Ecological catastrophe, discrimination, exploitation, dangerous artists, spies – and war in the background. Filmmakers capture a reality that offers little comfort, yet as documentaries that make us of archival footage remind us, the past, too, has been fraught with unrest and terror. Confronting difficult subjects enables a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that govern our world – and prompts profound reflection on life itself, which may offer a glimmer of solace. The thirteen powerful films from around the globe selected for the International Documentary Competition at the 65th Krakow Film Festival are sure to provoke thought.
“It is no coincidence that our programme features a host of spies, whistleblowers, private investigations, and fluid identities. In an increasingly opaque world, amid disinformation and chaos, documentary cinema peels back the fabric of reality, revealing what lies deeply hidden beneath. It gives voice to its subjects, illuminating them from different angles – yet leaves us, the viewers, to pass final judgement. Critical thinking must stem from careful observation. But that’s not all. The competition also features films about seeking refuge from the noise of this (or former) world – in places where one can breathe freely, live on one’s own terms, or escape into art,” comments Anita Piotrowska, film critic and curator of the documentary section at the Krakow Film Festival.
Environmental Disaster
Al, a resident of the Yurok reservation in California, decides to embark on a long journey. Environmental disaster has made it increasingly difficult for him to fish, and the demons of a war he fought in 44 years ago still haunt him. Will reuniting with former comrades help him restore his inner balance? New Beginnings directed by Vivianne Perelmuter and Isabelle Ingold is a contemplative, oneiric road film that also serves as a moving meditation on American violence and trauma.
The world premiere of Silver, the feature debut of Natalia Koniarz, will take place at the 65th Krakow Film Festival. The director takes us into the infernal depths of a Bolivian mine. It is a harrowing portrait of poverty and exploitation which affects all residents of Potosí. From an early age, children are taught about the sacred mountain, and after school they are gradually introduced to the inevitability of entering it. The grueling, unprotected work in pursuit of coveted silver often leads to permanent injury or death. Yet this lethal mountain still draws affluent tourists who document their visits on social media – posts and reels made possible by the very resources extracted there.
In the Norwegian wilderness, Joakim pursues his childhood dream – raising foxes as domestic pets. He welcomes them into his home, devoting his life to their care. While his tenderness is touching, it also raises ethical concerns, especially in a country that has banned fur farming out of concern for animal welfare and environmental protection. Pet Farm, directed by Martin and Finn Walther, takes a tender look at Joakim’s daily life as well as his struggle against officials determined to shut his farm down.
The documentary Tooth and Nail is a documentary that follows Tiberiu’s uncompromising battle against systemic corruption in Romanian forestry authority, which enables the illegal logging of the last primeval forests in the European Union. Journalists-turned-filmmakers Mihai Deagolea and Radu Mocanu accompany the activist with a camera, documenting his brutal confrontations and his use of social media to raise awareness on both national and EU-level. The film, which is going to have its world premiere at the 65th Krakow Film Festival, draws its power from the trio’s genuine and direct commitment to exposing mafia impunity.
Rob Moore spent years fighting the international asbestos mafia, exposing himself to great danger, despite having previously worked for the very industry that endangers people and the planet. Claiming to have been a double agent, he gathered evidence against his employers, seeking to expose toxic corporate practices. Norwegian director Håvard Bustnes tracks this extraordinary story in The Gardener, the Buddhist and the Spy, following Moore through daily life and as he develops a podcast aimed at revealing the truth. This personal narrative is interwoven with a pressing ecological thread: the dire consequences of ignoring the dangers of asbestos.
Dangerous Heroes
Rob Moore is not the only potentially dangerous man featured in the International Documentary Competition. The subject of Tomasz Wolski’s latest documentary may have posed an even greater threat to the Polish communist regime. Leopold Trepper, legendary spy and mastermind behind the “Red Orchestra” intelligence network, fascinates with his defiance of the system. Though he served the Soviet Union during World War II, after the war he became a second-class citizen, deprived of the right to emigrate. In The Big Chief, the director uses archival footage to tell the story of a man who fought to live with his family in Israel despite slander and coercion.
Who poses a greater threat: an abusive father or his violent boss? In Lina’s Moldovan home, her father’s presence was never comforting – to the contrary, his travels to work abroad, was a reprieve. Years later, Lina, now a famous journalist, receives a desperate message from him: he has fallen victim to abuse and exploitation in Italy. Tata, directed by Lina Vdovîi and Radu Ciorniciuc, weaves a personal story of abuse with investigative journalism, crafting a harrowing portrait of difficult family relations. Lina has to both confront her past and come to terms with a new role: that of a future mother.
