KFF Industry – the professional event accompanying the Krakow Film Festival – will once again bring together producers, directors, TV broadcasters, sales agents, festival programmers, representatives of film funds and streaming platforms from around the world in Krakow. For years, the Krakow Film Festival’s industry programme has remained one of the most important meeting places for the documentary, animated and short film communities in Poland.

Every year at the end of May, Krakow becomes a hub for the extensive exchange of experiences, the presentation of new projects and discussions about the future of the audiovisual market. KFF Industry brings together creators at various stages of their careers – from students and newcomers to established producers and directors who feature at the world’s leading festivals. The event programme includes pitch sessions, one-to-one consultations, networking meetings, masterclasses, case studies, and events dedicated to the latest trends and challenges facing the contemporary film industry.

“Our theme this year is MEET/SHARE/CREATE. Over the last 20 years, we have created a unique space for meetings and the creative exchange of experiences. We don’t want to be an event where people simply look for funding for their projects – although that is, of course, extremely important – but a place where valuable, long-lasting creative professional friendships are forged, resulting in extraordinary films,” notes Katarzyna Wilk, director of KFF Industry.

Events for animators and documentary filmmakers are organised in collaboration with our long-standing partners: the Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation, the Association of Polish Animation Producers, the Polish Filmmakers Association, KIPA – the Audiovisual Producers Alliance, and the Polish Film Institute.

Animations and short films

One of the highlights of the programme remains Animated in Poland – a pitching session for the latest Polish animated projects, organised with a view to promoting Polish animation on the international market. During the presentations, producers and creators will showcase their projects to representatives of film festivals, television broadcasters and sales agents. For years, Animated in Poland has been a platform for discovering new talent and one of the most important industry events dedicated to Polish original animation. This year, nine projects will be presented at the pitching session, preceded by a preparatory workshop with Maarten van Gageldonk, programme director of the Dutch Kaboom festival. The best projects will receive awards funded by the partners – Sound Mind Studio, XANF, No Problemo Music and Crew United.

“This year’s Animated in Poland projects demonstrate just how diverse, formally daring and mature Polish animation is today. Every year, we see an ever-higher artistic and production standard in the films submitted, and filmmakers are increasingly mindful of international audiences and the festival circuit for their projects. We are delighted that Animated in Poland remains a place where Polish animation can meet the most important representatives of the global film industry,” says Marta Świętek, coordinator of Animated in Poland.

The Animated in Poland Talent Market, organised in collaboration with the Association of Polish Animation Producers, will also form an integral part of the programme. The project is aimed at art school students, young directors, animators and graphic designers seeking opportunities for professional development and connections within the industry. The Talent Market will provide a space for direct meetings with producers, representatives of animation studios and experts from the audiovisual market.

The Animated in Poland Talent Market programme will be complemented by a workshop entitled “What goes on behind closed doors at an animation studio (no fluff)”, led by Dominika Gronek from Animwood.

Two panel discussions have been organised with short film enthusiasts in mind. “Beyond Festivals: The Evolving Economics and Distribution of Short Films” is a panel organised in collaboration with Talking Shorts, featuring representatives from the international short film industry: José Gil (Feel Sales), Robert Sowa (Krakow Academy of Fine Arts, Krakow Animation Centre), Joanna Żak (Ale Kino Festival), Ambre Anagnostides (Miyu Distribution) and Savina Petkova (Talking Shorts). Meanwhile, during the panel “Short films without complexes. Supporting Emerging Talents”, Polish Film Institute’s Director Kamila Dorbach, Michał Toczek – a director of films screened worldwide, most recently at the Cannes Film Festival – and Marta Świętek from the KFF Sales agency, which promotes short films abroad, will discuss whether it is worth investing in the production, promotion and distribution of short films.

For documentary fimmakers

The documentary film sector will also be strongly represented at KFF Industry. As part of the DOC LAB POLAND programme, organised by the Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation, workshops will be held with world-class tutors: Christian Popp – a French producer, Rada Šešić – programmer at Sarajevo FF, Marina Burić from IDFA Industry, Ove Rishøj Jensen from FIPADOC Industry and Paradiddle Pictures, and Nadja Tennstedt – head of DOK Leipzig Industry, culminating in presentations during the Docs to Start and Docs to Go pitching sessions.

