (C.K. Norwid Cultural Centre), there will be a back-to-back screening of two films: Inga by Krzysztof Kopczyński and Do Painters Die Elsewhere – director Michał Pietrak’s feature-length documentary debut. The former is an incredibly timely and moving documentary about a Ukrainian girl who, along with her blind parents, flees the war and starts a new life in Warsaw. Despite numerous hardships, Inga becomes a guide for her family, demonstrating the remarkable resilience of children. Do Painters Die Elsewhere offers a contemplative portrait of artist Bolesław Gasiński, who created his work away from the mainstream, surrounded by nature, people, and animals. The film has been constructed using excerpts from private archives, memoirs, and recordings – painting a picture of a life inextricably intertwined with art, love, and the illness of a beloved partner.
This double screening will also be held the following day (30th May) at Kino Pod Baranami (Blue Auditorium) at 13:00.
To take advantage of audio description, simply download the free AudioMovie application to your mobile from Google Play/App Store, bring headphones, and collect a QR code from the cinema box office that activates the audio description for the specific screening.
Attendees may enter screenings with assistance dogs (or guide dogs), and should any viewer require additional support (such as being escorted to the cinema and having an assistant present during the screening), please contact us at [email protected] by 23rd May – we shall make every effort to ensure your Festival experience is comfortable and satisfying.
Insider passes for the 65th Krakow Film Festival are now on sale!
The Krakow Film Festival is on the exclusive list of film events qualifying for the Academy Awards® in short film categories (fiction, animation, documentary) and feature-length documentary, the European Film Awards in the same categories, and serves as a qualifying event for the BAFTA Awards.
The Krakow Film Festival is organised with financial support from the City of Krakow, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, and the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme. The Polish Filmmakers Association serves as co-organiser.
The KFF at the Barbican is co-organised by the National Cultural Centre as part of the cultural programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025.
The 65th Krakow Film Festival will be held in cinemas from 25 May to 1 June 2025, and online on KFF VOD from 30 May to 15 June 2025.