Otso Tiainen initially set out to make a film about an intriguing esoteric community in the French Pyrenees. Living far from civilization, in a place teeming with spiritual energy and legends of the Cathars, the residents of Shadowland form a collective of eclectic but friendly individuals. But as filming progressed, serious allegations emerged against one of the commune’s members. The film has taken a drastic shift into an investigative piece, evolving into a courtroom drama that walks the line between utopian fantasy and harsh reality.
Why did esteemed Dutch filmmaker Jan Teunissen become the ‘tsar of Nazi propaganda’ during World War II? Composed entirely of archival footage – much of it previously unseen – Luuk Bouwman’s The Propagandist explores a man whose “love for cinema” led him into a collaboration with the occupiers that went far beyond simple censorship or propaganda filmmaking. Interviews conducted two decades after the war reveal a psychological portrait of someone capable of justifying even his most shameful actions. It is a strikingly relevant in our era of political extremism and rampant disinformation.
The Spectre of War
Kuyalnik is a famed health resort near Odesa. The titular Sanatorium has seen better days. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, visitor numbers have dwindled, yet the site still offers mud baths, physiotherapy, or simply a peaceful respite. It’s also a place to meet a young wife undergoing fertility treatment, a war widow, or a soldier preparing to return to the frontline. Despite the resort’s vacation atmosphere and friendly aura, the war remains ever-present – a reality captured with nuance by Irish director Gar O’Rourke.
Some wars never truly end for those who lived through them. The protagonists of Weronika Mliczewska’s documentary know this all too well. The almost two-decade-long conflict in Vietnam brought not only destruction but also hundreds of thousands of children. Most American soldiers refused to take responsibility for their offspring. For abandoned Vietnamese children, for whom the father figure carries great cultural and spiritual importance, this meant a life of social exclusion. Sang, the protagonist of Child of Dust, was among the ostracised children. Fifty years later, he is given the chance to meet his father. But to make his lifelong dream come true, he must leave Vietnam forever. What seemed the hardest part turns out to be just the beginning of a painful reckoning.
A Touch of Solace
For Bolesław Gasiński, life and art were inextricably linked. So too was the house he built in Laski by himself – picturesque, increasingly overgrown, and open to both people and animals. The artist left behind not only paintings in various styles but also a trove of audio and video recordings. These materials, alongside recollections from loved ones, form the basis of Do Painters Die Elsewhere, Michał Pietrak documentary debut set to premiere at the 65th Kraków Film Festival. It’s a visually rich, impressionistic portrait of an outsider artist whose most difficult life experience was grappling with the terminal illness of his beloved wife.
Every day, cargo boats glide along the Amazon’s tributaries in Peru, and onboard kitchen staff like Cristina and La Bonita play an essential role. They are both transgender, have worked these rivers for years, and their life goes by visiting local markets, preparing meals, and struggling for acceptance every day. In Lovers in the Sky by Fermin de la Serna we observe how they navigate religious prejudice, social pressure, and personal dreams – of motherhood, spiritual fulfilment, love. The film offers a tender, vibrant depiction of resilience, maturity, and identities that flow defiantly against the current.
Films featured in the International Documentary Competition:
- Do Painters Die Elsewhere, dir. Michał Pietrak, Poland, 70’, 2025
- Child of Dust, dir. Weronika Mliczewska, Poland, Vietnam, Sweden, Czech Republic, Qatar, 93’, 2025
- Pet Farm, dir. Finn Walther, Martin Walther, Norway, 83’, 2024
- Tooth and Nail, dir. Mihai Dragolea, Radu Mocanu, Romania, 84’, 2025
- Shadowland, dir. Otso Tiainen, Finland, 98’, 2024
- Lovers in the Sky, dir. Fermin de la Serna, Argentina, Germany, USA, 77’, 2024
- New Beginnings, dir. Vivianne Perelmuter, Isabelle Ingold, Belgium, 87’, 2025
- The Gardener, the Buddhist and the Spy, dir. Håvard Bustnes, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, 95’, 2025
- The Propagandist, dir. Luuk Bouwman, Netherlands, 108’, 2024
- Sanatorium, dir. Gar O’Rourke, Ireland, Ukraine, 90’, 2025
- Silver, dir. Natalia Koniarz, Poland, Finland, Norway 79’, 2025
- Tata, dir. Lina Vdovîi, Radu Ciorniciuc, Romania, 83’, 2024
- The Big Chief, dir. Tomasz Wolski, Poland, France, Netherlands 88’, 2025
Insider passes for the 65th Kraków 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 from 25 May to 1 June 2025, and online on KFF VOD from 30 May to 15 June.