On 2, October, our School welcomed 80 new students who begin their studies.

Invited guests attended the ceremonial Senate meeting which inaugurated the 2026/2027 academic year:

* Marek Krawczyk, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage,
* Grzegorz Majewski, Deputy Voivode of Łódź Voivodeship,
* Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka, Deputy Mayor of Łódź,
* Małgorzata Kania, Director of the Culture Department at the Marshal's Office of Łódź Voivodeship,
* Beata Świderska, Director of the Education Department, Marshal's Office of the Łódź Voivodeship,
* Marcin Derengowski, Acting Deputy Director of the Culture Department, Łódź City Office,
* Artur Dunin, Senator of the Republic of Poland,
* Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, Senator of the Republic of Poland,
* Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Paweł Bliźniuk,
* Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Ewa Szymanowska,
* Member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Włodzimierz Tomaszewski,
* Member of the European Parliament Dariusz Joński,
* Agnieszka Będkowska, Director of the Documentary and Feature Film Studios in Warsaw,
* Marzena Bomanowska, Director of the Film Museum in Łódź,
* Monika Głowacka, Deputy Director of EC1 for the National Centre for Film Culture,
* Sławomir Kalwinek, Board Member of the Educational Film Studio in Łódź,
* Marcin Zawada, Director of the Musical Theatre in Łódź,
* Marcin Brzozowski, Director of the Kazimierz Dejmek New Theatre in Łódź,
* Representatives of the Łódź Special Economic Zone: Joanna Siwińska and Natalia Popłonikowska,
* Her Magnificence the Rector of the Grażyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Łódź, Prof. Elżbieta Aleksandrowicz, PhD,
* Vice-Rector of the Władysław Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Olga Podfilipska-Krysińska, PhD, University Professor,
* Vice-Rector of the University of Łódź, Radosław Olszewski, PhD, University Professor,
* Vice-Rector of Lodz Polytechnic, Witold Pawłowski, PhD
* Vice-Rector of the Medical University of Lodz, Prof. Lucyna Woźniak, PhD
* Fr. Dr. Tomasz Liszewski, Rector of the Major Seminary in Łódź,
* Col. Michał Kaska, Deputy Chancellor of the Military Medical Academy in Łódź.

In her address, the Rector of the Lodz Film School, Milenia Fiedler, spoke to the academic community, but above all to the students entering the university:

"Can film still make a difference? Is that what you expect from film? What kind of cinema do you want to create? And above all—why?

I ask these questions because I am curious about the direction cinema is taking and what it will become in the future; that depends on you—on your intuition, your emotions, and your vision of the world and yourselves. My role as a lecturer is to share honestly how I understand the world and cinema, while leaving space for you to ask your own questions and find your own answers. That is what studying at this school is all about."

The inauguration of the new academic year also provides an opportunity to review artistic accomplishments and celebrate outstanding achievements in the field of art. Distinguished faculty members were awarded the "Gloria Artis" Medal for Merit to Culture; the medals were presented by Marek Krawczyk, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Marcin Brzozowski, PhD, University Professor, received the Bronze Medal; Andrzej Sołtysik received the Silver Medal; and Prof. Tadeusz Szczepański and Prof. Jarosław Kamiński received the Gold Medals.

This year, three lecturers from our School were awarded the Minister of Science and Higher Education’s scholarship for outstanding young scientists. The diplomas, presented by the Rector of the Film School, were awarded to Wacław Mikłaszewski, Bartosz Pietras, and Marta Prus (whose diploma was accepted on her behalf by Prof. Piotr Mikucki).

The matriculation ceremony for first-year students was led by the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Marek Szyryk:

"By embarking on your dream studies, you demonstrate that you belong to a group of bold explorers, dreamers, and visionaries. Now is your time—a time for growth, for artistic experimentation, and for 'moving the foundations of the world.' I believe all of this can happen within these walls, for here you will gain knowledge, qualifications, and skills. You will meet wonderful professors. Today, you will take your oath. Feel the significance of joining the ranks of an academic community with its rich, universal traditions and values."

A total of 80 students across all specializations—film directing, film editing, screenwriting, sound directing for audiovisual media, cinematography, animation and special effects, photography, acting, and film and television production management—received their symbolic student ID cards from the Lodz Film School.

First-year students were also welcomed by the President of the Student Government, Katarzyna Kuflowska:

"Today, you are beginning a new chapter in your lives. You could say it’s the first episode of a new series. (...) University is the best time for experimenting, discovering who you are, and making mistakes. So, put perfectionism aside—make mistakes! And then, with the support of your lecturers and each other, learn from them."

The inaugural artistic show was prepared by third-year acting students: Karolina Andrejczuk, Karol Drechna, Hanna Falkiewicz, Magdalena Głębocka, Julia Komorowska, Daria Lisowska, Gustav Lutz, Igor Mirewicz, Filip Pałyga, Julia Pawlak, Jagoda Puzyniak, Weronika Sadowska, Nadia Żeberkiewicz. The concert was prepared under the artistic supervision of Agnieszka Greinert, PhD., University Professor.

To cap off the start of the academic year at the Film School, a student fiction film DYING OF A YOUNG DEER directed by Angelika Cygal was screened. So far, the film has been showcased at prestigious festivals such as the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France, Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival in the USA, and the San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain.

At the conclusion, the Rector of the Film School delivered a Latin maxim: "Quod felix, faustum fortunatumque sit". (May this be happy, auspicious, and fortunate.)

We step into the new academic year full of dreams, plans, and the courage to look—and reach—as far as possible through art!

photos: sztukafotografii.com