FOUR POLISH PROJECTS SELECTED FOR BALTIC SEA DOCS
Four Polish projects have been selected for the 30th edition of Baltic Sea Docs, one of the most important industry forums for documentary filmmakers and producers from the Baltic Sea region, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and beyond. The anniversary edition of the event will take place from 6 to 11 September 2026, and among the 26 selected projects, as many as four are being developed with the participation of Polish filmmakers and producers.
This year, Baltic Sea Docs celebrates its 30th edition, marking three decades of supporting documentary cinema and international industry collaboration. Every year, the forum brings together professionals from more than 20 countries – producers, directors, experts, market representatives and film institutions – creating a space for presenting new projects, discussing their potential and building international partnerships. As in previous years, this year’s selection features a strong presence from the Baltic states, Ukraine, Finland and Poland, among others.
Among the projects selected for presentation is “Encounters/Departures”, a Lithuanian-Polish co-production directed by Vita Maria Drygas. The project is produced by Teresa Rožanovska of Ketvirta Versija, with Vita Żelakeviciute of Drygas Film Production as co-producer. The film follows a filmmaker disillusioned with documenting war tourism, who turns to the unfinished legacy of her grandfather, Vytautas Žalakevičius, seeking meaning through a cinematic dialogue across time.
The selection also includes the Polish project “House in a Bottle”, directed by Anna Morawiec. The film is produced by Agata Jujeczka, with Vision House Productions as the production company. The project shows that the emotional legacy of growing up in an alcoholic family can be acknowledged, shared and, eventually, transformed.
Another Polish project selected for Baltic Sea Docs is “Master of Ceremonies”, directed by Katarzyna Piórek. The film is produced by Stanisław Zaborowski and represented by Silver Frame. Its protagonist is a 54-year-old eccentric Catholic teacher who secretly conducts secular funerals behind the Catholic Church’s back – until he faces his most difficult assignment: writing his own farewell speech.
The programme also includes “Trains Towards The Night: On the Use of Images”, directed by Patricia Venti. The film is produced by Karolina Rum, with Alpha Productions as the production company. Using fragments of Nazi propaganda filmed in the Theresienstadt ghetto, the project exposes how images are constructed to be believed – and how those strategies continue to shape the way we look at reality today.
The presence of four Polish projects in the selection of the anniversary edition of Baltic Sea Docs confirms the strong position of Polish documentary cinema in the international industry landscape. It is also an important opportunity for filmmakers and producers to develop their projects, establish new contacts and present their potential to experts and partners from different parts of the world.
More information can be found here.