Docs to Start is aimed at filmmakers developing documentary projects at an early stage. Programme participants will present ideas still in the development phase, consult with experts, and seek production and financial partners. For years, the pitching session has served as an important starting point for new Polish documentary projects. This year, 13 projects will be presented.

Docs to Go, on the other hand, is dedicated to projects at a more advanced stage of production – in editing or post-production. It is a platform for films preparing for international distribution and the festival circuit. Projects presented during the pitch sessions have the opportunity to meet representatives of the world’s leading festivals and sales agents. Eight projects have been selected for the Docs to Go presentations.

This year, as in previous years, projects from Ukraine have also joined the Polish projects as part of DOC LAB POLAND & UKRAINE.

“When we started DOC LAB POLAND twelve years ago, I never imagined how much it would grow or how important it would become for Polish documentary filmmakers, especially those just starting out. We have enabled many of them to take their first steps in the international industry. I believe that, thanks to this, we have contributed to their success. Of the 250 projects presented at the pitchings so far, over 150 films have already been made and won awards all over the world, and many more are nearing completion. I am very fortunate to spend time every year with fantastic people – both the talented participants and the DOC LAB POLAND tutors, who are the heads and representatives of the most important documentary institutions: festivals, markets and sales agencies,” says Adam Ślesicki, director of DOC LAB POLAND.

Following the pitching sessions, representatives will meet with experts from around the world, nearly a hundred of whom will be visiting Kraków this year. The best projects will receive awards funded by the Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation, FINA, Studio Orka, the Feature Film Studio in Wrocław, Ole Sound Studio, MX35, Fixafilm, No Problemo Music, IDFA, FIPADOC, the Institute of Documentary Film, Polish Docs Pro, DAE – Documentary Association of Europe, DOK Leipzig and Ji.hlava IDFF.

Another key feature of KFF Industry is the CEDOC Market – an international co-production market where producers from various countries will present documentary projects seeking financial partners and co-producers.

“CEDOC Market has become a unique venue that brings together filmmakers from all over the world. We receive submissions from Australia, South Korea and India, across Europe, and as far afield as Argentina, Canada and the USA. Building on its location in Central Europe, CEDOC emphasises cooperation between East and West and North and South, although particular emphasis is placed on projects and talents from our region and those wishing to collaborate with Central European countries. For many creators, CEDOC is the first platform enabling them to enter the international market. The friendly atmosphere and the professionalism of the experts who come to Kraków in large numbers are our hallmark,” adds Magda Makarczuk, CEDOC coordinator.

A new feature of this year’s edition will be the Doc Talent Market, organised in collaboration with KIPA – the National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers – and Polish Docs PRO . The initiative was created with young documentary producers in mind who are starting out on the international market and looking to make their first industry contacts. As part of the event, experienced producers will present their studios’ work, share their expertise and hold one-on-one meetings with participants to discuss potential avenues for development and future collaboration.

“I am immensely pleased by the interest shown in our events by emerging filmmakers and representatives of the film industry. We have received a huge number of entries for both Talent Markets – the animation market and the documentary market, which is being held for the first time this year. I am proud that we are open to young people and can help them take their first steps in their professional careers,” comments Katarzyna Wilk.

The KFF Industry Meetings also remain an integral part of the programme – a series of one-to-one networking sessions organised for event participants. During these consultations, filmmakers and producers will have the opportunity to speak with festival programmers, sales agents and audiovisual market experts. For years, these meetings have been among the most highly regarded elements of the Krakow Film Festival’s industry programme. They provide an opportunity for direct contact with industry decision-makers and often mark the beginning of long-standing professional relationships.

A new feature of this year’s programme will be market screenings organised as part of the ‘Recommended by the Polish Film Institute’ initiative. The project was created to promote Polish documentary films and increase their presence on the international festival and distribution market. As part of the programme, selected Polish feature-length documentaries at the rough cut stage or in their final form, which have not yet had an international premiere, will be presented during closed industry screenings.

The screenings will be attended by festival programmers, distributors, sales agents and the international specialist press, amongst others. The market screenings are designed to give filmmakers the opportunity to present their projects in advance to professionals responsible for the international distribution and promotion of films.

Another new addition to the programme will be Industry Hyde Park, a series of short presentations on new initiatives, programmes and tools designed to support the film industry. Representatives from institutions, organisations and partners in the audiovisual sector will present current opportunities for collaboration, funding and the development of film projects. It is a space for exchanging information, finding inspiration and networking. The Krakow Film Music Festival, the Wajda Film Centre FINA – National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute, TVP, the Documentary and Feature Film Studio, and No Problemo Music will all be presenting at Industry Hyde Park.

