The record number of productions slated for this year’s competition will be directed by young and aspiring filmmakers from eight countries — Poland, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Czechia, the UK, Belarus, and the United States. The proportion of male and female filmmakers among this year’s submissions was almost even, and the ranks of the selectees even included people with different, non-binary gender identities.

All of the productions planned for the competition will seek to minimize their adverse environmental impact, primarily by reducing transportation, using rented equipment, along with recycled sets and props. To offset the carbon footprint of the films, 930 square meters of the biodiverse forest will be planted. All planned environmentally-friendly solutions have been drawn up in collaboration with AdGreen and the Las Na Zawsze Foundation. The organizers will also be providing psychological and mental support, including educational tools and the opportunity to bring any and all concerns to the production team at Papaya Films, in an effort to eliminate discriminatory behavior at every stage of production.

Meet the finalists:

Alexandros Tsilifonis
Alice Johannessen
Bára Halířová
Bartosz Fic
Daniele Rossi & Mario Rebussi
Emilia Korytnicka
Ewa Borowska & Dominika Struzik
Hubert Grupiński & Jakub Woźniak
Jamal Wade
Jarek Dąbrowski
Jiří Horenský
Kateřina Hroníková & Kristína Žilinčárová
Kateryna Pavlyuk & Liane Aviram
Łukasz Kołakowski & Patrycja Krekora
Marcin Kluczykowski
Mariana Martinez
Mateusz Miszczyński & Jakub Słabek
Michal Matulik
Michał Sierakowski
Mieszko Hajkowski & Gabriela Baran
Mikita Kostachka
Milda Baginskaite
Mikołaj Piszczan & Miłosz Sawicki
Monika Grześkowiak
Mori Thomson
Nadia Szymańska & Karolina Fronik
Nils Hansen
Ola Hulbój & Michał Toczek  
Tymon Nogalski
Wiktor Malinowski
Zuzia Sorówka & Paweł Grabarek