SEE YOU ON THE TRAIL!

43rd Festival of Drama Schools finished with a beautiful, emotional and heart-warming finale. Behind us there is a week of theatre and acting, but also a week of being together, arm in arm. We observed with delight the mutual support and joy of this unique time together. Students of acting faculties are leaving Łódź with important awards, valuable distinctions and, we hope, beautiful memories of this festival week.

The closing of the festival was a beautiful closure. Many thanks to the third-year students of the Lodz Film School Acting Department and Wacek Mikłaszewski who together prepared today's original show for us. These sounds and words flowed from the hearts, and directly to the hearts.

"First of all, never sit alone if you have the choice spend time with your brother or sister.
Secondly, don't let your spirit be broken, find strength in the people around you, everyone will be happy to listen to you.
Thirdly, be full of passion all the time, don't forget that this work comes from love, what else could it come from?
Fourth, and lastly, most importantly, let's sing once more
See you, see you on the trail"

Congratulations to all who stood in front of us on the stages of the 43rd Festival of Drama Schools. We keep our fingers crossed for you! And remember how our actors sang today:
"time will save us
everything will work out somehow
everyone will reap their own harvest
your phone will finally ring
you will buy your mum a house
one day fate will smile
one day fate will smile"

The 43rd edition of the Drama Schools Festival in Łódź was officially closed by:
the Rector of the Theatre Academy in Warsaw, Prof. Wiesław Czołpiński,
the Vice-Rector of the Theatre Arts Academy in Kraków, Olga Katafiasz, PhD and
the Rector of the Film School in Łódź, Milenia Fiedler, PhD.

* quotes from songs which we heard during the festival closing ceremony, words and music - 3rd year students of the Acting Department

See the festival closing ceremony: youtube.com/live

On 17, May, 2025, THE JURY OF THE 43RD DRAMA SCHOOLS FESTIVAL, composed of:
Piotr Kruszczyński – chairman
Roma Gąsiorowska
Adrian Panek
Kalina Zalewska
Eliza Kujan
having watched sixteen competition diploma shows presented by students of the Acting Departments from:
* Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw
* Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw – Białystok Branch
* Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow
* Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow – Wrocław Branch
* Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow – Bytom Branch
* Leon Schiller National Film, Television and Theatre School in Łódź

granted the following prizes:

GRAND PRIX in the amount of PLN 20,000 funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for the Warsaw TA students for the play "The Seagull" directed by K. Minkowska:
* Julia Banasiewicz for the role of Arkadina
* Aleksander Buchowiecki for the role of Dorn
* Maksymilian Cichy for the role of Sorin
* Kuba Dyniewicz for the role of Trieplew
* Maja Kalbarczyk for the role of Polina
* Maria Kresy for the role of Nina
* Kacper Męcki for the role of Trigorin
* Tomasz Obiński for the role of Miedwiedienko
* Magdalena Pardy for the role of Masza

1st ACTING PRIZE in the amount of PLN 6,000 for: Agnieszka Rajda from the Warsaw TA for the role of the Mother in the play "Father" directed by A. Duda-Gracz

2nd ACTING PRIZE in the amount of PLN 5,000 for: Mikołaj Łukasiewicz from the Warsaw TA for the role of Sculpture and Bishop in the play "Father" directed by A. Duda-Gracz

3rd ACTING PRIZE in the amount of PLN 4,000 for: Michalina Dworzaczek from the Lodz Film School for her roles in the plays "A Place on Earth" directed by K. Hetel and "Cinders" directed by C. Studniak

SPECIAL PRIZE of PLN 5,000 for: Kraków TA ensemble – Wrocław branch for the play “Pakujemy manatki” directed by R. Brzyk: Magdalena Banasiak, Dominik Buksa, Viet Anh Do, Bartosz Fabisiak, Martyna Fudala, Marcin Jastrzębski, Karina Rezner, Marcjanna Siedler, Joanna Urbanyi, Kamila Wiklińska

OPUS FILM AWARD FOR AN ACTRESS AND ACTOR WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN PLN 2,500 each for:
* Joanna Maria Karcz from Kraków TA for her role in "Stany podgorączkowe" (Subfebrile Conditions) directed by A. Glińska
* Mateusz Rozwadowski from PWSFTviT in Łódź for his roles in the plays "A Place on Earth" directed by K. Hetel and "Cinders" directed by C. Studniak

