NINE POLISH PRODUCTIONS SELECTED FOR FLICKERS' RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
A total of nine Polish productions have been selected for the 2026 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), one of the leading showcases of independent cinema in the United States. Taking place from 4 to 9 August, the festival is the largest independent film event in New England, presenting international cinema alongside industry workshops and Academy Award®-qualifying competitions for Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Animated Short. This year's programme was selected from more than 7,000 submissions from around the world.
The Polish selection includes one feature-length documentary, two documentary shorts, one animated short, and five live-action shorts, reflecting the diversity of contemporary Polish cinema.
Among the highlights is the U.S. premiere of It's All Because of Her, directed by Daria Kopiec, which begins its international festival run at Flickers' Rhode Island. The film had its world premiere at the 65th Krakow Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention from the International Short Film Competition Jury for its "bold and fearless approach to the themes of sexual needs and emotional intimacy in the process of ageing." It was also honoured by the International Federation of Film Societies (FICC), which recognised the outstanding performances of Beata Niedziela and Kuba Dyniewicz.
Another U.S. premiere is Dying of the Young Deer by Angelika Cygal, which will screen in the festival's Women in Film section. The film follows Helka as she leaves her family home and walks to her husband's house, carrying with her a feather duvet. Although the journey unfolds in silence, she hears everything that has remained unspoken.
The animated competition features Love Me Tender by Betina Bożek, the story of an introverted man emotionally attached to his vacuum cleaner who ventures into the world of online dating, only to discover that technology often drives people apart rather than bringing them together.
Polish documentary cinema is further represented by The Passion According to Agnieszka by Wojciech Staroń, The Tuners by Paweł Chorzępa, and Woodeaters by Julia Pełka.
Winner of the Golden Hobby-Horse at the 65th Krakow Film Festival, The Passion According to Agnieszka is an intimate portrait of acclaimed film editor Agnieszka Bojanowska and her long-standing collaboration with cinematographer and filmmaker Bogdan Dziworski. More than a film about cinema, it is a celebration of artistic passion, friendship and the creative process.
Fresh from winning the Silver Dragon for Best Documentary Director at this year's Krakow Film Festival, The Tuners takes audiences behind the scenes of the International Chopin Piano Competition, where master piano tuners work tirelessly to perfect the sound of the instruments, knowing that their craftsmanship may influence the outcome of one of the world's most prestigious piano competitions.
In Woodeaters, Julia Pełka documents the fight to save a historic Lemko wooden church in south-eastern Poland from insects slowly destroying its structure. The film explores the ethical complexities of conservation while reflecting on the preservation of cultural heritage.
The live-action selection also includes Word is Flesh by Filip Krasnodębski, in which a young nun, newly bound by her perpetual vows, discovers an abandoned statue of the Virgin Mary hidden in the convent basement. Her encounters with the sculpture open a realm of intimate visions where faith, femininity and desire intersect. Wallpaper, directed by Tomasz Frymorgen, follows two British Jews returning to their birthplaces in Poland in an attempt to reconnect with their roots and preserve the memory of the Holocaust. Completing the Polish line-up is 12 Points by Isabella Rodriguez, the story of two teenagers united by their fascination with Eurovision, whose friendship and dreams of Sweden collide with the intolerance surrounding them in their Polish hometown.
The strong presence of nine Polish productions at this year's Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival once again highlights the international recognition of Polish documentary, animation and short fiction, as well as the growing visibility of Polish filmmakers on one of the leading independent film festivals in the United States.
More information can be found here.