As every year, the KFF Industry programme will be enriched by events organised in collaboration with the Polish Filmmakers’ Association – two panels on documentary film and, as is traditional, the SFP Forum. “Before the Producer Comes, or about the loneliness of the director” is a panel organised by the Documentary Film Directors’ Section, featuring international guests – British director Kim Longinotto, Debra Zimmerman from New York’s Women Make Movies, and directors Katarzyna Trzaska, Natalia Koniarz and Agnieszka Zwiefka. The discussion will focus on how to manage a documentary project in its early stages of development, how to secure initial funding, and how to shape one’s own vision for the film even before a full production structure is in place. The panel organised by the Documentary Film Section, “Not just a festival and not just cinema”, will focus on strategies through which a documentary builds an audience even before it hits the screen.

Another regular feature of the programme is the Legal Panel, organised in collaboration with the law firm Lassota i Krawiec. This year’s topic will be “Documentary film in co-production – the relationship between the budget and co-production and distribution agreements”.

Masterclasses and case studies

As is customary, the KFF Industry programme will feature numerous case studies, workshops and masterclasses led by renowned filmmakers. As is customary, the masterclass will be led by this year’s winner of the Dragon of Dragons Award, Kim Longinotto – one of the most important figures in contemporary documentary cinema, who has won numerous awards for her films focusing on women’s rights and social inequalities. The director will discuss her approach to documentary filmmaking, which for almost five decades has been built on empathy, trust and careful observation. During the session, she will explain how to work with subjects from different cultures and backgrounds, who often experience exclusion or systemic oppression.

The second guest in the masterclasses section will be Jay Rosenblatt – an American director, editor and maker of experimental documentaries, who has been nominated for two Oscars. During the session, he will talk about working with film archives, the personal nature of his work, and the possibilities of using found footage in contemporary cinema.

The programme will also feature a case study by Marc Isaacs – a British documentary filmmaker who will talk about his film ‘Synthetic Sincerity’, screened in the KFF Documentary Film Competition. The film blends documentary and fictional elements – and it is not always easy to tell where one ends and the other begins. How did the idea for the film come about and develop? What was it like working with the subjects? This case study will show how the documentary’s creators developed a humorous yet moving narrative structure that breaks free from stereotypes and conventions.

Case studies focusing on animated and documentary films from the programme of the 66th Krakow Film Festival will also remain an important part of the programme. Filmmakers and producers will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the films and discuss the production process and the collaboration between director and producer.

The programme will also feature VR case studies focusing on new forms of documentary storytelling and the use of immersive technologies. The sessions will cover topics such as the development of interactive projects, VR experiences and new approaches to documentary storytelling. The VR section has been organised in collaboration with Virtual Horizons.

For years, KFF Industry has been a place where Polish projects meet the international film industry. It is a space for new ideas, co-production partnerships and professional networking, which often lead to films being featured at the world’s leading festivals and platforms.

detailed program

KFF Industry 2026 will take place from 1 to 6 June during the 66th Krakow Film Festival. KFF Industry is organised and produced by the Krakow Film Foundation.

Co-financed by Polish Film Institute, City of Kraków, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Polish Filmmakers Association.

Main Partners: Władysław Ślesicki Film Foundation, Polish Animation Producers Association

Partners: KIPA – Polish Producers Alliance. TVP, KBF , Krakow Film Commission, FMF , Akademia Sztuk Pięknych w Krakowie, British Council, Scottish Documentary Institute, DAE – Documentary Association of Europe, Institute of Documentary Film, DOK Leipzig, Agora Thessaloniki IDF, Festival dei Popoli, Talking Shorts, Sound Mind Studio, XANF, No Problemo Music, Crew United, Virtual Horizons, Lassota i Krawiec

Local partners: Lastriko, Galeria Sztuk UFO. Trzech Kumpli, Falko, Grange Coffee, The Morning Hug Bakery, Tartalette, Cyrano Wine Bar

Media patronage: Business Doc Europe, Modern Times Review, Film & TV Kamera, Magazyn Filmowy SFP, Polish Docs, Polish Shorts, Polish Animations.

MAY 2026