Wars and armed conflicts
19 films
An Orange from Jaffa
dir. Mohammed Almughanni
fab2023
A few kilometres from Jerusalem, the Hizma checkpoint. There has been tension here for decades. Mohammed, a young Palestinian with a temporary Polish identity card, tries to get through the Israeli checkpoint. A succession of drivers refuse to give him a lift. Farouk, a taxi driver agrees.
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The next screenings
As Long As They Don't Find Us (Żeby tylko nas nie znaleźli)
dir. Maja Górczak
dok2025
A film tribute to one of the first women to study directing at the Łódź Film School, Stefania Świeca. She left behind only one film – a poignant film study in which she tried to tackle the trauma of the Holocaust. What happened with her later on?
Read moreChild of Dust (Dziecko z pyłu)
dir. Weronika Mliczewska
dok2025
Sang was one of hundreds of thousands of children sired by American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Today, he would like to meet his biological father. The trip to the US means a lot to him, but when he meets his new family, nothing is as he expected.
Read moreAwards:Golden Hobby-Horse / Golden Horn / Special Award
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Elephant in the desert (Pil Ba'midbar)
dir. Yael Nivron
fab2025
He hides his tears behind the sound of water, she wakes up at night with panic attacks. Nadav and Rotem are planning a wedding, but there are topics they do not discuss. How do you help a loved one when they do not want to talk about the problem? Sometimes, it is easier to spot an elephant in the desert than in your own room.
Read moreHorde (Zgraja)
dir. Janina Księska
anim2024
A psychedelic parade of bizarre creatures is proceeding rhythmically towards a red tower in the middle of nowhere. Inside, a hypnotic party is in full swing, its tempo controlled by a mysterious figure at the top of the tower. Dance, frenzy and colourful chaos engulf everyone except for a certain little blue man.
Read moreInga
dir. Krzysztof Kopczyński
dok2025
On Inga’s fifth birthday, 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Almost 6 million people left the country, including 2 million children. Together with her blind parents, five cats and a dog, Inga moved to Dedala Street in Warsaw. In the shadow of the conflict, experiencing the pain of losing her home, the girl becomes the family’s guide to their new reality.
Read moreIn 769 km, New York (Cherez 769 km, New York)
dir. Sofiia Buhrii
dok2025
A distance of 769 kilometres is what separates a bakery in Kyiv from New York, an occupied town in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. This is where bread baked by people with intellectual disabilities ends up. Although they struggle with their own difficulties, their work saves people in the east of the country.
Read moreI Dream in Photos
dir. Gary Lennon
dok
Pulitzer Prize winner and photojournalist Cathal McNaughton decides to leave his dream profession at the peak of his career. Returning from war zones to live in a cottage in the Irish countryside is not easy for him. He finally has time to rebuild the relationship with his adolescent son and take care of his parents, but the memories of his past still haunt him.
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Kyiv Soloists (Solistene)
dir. Trond Kvig Andreassen
dok2025
When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, musicians from the Kyiv Orchestra had just set off on a tour of Italy. They became refugees overnight but did not stop performing. Each of the protagonists must now redefine his or her role as an artist and citizen.
Read moreLast Song from Kabul
dir. Kevin Macdonald, Ruhi Hamid
dok2023
A gripping story about talented, orphaned girls from Afghanistan, whose music school was closed down by the Taliban. Forced to flee the country, they find refuge in Portugal, where they try to rebuild their lives and reinvent themselves in music. 12+
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Look Homeward (Spójrz na dom swój)
dir. Artem Rachkelyuk
fab2025
When the war broke out in Ukraine, the parents sent Vlad and his sister to Poland to ensure their safety. They themselves remained in the conflict-torn country. Vlad is expected to look after his younger sister, but his thoughts constantly flee to his homeland and especially to his father, who has been called up to the army.
Read moreAwards:Golden Dragon / Golden Hobby-Horse
Motherland
dir. Gor Arushanyan
fab2025
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is collapsing. In a deserted mountain village, shots and explosions are audible, along with dark smoke, which can be seen. Almost all the inhabitants have already fled, except for Aram. He is trying to save his disabled mother, who refuses to leave. The Azerbaijani army is close and the time to make a decision is shrinking.
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People & Things (Ludzie i rzeczy)
dir. Damian Kosowski
fab2024
Ukraine, 2028. The war is over and difficult issues need to be sorted out. Olena, with her daughter Kira and new partner Timur, arrives to collect the results of the DNA test confirming the death of her husband who went missing. During the procedure, the woman is overwhelmed by doubts.
Read moreAwards:Special Mention
Qaher
dir. Nada Khalifa
fab2025
‘Where is better? Here or there?’, are asking the people Jason meets when after many years he goes back to Palestine as a Canadian citizen. He tries to get to his native village, but the last mile will turn out to be most difficult part of the journey. It will make the protagonist aware of the power of eponymous quaher.
Read moreReenactment (Rekonstrukcja)
dir. Marcin Strauchold
fab2025
Anka ends up at a historical re-enactment camp because of her boyfriend. She tries to find her own place in the community, however, it turns out that historical prejudice against women is surprisingly valid. The participants with dedication perform roles from the past, but at the same time, there is a contemporary social game going on between them.
Read moreThe Big Chief (Wielki szef)
dir. Tomasz Wolski
dok2025
He worked for the Soviet intelligence, faked his collaboration with the Gestapo and had to explain himself for it for the rest of his life. In Poland, in 1968, he was put under house arrest as a victim of the anti-Semitic campaign. Employing archival footage in a creative way, the film reveals the remarkable biography of Leopold Trepper.
Read moreThe Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Čovjek Koji Nije Mogao Šutjeti)
dir. Nebojsa Slijepcevic
fab2024
February 27, 1993, Strpci, Bosnia and Herzegovina. A passenger train from Belgrade to Bar is stopped by paramilitary forces in an ethnic cleansing operation. As they haul off innocent civilians, only one man out of 500 passengers dares to stand up to them. This is the true story of a man who could not remain silent.
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Trains (Pociągi)
dir. Maciej J. Drygas
dok2024
Can a train serve as a metaphor for human destiny? The documentary by Maciej J. Drygas is a historical railway journey through 20th-century Europe composed exclusively of the footage found in archives around the world.
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Zlata
dir. Mattias Bavré
dok2023
Zlata is 12 years old. After Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine, she flees with her family to Belgium. She finds it difficult to find herself in a new place, which is made worse by her intense longing for her father, who stayed behind to fight. This simple, moving film about growing up is a reminder that adult conflicts also affect younger people. 12+
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