This will be a chance to meet many outstanding people from the world of documentary film. The festival once again hosts filmmakers and film heroes from different corners of the globe, creating an extraordinary opportunity for personal discussions and exchange of ideas.

In 2022, Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival was acknowledged by the European Film Academy as one of the “most important European film festivals” and obtained the status of festival participation which makes the films elegible for the European Film Award. In 2024, MDAG was included on the prestigious list of festivals which qualify films for the Oscar® in the category of Best Feature Documentary.

The documentary film festival is accompanied by a unique programme of educational and cultural events provided by EC1 institutions: the Science and Technology Centre, the Planetarium, the Centre for Comics and Interactive Narration and the National Centre for Film Culture.

On Friday evening, 9, May at 7:30 p.m. we invite you to the opening Gala of the 22nd Millennium Docs Against Gravity in Łódź. Within two sections: Polish Competition and Main Competition, we will show viewers the premiere of Maciej Drygas' (our lecturer at the Directing Department) film TRAINS.

It is an artistic, reflective journey through the 20th century, created exclusively from archival film materials. A wordless, beautiful and bitter image, in which the delight in moving becomes a curse, and tears of joy mix with the pain of despair. The film's soundtrack uses fragments of the piece "Compartment 2, car 7" by Paweł Szymański.

The film has already been awarded at the following festivals: IDFA in Amsterdam – Main Prize and Prize for Editing, Artdocfest / Riga in Latvia – Grand Prix, and was screened in Tallinn and Gothenburg.


There will be a meeting with the director after the screening.

The screening will take place on 9, May at 7:30 p.m. simultaneously in three cinema rooms.

Tickets are available on the NCKF website: ec1lodz.pl/narodowe-centrum-kultury-filmowej/repertuar-kina/mdag-pociagi

In addition, the Polish Competition includes the Polish-German documentary co-production LETTERS FROM WOLF STREET, directed and shot by Arjun Talwar, our graduate of the Cinematography Department. The film was produced by Jarosław Wszędybył, a lecturer at the School.

A street in downtown Warsaw is the focus of this witty and personal portrait of Poland. Arjun Talwar emigrated here a decade ago but still has trouble fitting in. Wilcza Street doesn’t make it easy for him. In an attempt to speed up his integration, the director begins filming his neighbours, testing his relationships with them while seeking ways to overcome his own alienation.

The film had its world premiere at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.

Its screening will take place on 13, May at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are available on the NCKF website: ec1lodz.pl/narodowe-centrum-kultury-filmowej/repertuar-kina/mdag-listy-z-wilczej

Millennium Docs Against Gravity at EC1 Łódź is more than just cinema – it is an opportunity for dialogue about the future of the world and humanity, with the participation of science, art and emotions.

Information about the programme and events of the MDAG Festival in Łódź can be found on the NCKF website.

The Lodz Film School is a Partner of the MDAG Festival.

See the festival trailer: youtube.com

photo 1 – organizer’s press materials
still 2 – TRAINS
still 3 – LETTERS FROM WOLF STREET