In previous years, we decided to divide Polish productions into the Polish Competition and the Polish Experimental Film Competition, but out of the need to build bridges rather than create hermetic environments, we decided to merge the competitions into one. All artists and filmmakers who have regularly submitted films to the Polish Experimental Film Competition are invited to submit their works to the Polish Competition this year. 

The format of the competition becomes a bit more expanded – taking into account both film school productions, but also on emerging art-film projects from the borderland of video-art and experimental cinema. We are committed to presenting current Polish short cinema in its entirety – not omitting amateur productions, more essayistic forms, highly produced films or cross-genre experiments. The goal, as it has been since the beginnings of the Short Waves Festival, is to review Polish films that will most up-to-date take on topics concerning the reality that surrounds us, without limiting ourselves by the means of film language; in a bold and non-schematic way creating cinema that will convince with its sincere and intriguing message. 

Thus, the relationships developed over the years with the creators of artistic and experimental cinema will be used to create a space of relationships not limited by the specifics and format of film, but to be able to connect the strictly cinematic and artistic environment. 

To create a film program showing the potential of Polish short cinema from every perspective, but also to have the opportunity to meet artists and filmmakers with different artistic and filmmaking experiences. 

The only formal restrictions become time – the films must not exceed 30 minutes, as well as the form of realization – they must be Polish productions or co-productions.