Radom once again becomes a space where cinema doesn’t just tell stories—it sparks thought, challenges the status quo, and restores meaning to the word “freedom”.
The FILMFORUM Association returns to Radom with the fourth edition of the FREEDOM Film Festival – not just to screen films, but to ignite conversations, defy limits, and remind us that freedom – personal, artistic, social – is not an empty slogan, but a daily challenge on many fronts.
THE FREEDOM OF SHORT FILMS: TWO COMPETITIONS, ONE MESSAGE
The festival opens with two competitions – Polish and International, featuring a total of 41 films that prove short film can bring long lasting impact. From Wednesday, July 9, to Friday, July 11, the Mazovian Centre for Contemporary Art “Elektrownia” will resonate with diverse voices of filmmakers exploring the theme of freedom – on screen and in post-screening discussions.
In the Polish Competition, jurors Olaf Lubaszenko, Anna Mucha, Sebastian Stankiewicz, and Andrzej Wolf will evaluate 25 films – narrative, documentary, and animated – touching on grief, solitude, coming-of-age, exclusion, identity, heritage, family, mourning, and war. These works are formally bold, emotionally stirring, socially uncomfortable, and deeply personal. Free from clichés, conformity, and easy answers.
– We wanted a selection that’s fresh, relevant, and representative of contemporary Polish short cinema – says Marta Karnkowska, curator of the Polish Competition. – The final program combines fiction, documentaries, and animation – telling both: personal and societal stories, intimate and universal. This year’s selection shows that Polish short films have a strong voice: aware, diverse, and free. And it’s precisely this creative, intellectual, and emotional freedom that we celebrate at the FREEDOM Film Festival.
The International Competition, curated by Anna Andriushchenko and Łukasz Adamski, presents a kaleidoscope of global perspectives. Sixteen films, all sharing a common thread: the longing for freedom – including the kind we may not even realize we’ve lost.
– Radom audiences will see films about the wars in Ukraine and Syria, as well as stories addressing complex relationships between the Arab world and Israel – notes Adamski. – We’ll also explore more universal forms of captivity – the kind we overlook in everyday life: the trap of debt, the prison of social media algorithms, image obsession, and the burden of parental expectations.
The International Competition jury includes Jan P. Matuszyński, Magdalena Kamińska, and Mara Tamkovich.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS, SPECIAL STORIES, SPECIAL GUESTS
A signature element of FREEDOM Film Festival is its Saturday lineup of special screenings. This year’s last day on July 12 brings three powerful films and three thought-provoking discussions to the “Elektrownia” art-house cinema.
The day begins with “Under the Grey Sky”, the feature debut of Mara Tamkovich and an expansion of her short Live, which won honors at the 2nd FREEDOM Film Festival. The film tells the story of a Belarusian journalist battling authoritarian repression and was inspired by the fate of Katsyaryna Andreeva, arrested in 2020 for covering protests. The screening will be preceded by a conversation with the director, moderated by Łukasz Adamski.
Next, an intimate journey into the soul of a remarkable artist. “A Sketch Found After Years”, directed by Sławomir Rogowski and Stanisław Zawiśliński, is a rich cinematic portrait of Wojciech Jerzy Has, drawn through the memories of his family, collaborators, students, and fellow artists inspired by his legacy. A deeply personal documentary about the price of creative independence. A discussion with Sławomir Rogowski, moderated by Dr. Anna Wróblewska, will follow the screening.
The day concludes with a Polish cinema classic: Andrzej Wajda’s “Everything for Sale”, a deeply personal meditation on the disappearance of a celebrated actor and the lives of those left behind – family, friends, and colleagues. Blurring the line between fiction and reality, the film reflects on memory and the mythology of cinema. One of its stars, Małgorzata Potocka, will attend the screening and join a conversation led by Marta Karnkowska.
AWARDS GALA AND INTIMATE CONCERT
On July 12, we’ll also learn the winners of both competitions. At the Jan Kochanowski Powszechny Theatre in Radom, the Polish Competition Jury will award the Golden Archer, while the International Competition Jury will present the Platinum Archer.
But the evening won’t end there. Taking the stage will be Paweł Domagała—actor, singer-songwriter, and sharp-witted humorist – whose work, much like the films at FREEDOM, is rooted in independence. Returning to his hometown, Domagała will perform both his greatest hits and new material from “Hotel Songs” – offering a soulful closing to the festival that favors introspection over fanfare.
FUSE EXCHANGE: YOUNG EUROPEAN CINEMA IN SEARCH OF A LANGUAGE OF FREEDOM
For the first time, the festival will feature the European film exchange program FUSE. Young filmmakers from Poland, France, Norway, and Ukraine will take part in training sessions and collaborative workshops—thinking together about the future of cinema. Through panels, pitch sessions, and hands-on labs, they’ll explore the art of storytelling, share experiences, and search for a common language of creative freedom.
MUSIC MEETS CINEMA AT THE FESTIVAL CLUB
After the screenings and workshops, the conversation and celebration continue at the festival club: PaTaThai Radom. From Wednesday through Saturday, festivalgoers can enjoy live music and DJ sets each night.
SOUND OF MUSIC on Wednesday and Thursday will awaken sonic sensitivity and create space for open conversation. CATCH THE VIBE on Friday will raise the energy for a communal celebration. And Saturday’s WIND OF FREEDOM will close the festival on a more relaxed note than the formal gala – blending freedom with festivity.
The 4th FREEDOM Film Festival will take place July 9–12, 2025, in Radom, Poland. All film screenings will be held at MCSW “Elektrownia”, while the awards gala and concert will take place at the Jan Kochanowski Powszechny Theatre. Evening music events will be hosted at PaTaThai Radom.
The FREEDOM Film Festival is organized by the FILMFORUM Association.
The event’s strategic partner is the Mazovian Voivodeship Government.
The festival is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute and the City of Radom.
Industry partners include: the international consortium The FILMFORUM Group, CinemaHall (Ukraine), Malfamé Association (France), and Stiftelsen Amandusfestivalen (Norway).
The co-organizer of the event is the BORKI Cultural Centre in Radom.
The organizational partner is the Mazovian Centre for Contemporary Art “Elektrownia” in Radom.
The festival’s logistics partner is KIA Plejada.
The official festival hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn Radom, and the official festival club is PaTaThai Radom.
Main Media Patron: Radio Radom.