ZBIGNIEW ZAPASIEWICZ AWARD "SPARE MASK" funded by the Polish Actors' Union in the amount of PLN 2,500 each for:
* Mateusz Guzowski from Kraków TA - Wrocław branch for the role of Rumburak in "Arabela" directed by P. Ratajczak
* Olga Matuszek from Kraków TA - Wrocław branch for the role of Quince in "Midsummer night's dream" directed by P. Miśkiewicz

TV TOYA AWARD FOR AUDIO IMPRESSIONS in the amount of PLN 2,500 for the team of the Lodz Film School for the play "Cinders" directed by C. Studniak: Waldo Bastida, Maciej Bisiorek, Dawid Dąbrowski, Michalina Dworzaczek, Klaudia Kuźmińska, Sara Lityńska, Mateusz Rozwadowski, Magdalena Sękiewicz, Filip Wawrecki, Matylda Wojsznis, Zofia Wysocka, Ines Żuk

JAN MACHULSKI AWARD "BE AN EAGLE, FLY HIGH" in the amount of USD 300 for:
* Klaudia Kuźmińska from the Lodz Film School
* Julia Wojnowska from the Lodz Film School

JADWIGA BARAŃSKA AWARD in the amount of PLN 5,000 for: Sara Kociołek from Kraków TA for the role of Elizabeth and the Glass Woman in the play "Frankenstein Show" directed by R. Dziwisz

EQUAL DISTINCTIONS in the amount of PLN 1,000 each:
* Anna Bertman from Kraków TA - Wrocław branch for the role of Mother in the play "Wierna wataha" directed by P. Wolak and K. Dworak (PIK)
* Maciej Bisiorek from PWSFTviT in Łódź, for the role of Maciek in the play "A Place on Earth" directed by K. Hetel and for the role of Director in the play "Cinders" directed by C. Studniak
* Inga Chmurzyńska from Kraków TA for the roles of Maid Marta and Monstrum in the play "Frankenstein show" directed by R. Dziwisz * Stanisław Kawecki from Warsaw TA for the role of Apprentice in the play "Father" directed by A. Duda-Gracz
* Mateusz Kurcius from Kraków TA for his role in the play "Fortissimo" directed by M. Libera
* Klementyna Lamort de Gail from Warsaw TA - for the role of Daughter in the play "Father" directed by A. Duda-Gracz
* Zuzanna Meyer from Kraków TA - Bytom branch for the role of Dionysus in the play "Bachantki/Bakchai" (Bacchaea) directed by D. Kopiec
* Olga Mleczko from Kraków TA - Wrocław branch for the role of Witch in the play "Arabela" directed by P. Ratajczak
* Magdalena Sękiewicz from PWSFTviT in Łódź for the role of Magda in the play "A Place on Earth" directed by Konrad Hetel and for the role of Prince in the play "Cinders" directed by C. Studniak
* Mateusz Wróblewicz from Kraków TA for the role of Wiktor in the play "Frankenstein show" directed by R. Dziwisz

AWARD OF THE ZASP MAIN BOARD "DESKA SCENICZNA" in the amount of PLN 3,500 each for:
* Agnieszka Rajda from Warsaw TA for the role of Mother in the play "Father" directed by A. Duda-Gracz
* Marcin Jastrzębski from Kraków TA - Wrocław branch for the role of Elkanan in the play "Pakujemy manatki" directed by R. Brzyk

AWARD OF THE ZASP DRAMA THEATRE SECTION in the amount of PLN 2,500 each for:
* Filip Zaręba from Kraków TA for his role in the play "Fortissimo" directed by M. Liber
* Zuzanna Meyer from Kraków TA - branch in Bytom for the role of Dionysus in the play "Bachantki/Bakchai" (Bacchaea) directed by D. Kopiec


AUDIENCE AWARD funded by Medicus Clinic in the amount of PLN 2,500 each:
* MOST ELECTRIFYING ACTRESS for Agnieszka Rajda from Warsaw Theatre Academy
* MOST ELECTRIFYING ACTOR for Mikołaj Łukasiewicz from Warsaw Theatre Academy

DZIENNIK ŁÓDZKI & EXPRESS ILUSTROWANY AWARD FOR STAGE PERSONALITY in the amount of PLN 400 plus 1 grosz for: Magdalena Sękiewicz from the Lodz Film School

"GOLDEN ŻYLETA" AWARD OF THE TUPOT FESTIVAL NEWSPAPER for: Mikołaj Łukasiewicz from Warsaw TA for the role of Sculpture and Bishop in the play "Father" directed by A. Duda-Gracz

photos: Mikołaj Zacharow