FOUR POLISH FILMS IN THE PANORAMA SECTION OF DOK LEIPZIG
Four Polish films have been selected for the Panorama: Central and Eastern Europe section of this year’s International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (DOK Leipzig), which will take place from October 27 to November 2, 2025. The festival is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious events dedicated to documentary cinema.
Traditionally devoted to the cinema of Central and Eastern Europe, the Panorama section showcases both feature-length and short films that explore the region’s social and cultural transformations – from the socialist past to the present day. The selected works span a variety of tones and styles – from deeply personal to experimental, from contemplative to subtly ironic – yet all remain original and thought-provoking.
This year’s Polish selections include:
– “Dance with Me, Dad” directed by Małgorzata Goździk – an intimate portrait of a complex father-daughter relationship, where layers of family tension reveal deeper themes of depression, emotional wounds, and the longing for reconciliation.
– “The Pool or Death of a Goldfish” directed by Daria Kopiec – a symbolic stop-motion animation about the unfulfilled expectations parents place on their children. Set in a poetic yet macabre tone, the film immerses the viewer in a surreal world of fantasy, memory, and watery metaphors of identity.
– “Signs of Mr. Plum” directed by Urszula Morga and Bartosz Mikołajczyk – a documentary about the renowned Polish graphic designer Karol Śliwka (1932–2018), creator of iconic logos and posters. The filmmakers skillfully weave his artistic legacy into the broader history of postwar Poland, creating a charming and humorous portrait of a true master of design.
– “Trains” directed by Maciej J. Drygas – an archival film of exceptional visual precision, in which images of industrial progress and the symbolism of war merge into a powerful meditation on history, memory, and the human condition.
The full list of films featured in the Panorama: Central and Eastern Europe section is available on the official DOK Leipzig website.