Festival

The 11th Young Horizons International Film Festival is on!

01/10/24

fot. Michał Mroczkowski

The 11th edition of the Young Horizons International Film Festival kicked off last weekend. From 28 September to 6 October, the youngest and the adolescent cinema goers can take part in
numerous screenings, meetings with filmmakers, workshops, and other accompanying events. You can meet us in Warsaw, Wrocław, and 18 other towns and cities in Poland.

The programme of the 11th Young Horizons IFF comprises 15 different thematic and genre sections, including 172 live-action, animated, and documentary films. The festival opened with a Polish premiere of Into the Wonderwoods (7–12; dir. Vincent Paronnaud, Alexis Ducord; France, Luxembourg 2024) – a funny and surprising film, made using two animation techniques to create a land full of wonders. Presented at Cannes and Annecy, the film shows what kind of strength is needed to stand up to evil. The adventure-filled story captivates young and adult viewers alike. The festival will close with an award gala and a screening of Sherlock Jr. (6–∞; dir. Buster Keaton; US 1924) with live music.

fot. Michał Mroczkowski

The programme in a nutshell

As part of the Main Competition, you can watch the most interesting films from Poland and other countries. Both the jury and the audience will vote for the best film. The section includes the long-awaited premiere screening of Diplodocus (6–12; dir. Wojtek Wawszczyk; Poland 2024) – this sensational, monumental animation brings a breath of fresh air to Polish family cinema. The jury will also vote for the best films in the Documentary and Discoveries Competitions. In the latter, the jury of young cinema lovers will give their vote as well once again.

fot. Wojtek Chrubasik

Let’s give free rein to the imagination in the Kingdom of Anime and travel together to the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, the deepest depths of the ocean, and the magical lands filled with fantastic creatures. We also set the Focus on South Korea: our audiences will be enchanted with traditional Korean opera, homemade kimbap, and walks through the streets of Seoul. But that’s not the end of our journeys! Between the Fjords – Films from Norway is a section where you can visit the cold North of Europe, with its charming landscapes and gripping stories. The Green Fingers section shows our care for the natural environment and environmental education. Don’t miss the Short Stories – moving and sparkling with colours, these are great films for a child’s first visit to the cinema. All the bookworms will surely enjoy the section presenting literary adaptations: With Your Nose in a Book. Then, for all the animal lovers, we have the Cats and Dogs section, comprising films that feature our four-legged friends as the main protagonists. Our Classics and Festival Favourites show the best productions, recognised by the members of competition juries in recent years, and loved by the audience. The programme includes films such as School of Magical Animals. The Secret of the Schoolyard (6–10; dir. Sven Unterwaldt; Germany 2022), JerryMaya’s Detective Agency – The Secret of the Train Robber (7–10; dir. Tina Mackic; Sweden 2024), and Kitty Kotty at the Kindergarten (3–5; dir. Marta Stróżycka; Poland 2024).

For the young people on the threshold of adulthood, searching for their own film paths, we have prepared the Coming of Age section. For those who have already come of age – the adult companions of our young viewers – we offer a selection of unique productions about international relationships, straight from this year’s programme of the mBank New Horizons International Film Festival. To make Young Horizons IFF more accessible, we have included sensory-friendly screenings in the programme.

fot. Wojtek Chrubasik

The festival is more than films

Film screenings always unleash a boost of creative energy in young viewers. Just like in previous years, we make sure to channel this energy in a smart way. We have prepared a multitude of extra activities. We have invited artists and educators to run creative workshops, where kids and teens design film posters, draw comic books, create animations, and build a festival sculpture. Some films are accompanied by meetings with filmmakers and actors, while other screenings are preceded by introductions prepared by film experts, psychologists, and journalists.

If you’re into technology, you must visit the MediaLab – a digital playground where you can dive into the world of films, games, and virtual reality. The activities include a breath-controlled VR game and an interactive installation that allows participants to create their own animations. This year, the MediaLab is located at Nowy Teatr in Warsaw, from 18 September to 6 October.

The screenings as part of the New Horizons section will be supplemented with a series of discussions, organised in partnership with Newsweek Psychologia Nastolatka. The films Julie Keeps Quiet (14–∞; dir. Leonardo Van Dijl; Belgium, Sweden 2024) and On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (18–∞; dir. Rungano Nyoni; UK, Zambia, Ireland 2024) will be followed by interviews with Joanna Flis – a psychologist, creator of the Madame Monday podcast, and author of books: Współuzależnieni, Co ze mną nie tak?, and Madame Monday – po dorosłemu. The screening of A New Kind of Wilderness (18–∞; dir. Silje Evensmo Jacobsen; Norway 2024) will be followed by a meeting with Aleksander Drzewiecki – a co-founder of Parenteen.pl, Head of the Board of the Empowering Children Foundation, and author of a book Moje kochane, nastoletnie dziecko. The conversations will be moderated by Iwona Zabielska-Stadnik (editor-in-chief of Newsweek Psychologia) and Przemysław Bollin (journalist).

fot. Michał Mroczkowski

Where can you find us?

The offline part of the Young Horizons Festival starts on 28 September and ends on 6 October. The films are screened in 20 towns and cities in Poland, Warsaw being the main location. A large number of films are also presented in Wrocław, at Kino Nowe Horyzonty.

In Warsaw, you can find the festival in 8 venues: