Year-Round Initiatives

The Short Cinema Club features the best short films from around the world in all their diversity. The screen hosts features, animations, documentaries and experimental films made by both promising newcomers and established figures from the film world. The year-round program includes screenings of productions awarded at festivals, thematic screenings, audience favorites or titles nominated for major film awards.

The cycle took place from 2018-2022, and is currently suspended.

Make America Real Again: January 10, 2022

The Short Cinema Club’s New Year’s program focused on contemporary American short cinema, which does not shy away from analyzing the far-from-perfect society of the United States, successfully deconstructing and demolishing the utopian image of the American dream.

1. A Place We Call Reality, dir. Kristoffer Borgli, USA 2018, live action, 14’
2. There Were Four of Us, dir. Cassie Shao, USA 2019, animation, 7’
3. All on Mardi Gras Day, dir. Michał Pietrzyk, USA 2019, documentary, 22′
4. My Expanded View, dir. Corey Hughes, USA 2018, experimental, 7’
5. Project X, dir. Laura Poitras, Henrik Moltke, USA 2016, documentary, 11’
6. Skip Day, dir. Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan, USA/UK 2018, documentary, 17’

Love/Hate Relationship: Fabruary 14 and 15, 2022

Women’s Day – Stronger Together: March 17, 2022

In March, the month of Women’s Day, the Short Cinema Club invited to a film screening dedicated to all girls – their presence on the screen, as well as off it, in everyday life.

1. Mat and her mates, dir. Pauline Penichout, France 2019, live action, 25’
2. Unliveable, dir. Enock Carvahlo, Matheus Farias, Brazil 2020, live action, 20’
3. A perfect me, a perfect you, dir. Dina Bukva, Austria 2018, animation, 5’
4. Synchronizacja, dir. Anna Kasińska, Poland 2018, live action, 20’
5. The Ritual to Beauty, dir.Shenny De Los Angeles, Maria Marrone, USA, 2021, documentary, 14’

On four paws: April 14, 2022

In the April installment of Short Cinema Club, we looked at how important the presence of animals is in our daily functioning, and how interesting and thin is the line between platonic love and something that is still difficult to define for our psychology.

1. All Cats Are Grey in the Dark, dir. Lasse Linder, documentary, Switzerland 2019, 18’
2. Premier Amour, dir. Haris Raftogiannis, live action, Greece 2020, 15’
3. Anita’s Pack, dir. Marlies Smeenge, documentary, Netherlands 2018, 15’
4. Some Kind of Intimacy, dir. Toby Bull, documentary, UK 2020, 6’
5. NAYA – der Wald hat tausend Augen, dir. Sebastian Mulder, documentary, Netherlands 2021, 20’

Mom, dad: May 12, 2022

A program of short films that explore topics related to parenthood. It explores different areas of childcare, the complexity of relationships, the tensions arising from economic or social reasons, the complexities of maternal love as well as fatherly love.

1. Christmas Gift, dir. Bogdan Muresanu, live action, Romania 2018, 23’
2. Party Day, dir. Sofia Bost, live action, Portugal 2019, 17’
3. The name of the son, dir. Martina Matzkin, live action, Argentina 2020, 14’
4. The Last Image of Father, dir. Stefan Djordjevic, Serbia 2019, live action, 20’
5. Ella i Jo, dir. Jaume Claret Muxart, live action, Spain 2020, 20’

Plenerowe Pałacowe. Short Waves Festival in summer version: Polish Obssesions 

1. Szereg Syczący, dir. Marcin Kluczykowski, Poland 2021, live action, 25’
2. Pięć Minut Starsza, dir. Sara Szymańska, Poland 2021, animation, 6’
3. Dzielenie się, dir. Natalia Sara Skorupa, Poland 2021, documentary, 14′
4. Joanna D’arc, dir. Aleksander Szamałek, Poland 2021, documentary, 30’
5. Sperm Obsession, dir. Klaudia Prabucka, Piotr Michalski, Poland 2021, animation, 6’

In 2022, the Ad Arte Foundation and the Short Waves Festival once again brought Oscar® Nominated Shorts programs – live-action and animated films – to theaters as the exclusive distributor. Audiences had the opportunity to see the nominated shorts on the big screen at nearly 70 screenings across the country – including a Polish film, The Dress, dir. Tadeusz Łysiak.

Short Live Action Films Nominated for Oscar® 2022.

Five unique films, stories and full-blooded characters. Viewers will accompany Henrik, who for some reason must sing karaoke at all costs, or Mateo, who finds himself in a no-win situation (literally!). They will get to know the desires of lowly Julia, working in a roadside motel, whose life changes when she meets a handsome truck driver; the anxieties of a British family whose peaceful life falls to pieces in a split second, and the dilemmas of teenage Sezim from Kyrgyzstan, who faces a choice between freedom and respect for tradition.

1. On My Mind, dir. Martin Strange-Hansen, Denmark, 2021, 18′
2. Please Hold, dir. K.D. Dávila, USA, 2020, 19’
3. Sukienka, dir. Tadeusz Łysiak, Poland, 2020, 30’
4. The Long Goodbye, dir. Aneil Karia,UK, 2020, 12’
5. Ala Kacchu – Take and Run, dir. Maria Brendle, Switzerland, 2020, 38’

Animated Short Films Nominated for Oscar® 2022. Five unconventional stories – each painted on the screen with a different animated line. Meet the adventures of a little bird adopted by a family of mice, who decides to finally spread his wings. See what a delicate ballerina and a rough boxer might have in common. Discover why the members of an eccentric family become obsessed with everything they touch and what questions a secret service agent asks her dog, and finally sit down at an anonymous table in a café drenched in cigarette smoke and together answer the question “What is love today?”.

1. Robin Robin, dir. Dan Ojari, Mikey Please, UK 2021, 31’
2. Boxballet, dir. Anton Dyakov, Russia 2019, 15’
3. Affairs of the Art, dir. Joanna Quinn, UK, Canada 2021, 16’
4. Bestia, dir. Hugo Covarrubias, Chile 2021, 16’
5. The Windshield Wiper, dir. Alberto Mielgo, Spain 2021, 15’

A new film festival in the heart of Poznań! 

OFF Jeżyce is a local film festival aimed not only at the residents of Jeżyce, but also an invitation to all Poznań residents to experience the magic of cinema in a local atmosphere. The first edition of OFF Jeżyce was held on August 25-28, 2022 under the slogan ‘In close proximity to culture’. 

The program included:

• Multigenerational Jeżyce Cinema •

In September, the Ad Arte Foundation and Short Waves Festival visited two towns in Wielkopolska – Gniezno and Osieczna. During the last days of summer, we organized an open-air cinema under a cloud – plus a concert and other accompanying events. It all started on September 2 in Osieczna, where there was a concert by the Melrose duo and a screening of the film My Wonderful Life by Lukasz Grzegorzek.

Wielkopolska Film Summer: Osieczna

Melrose project brought to life in 2018 by Michal Strzelczyk, who lives and works in Poznan. An eclectic collage of jazz, rock, electronic samples, synthesizers, piano and string instruments. The duo refers to many genres, such as left field, breakbeats trip – hop, downtempo and synth-pop. Inspired by film soundtracks, club and classical music, as well as the British electronic scene of the 1990s, Melrose has collaborated with various musicians and vocalists to create a unique and organic sound.

My wonderful life / dir. Łukasz Grzegorzek / Poland 2021 / fiction / 99′

Great, maybe, but is it really mine? This is the question that Joanna (Agata Buzek), the heroine of Lukasz Grzegorzek’s comedy of manners (“Camper”, “The Coachman’s Daughter”), faces. A caring daughter, a laid-back mother, a well-liked teacher, a wife with whom you can steal horses – in each of these roles she comes off perfectly. And in none of them has she felt herself for a long time. That’s why “Jo” leads a double life, has a secret that she doesn’t share with anyone. Because if anyone found out, it would be the end of everything that seems so “wonderful” in her world.

Wielkopolska Film Summer: Gniezno

We then traveled to Gniezno, where three sets of short films were screened over three days from September 7 to 9: Summer Tenderness, Polish Obsessions, and Oscar® Nominated Short Films – that is, the five acting shorts selected by the Academy, among which was Polish Dress.

Summer sensitivities

Sentimental journeys through Latvian movie theaters, expressive memories of a longing mother, a disjointed picture of a struggling father or a colorful animation about family conundrums. The tenderness with which the filmmakers and filmmakers approach their characters make this selection of shorts a uniquely emotional encounter with the short film form.

1. Ag:Au, dir. Alan Cantouris, UK 2021, live action, 3’
2. 81 meters, dir. Jānis Ābele, Latvia 2021, documentary, 14’
3. Beity, dir. Isabelle Mecattaf, Liban 2021, live action, 15’
4. Seabreaker (Rampante), dir. Eloy Domínguez Serén, Spain 2022, live action, 27’
5. Sierra, dir. Sander Joon, Estonia 2022, animation, 16’
6. GOOD VIBES IS ALL I NEED, dir. Saro Vallejo, Switzerland 2021, experimental, 7’

Polish obsessions

Screening of five selected films of the Polish Competition of the 14th Edition of the Short Waves Festival. Polish productions that won the most votes from the audience and their extraordinary and stories captivated our viewers. We will peek into several Polish homes, offices, and cars to learn about well-known sisterly scrapes, confront the image of a Polish Catholic family, look into the strained relationship between a patient and a doctor, follow the inspiring story of a Polish woman abroad, and find out what some people can do with sperm after exciting amorous ecstasies.

Short live-action films nominated for Oscar®

Five unique films, stories and full-blooded characters. Viewers will accompany Henrik, who for some reason must sing karaoke at all costs, or Mateo, who finds himself in a no-win situation (literally!). They will get to know the desires of lowly Julia, working in a roadside motel, whose life changes when she meets a handsome truck driver; the anxieties of a British family whose peaceful life falls to pieces in a split second, and the dilemmas of teenage Sezim from Kyrgyzstan, who faces a choice between freedom and respect for tradition.

1. On My Mind, dir. Martin Strange-Hansen, Denmark, 2021, 18’
2. Please Hold, dir. K.D. Dávila, USA, 2020, 19’
3. Sukienka, dir. Tadeusz Łysiak, Poland, 2020, 30’
4. The Long Goodbye, dir. Aneil Karia, UK, 2020, 12’
5. Ala Kacchu – Take and Run, dir. Maria Brendle, Switzerland, 2020, 38’

Summer sensitivities in Poznań

We concluded the Wielkopolska Film Summer on September 23 at Poznan’s Liberty Square, where we again showed the program that viewers had the opportunity to see during the event in Gniezno.

1. Ag:Au, dir. Alan Cantouris, UK 2021, live action, 3’
2. 81 meters, dir. Jānis Ābele, Latvia 2021, documentary, 14’
3. Beity, dir. Isabelle Mecattaf, Liban 2021, live action, 15’
4. Seabreaker (Rampante), dir. Eloy Domínguez Serén, Spain 2022, live action, 27’
5. Sierra, dir. Sander Joon, Estonia 2022, animation, 16’
6. GOOD VIBES IS ALL I NEED, dir. Saro Vallejo, Switzerland 2021, experimental, 7’

Organizers: Ad Arte Foundation, Osieczna Land Society Funding: local government of the Wielkopolska region, Osieczna Commune Partners: Short Waves Festival, CRM, Antistatic

Summer is gone, but Love is never gone!!! 

Second installment of the k-wax x united collabo featuring Short Waves Festival / Ad Arte Foundation.

Screening of the best short films presented in the competitions of the last two editions of Short Waves Festival! It’s united in diversity – all the films show us amazing stories dressed in a short form, which is by no means limiting for them. The audience could see shorts from the International Competition, the Polish Competition, the Dances with Camera Competition, the Urban View Competition and the Polish Experimental Films Competition.

SWF22: The best of – Dances With Camera

1. Neon Phantom, dir. Leonardo Martinelli, Brazil 2021, live action, 20’
2. An Evening with Taglioni, dir. Jessica Wright, Morgann Runacre-Temple, UK 2021, live action, 14’
3. PASSAGE, dir. Ann Oren, Germany 2020, live action, 13’
4. Amani, dir. Alliah Fafin, Canada 2021, live action, 17’
5. Walks with me, dir. Kati Kallio, Finland 2021, live action, 11’

SWF22: The best of – Urban View

1. Sun Surface, dir. Vincent Ceraudo, Benjamin Ramirez Perez, France 2021, documentary, experimental, 16’
2. Minimal Sway While Starting My Way Up, dir. Stéphanie Lagarde, Netherlands 2021, experimental, 15’
3. ExpoFilm (this film is my memory), dir. Penny McCann, Canada 2020, experimental, 10’
4. Piazzale d’Italia, dir. Enea Zuchetti, Italy 2021, experimental, 13’
5. Daedalus, dir. Devis Venturelli, Italy 2021, experimental, 12’

SWF22: Agreement across divides / International Competition & Polish Competition

1. Sperm obsession, dir. Klaudia Prabucka, Piotr Michalski, Poland 2021, live action, 6’
2. Nights and Days in July, dir. Jana Bringlöv Ekspong, Sweden 2021, live action, 15’
3. Joanna d’Arc, dir. Aleksander Szamałek, Poland 2021, documentary,  30’
4. Sierra, dir. Sander Joon, Estonia 2022, live action, 16’

SWF21/22: experimentalal – Polish experimentalal Films Competition

1. Mon chéri Soviétique / dir. Karol Radziszewski / Poland 2021 /  28′
2. Bal na cześć, że młodzi nie uzbierają na emeryturę / dir. Klaudia Prabucka / Poland 2020 / 27′
3. Rixt / dir. Horacy Muszyński / Poland 2020 / 30′

Full program of the event

An enchanted evening at the Andalusian Dog! During the event ☆ It is a Kind of Magic ☆ the audience could experience magic in the form of a live illusionist show and find magical elements in a set of short films selected by Short Waves Festival selectors! 

Everyone can find magic in something different. And that’s what the Short Waves Festival programmers did – each interpreting the slogan “It’s a Kind of Magic” in his or her own way, they selected films that combined to create an eccentric mix, from which four film cards were laid out on the table. Each is different – they are spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts, but they form one magical deck.

1. Bleu de Nuit, dir. Baloji, Belgia, Kongo 2018, 10’
2. The End of Suffering (A proposal), dir. Jacqueline Lentzou, Greece 2020, 14’
3. I am good at karate, dir. Jess Dadds, UK 2022, 11’
4. Slug Life, dir. Sopie Koko Gate, UK 2018, 7’

Full program of the event

The winter solstice and the beginning of the astronomical winter is when in the northern hemisphere the sun tops the zenith at the Tropic of Capricorn. This is the shortest day of the year! For this reason, 10 years ago in France the idea was born to celebrate International Short Film Day on this very day. Every year cinephiles around the world come together to celebrate the uniqueness and magic of this film form.

Participants of the screenings prepared by, celebrating the Short Film Day saw six short films from Poland and other countries of the world. They followed the footsteps of a mysterious man living in an American cemetery (Marblehead), found out what power carries the desire to surround those closest to us with care (Wyraj), stood shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with a young woman walking through a city wracked by summer heat (Über Wasser), looked into an album of forgotten photographs (Still Processing), moved to Poland in the 1990s. troubled by the unrest of historical changes (The Earth Will Absorb It All), and finally they stayed in the home of a traditional Polish family that has to face its habits (Sharing).

1. Marblehead, dir. Jack Auen, Kevin Walker, USA 2021, live action, 10’
2. Wyraj, dir. Agnieszka Nowosielska, Poland 2020, live action 20’
3. Über Wasser, On Solid Ground, dir. Jela Hassler, Switzerland 2021, live action, 12’
4. Ziemia wchłonie to wszystko, dir. Dominik Ritszel, Poland 2021, experimental, 9′
5. Still Processing, dir. Sophy Romvari, Canada 2020, documentary, 21′
6. Dzielenie się, dir. Natalia Sara Skorupa, Poland 2021, documentary, 14’

We organized events within the framework of the Short Cinema Festival in three cities in Poland:

Kraków: Kraków Kino Pod Baranami

Warszawa: Kino Muranów 

Katowice: Kino Światowid

Full program of the event