Two Polish titles awarded at IDFA in Amsterdam have secured spots in the special Best of IDFA on Tour program. This means that both documentaries are going to be screened across over 50 Dutch cinemas.

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is the largest and one of the world's most prestigious documentary festivals. Each year, it draws over 280,000 viewers, including more than 3000 industry professionals, whilst films showcased at IDFA often go on to become festival favourites. Last year's edition took place on 8-19 November.

During Best of IDFA on Tour, Dutch cinemas are going to screen only four films awarded at the festival and – remarkably – this year's prestigious selection features two Polish productions!

The winning film Trains by Maciej J. Drygas is a deeply personal, contemplative journey through the 20th century, crafted entirely from archival footage. In this wordless film, filled with both beauty and bitterness, a delight over travel transforms into a curse, as tears of joy mingle with those of despair.

Meanwhile, The Guest directed by Zuzanna Solakiewicz and Zvika Gregory Portnoy, which won the award for best cinematography, tells the story of Maciek and his mother Renata. They live in a Polish village near the Belarusian border. It's winter 2021, and the border crisis is intensifying. A several-kilometre-wide strip along the border has become a military zone – a restricted area patrolled by border guards and military personnel searching for 'illegals' and pushing them back into Belarus. One day, Maciek's mother lets an exhausted Syrian refugee into their home.

You can read more about the event here.

JANUARY 2025