The 12th TAURON Young Horizons International Film Festival is coming to cinemas very soon – and to the web as well!

More than 170 films, 16 thematic sections, and 20 towns and cities across Poland. Once again, the festival doors open to the youngest and adolescent viewers alike, helping them explore their identity through cinema. The programme includes the latest discoveries, new releases – both Polish and international – as well as reunions with kids’ and teens’ favourite protagonists. The 12th TAURON Young Horizons International Film Festival will be here soon!

The 12th edition of the TAURON Young Horizons International Film Festival will take place from 26 September to 5 October in cinemas across Poland. The programme features a number of family attractions: workshops, meetings with creators, and post-screening discussions. The full programme will be available in Warsaw and Wrocław, while selected titles will be screened in 18 other towns and cities in Poland. From 9 to 26 October, more than half of the lineup will be available online as well, at festiwal.mlodehoryzonty.pl.

With this year’s festival, for the first time in partnership with TAURON Group, we wish to reach a wider audience. The films are divided into 16 sections, including productions for kids aged 3+, schoolchildren, teenagers, and young adults. There are also special screenings for adults: parents, carers, and teachers.

Main Competition

This section is where you can explore the most interesting recent productions, most of which have not been screened in Polish cinemas yet. To start with, there is Pixie. The New Beginning (7–14; dir. Krzysztof Komander; Poland 2025), which premiered at Locarno IFF. The film, starring Arkadiusz Jakubik, will move you to tears with its story about connection, loss, and childhood dreams. The Songbirds’ Secret (6–9; dir. Antoine Lanciaux; France, Belgium 2025), the latest animation from the famous Folimage studio, will take you on a journey in search of an old family secret, hidden in an idyllic landscape. The Mountain (9–12; dir. Rachel House; New Zealand 2024) will charm you with its light-heartedness and the characteristic sense of humour – one of the film’s producers is Taika Waititi. You’re also bound to feel the power of music, with animals as protagonists: such as the cheeky cat, who is the main character in Miss Moxy (5–10; dir. Vincent Bal, Wip Vernooij; The Netherlands, Belgium 2025) – an animation filled with songs and fun – or the last singing humpback whale from the breathtaking production The Last Whale Singer (6–12, dir. Reza Memari; Czechia, Canada 2025). The Boy at the Edge of the World (6–10; dir. Grzegorz Wacławek, Marta Szymańska; Poland, Turkey, Spain 2025) will capture you in the middle of an adventurous mission of two brothers, accompanied by an energetic score featuring Bovska.

Other films included in this section:

• Oskar, Patsy, and Baltic Gold (6–10; dir. Magdalena Nieć, Mariusz Palej; Poland 2025)
• Stitch Head (6–10; dir. Steve Hudson; UK, Germany, Luxembourg, France 2025)
• Robin and the Hoods (7–12; dir. Phil Hawkins; UK, Ireland 2024)
• I Accidentally Wrote a Book (8–12; dir. Nóra Lakos; Hungary, The Netherlands 2025)

Discoveries Competition

This is where imagination and original forms take centre stage. This section presents stories about self-discovery, the power of intimacy, and the need for freedom – these films bravely defy genre conventions and renounce cliché narratives. The competition features 7 arthouse films for young audiences, including 6 premieres.

The stop-motion animation that shone at Berlinale earlier this year, Tales from the Magic Garden (7–∞; dir. David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar, Jean-Claude Rozec; Czechia 2025), is a sparkling patchwork of moving stories told by children. Let us stay in Berlin for a moment, and visit another world where a child’s imagination defines the rhythm of the story: Maya, Give Me a Title (7–∞; Hungary, France 2024), directed by Michel Gondry (known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), is the winner of this year’s Crystal Bear in the Generation Kplus section. The film is an outstanding spectacle of creativity, in which a father and a daughter create a collage made of stories. Then, it is time for melancholic space travel alongside Space Cadet (7–∞; dir. Kid Koala; Canada 2025) – there may be no dialogue, but Kid Koala’s music will touch the deepest corners of your heart. Little Amélie (7–∞; dir. Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han; France 2025), which won the audience award at Annecy, is a visually and emotionally stunning animation that will show you the world through the eyes of a three-year-old girl. Arco (9–∞; dir. Ugo Bienvenu; France 2025), winner of the Annecy Crystal for a Feature Film, is a fascinating time travel story that will take you into a distant future. The moving directorial debut, Summer’s Camera (12–∞; dir. Divine Sung; South Korea 2024), will guide you around a subtle realm of photography, first love, and coming to terms with loss. DJ Ahmet (14–∞; dir. Georgi M. Unkovski; North Macedonia, Czechia, Serbia, Croatia 2025), winner of the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, combines wit with the themes of teenage rebellion and local identity, creating a harmonious whole.

Documentary Competition

This is a space for closeness, emotion, and young perspectives, which can disarm even the most serious subjects. This section presents 6 touching documentary films that offer tender depictions of their protagonists, who are looking for their place in the world. One of them is King Matt the First (10–∞; dir. Jaśmina Wójcik; Poland 2025), which premiered at this year’s Millennium Docs Against Gravity and the New Horizons IFF. The director and her daughters invite the audience to accompany them on an idyllic and free-spirited expedition into childhood. As the protagonists walk barefoot on the grass, they talk eagerly about how the world would look if kids ruled it. Circusboy (9–12; dir. Julia Lemke, Anna Koch; Germany 2025), awarded a Special Mention at Berlinale, will give you a sneak peek into the nomadic life of a travelling circus. Sweeties (12–∞; dir. Anneke de Lind van Wijngaarden, Natalie Bruijns; The Netherlands, Belgium 2024), a film awarded at Cinekid, tells a story about teenage love, anxiety, and longing – in a way that is irresistibly straightforward. 

Other films included in this section:

• Hannah and the Crocodile (9–12; dir. Lore Mechelaere; Belgium 2024)
• Just Jools (9–12; dir. Ezra Verbist; Belgium 2025)
• Us, Boys (9–12; dir. Charlotte Coeman, Arne Brown; Belgium 2024)

More than competitions

The 12th TAURON Young Horizons IFF offers much more than the competition sections. You can explore a variety of films that have won audience recognition throughout the years. Once again, the programme will include the Kingdom of Anime and Our Classics sections. For those seeking independence and their individual paths, we have prepared the Coming of Age section, in cooperation with the Młode Głowy / Young Minds project. Along with Timeless Warsaw Film Festival, we are going to give you a throwback to Timeless Stories. There is also the New Horizons section, addressing all adult companions of young viewers. Art lovers will be welcome to visit the National Museum in Warsaw. There, you can watch films about art, creativity, and famous artists – and expect numerous accompanying activities. Another treat is the Julia Donaldson’s Stories section – the return of the characters from the iconic animations based on the books by the invincible duo: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

Around the Cinema – workshops, meetings, MediaLab

The festival magic extends beyond the screenings, encompassing all that goes on around the world of cinema. That is why our programme is studded with meetings with filmmakers and actors, introductions to films, workshops, and other creative activities. Among other options, you can take part in puppetry, photography, or film make-up workshops. One of the regular elements of the festival, which also returns this year, is the MediaLab interactive technology centre. This year, it will be located at Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw. This is a space where education meets innovation – where young people and their adult companions can explore the world of digital tools and VR. The MediaLab will be open to the public from 17 September to 5 October.