After 25 years at the helm, Krzysztof Gierat has stepped down as festival director this year. During a meeting of the Programme Council of the Krakow Film Foundation, a vote was held to select a successor. Barbara Orlicz-Szczypuła was unanimously elected the new festival director. On her recommendation, Anita Piotrowska will take up the position of artistic director.
I am deeply grateful to the Programme Council for their confidence and for entrusting me with this new role. I’m delighted to continue working with such a magnificent event in this new capacity. It brings me joy but also presents a tremendous challenge – one that I, together with our brilliant team – will strive to meet. My aim is to create a welcoming space for filmmakers, producers, and the film industry in general, but above all, I wish to consistently introduce our audiences to the most fascinating documentaries, short fiction films, and animations from around the globe” – says Barbara Orlicz-Szczypuła, the newly appointed Director of the Krakow Film Festival.
Barbara Orlicz-Szczypuła holds a degree in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology from Jagiellonian University. She has been with the Krakow Film Foundation since its inception, serving as vice-president for many years before taking the helm as president in 2021. Throughout her career, she has spearheaded numerous initiatives, involving the Foundation in projects aimed at popularising documentary and short films: both Polish – through the KFF Sales & Promotion agency – and international ones, by bringing documentaries to Polish cinemas, but primarily by showcasing them at the Krakow Film Festival. Her journey with the Festival began in the 1990s when she worked as a volunteer. Since then, she has handled virtually every organisational aspect while working at the festival office, gaining an in-depth understanding of the event and learning all its ins and outs. This comprehensive knowledge has enabled her to make changes that keep the festival in step with global trends whilst meeting the expectations of both audiences and industry professionals. For many years, she served as the director of the Programme Department, helping shape each year’s programme and initiating partnerships that have allowed the Krakow Film Festival to maintain its standing as one of the most significant festivals in Poland and Europe. She has served on juries at numerous international festivals, coordinated various film-related projects, and lectures at the Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski University in Krakow and Jagiellonian University. She is also a member of the Polish Film Academy.
In her new role as director, she will be responsible for managing the entirety of the festival – from strategic, organisational, and programming aspects to financial oversight. She will ensure all activities align with the festival’s mission, maintain its international prestige, and represent the festival within the film community.
Anita Piotrowska has collaborated with the Krakow Film Festival for over 20 years. More recently, she has served as curator of the documentary programme. She is a film critic and columnist for the Tygodnik Powszechny weekly, a regular contributor to the psychology magazine Charaktery, and publishes in the monthly Kino and quarterly EKRANy. Her professional background includes academic lecturing and screenplay consulting. She has co-authored numerous publications, including Panorama kina najnowszego [“Panorama of Contemporary Cinema”], Szukając von Triera [“Looking for von Trier”], Encyklopedia kina [“Encyclopaedia of Cinema”], Encyklopedia filmu religijnego [“Encyclopaedia of Religious Film”], Nowe kino Turcji [“New Turkish Cinema”] and “Polish Cinema Now!”. As a member of FIPRESCI, she has served on juries at numerous festivals in Poland and internationally. In 2014, she received the Polish Film Institute Award for film criticism, and in 2021, she was honoured with the Krzysztof Teodor Toeplitz Award from ZAiKS.
As artistic director, she will shape the festival’s artistic vision whilst making sure it aligns with its mission and objectives. Her responsibilities are going to include selecting films, collaborating with filmmakers, and ensuring artistic coherence throughout the festival.
The Programme Council of the Krakow Film Foundation serves as an advisory body comprising film industry professionals, including directors, film critics, film scholars, and cultural promoters. The Council works alongside festival organisers to recommend candidates for the Dragon of Dragons Award and propose accompanying events and film showcases. The Council is also responsible for appointing the festival director.
Krakow Film Festival ranks among the world’s oldest events dedicated to documentary films, short animations, and short fiction films. Since its inception, the festival has served as a platform for discovering the world through film. Its mission is to bring important subjects to audiences, uncover new talent, and boldly present arthouse cinema. The festival showcases documentary films, short animations, and fiction films that not only examine our reality but also highlight both individual stories and global challenges. It serves as a gateway to lesser-known national cinemas, offering insight into the film diversity beyond our continent. This is why in 2022, we have begun using the word INSIDER to describe the festival’s essence.
INSIDER represents the festival’s identity – one that reflects our commitment, personal perspectives, and support for the community of film enthusiasts, creators, and industry professionals who don’t merely observe the world from the outside but become an integral part of the cinematic experience. In addition to film screenings, the festival actively contributes to the development of the Polish and European film market. Through co-production initiatives, networking events, and industry discussions organised within KFF Industry, we facilitate collaboration between filmmakers, producers, and distributors, ensuring the continued development of documentary and short films across various platforms and territories.
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 66th Krakow Film Festival will be held in cinemas from 31 May to 7 June 2027 and online on KFF VOD from 5 June to 19 June 2026.