Weroniki Mliczewska's "Child of Dust" wins the Polish Competition

This year, six films competed for the award in the New Polish Films Competition. The jury — Michał Merczyński, Paulina Reiter, and Anna Wydra — awarded the Grand Prize to Child of Dust by Weronika Mliczewska.

We award the Grand Prize to a film that we can responsibly call a perfect documentary. It is emotionally powerful, multi-layered, and intellectually ambitious; sharp in its social critique, yet intimate; addressing both public and private matters, political and personal alike. It speaks of a historical issue while remaining profoundly relevant today. It is a film about how far-reaching the consequences of war are — always affecting multiple generations. It tells a story of an aching absence of a father, of racial discrimination, and of a system that, while seemingly attempting to offer rescue, ultimately abandons the individual once again, separating them from their family anew. Visually striking, the film tenderly follows the protagonist’s long and painful journey toward reclaiming identity, dignity, and inner peace. The tears of sorrow and joy shed by Mr. Sang — the extraordinary protagonist of Child of Dust, directed by Weronika Mliczewska — will stay with us forever.

A Special Mention was awarded to Silver by Natalia Koniarz:

For its harrowing depiction of exploitation from which, regrettably, we all benefit — through our use of electronics and artificial intelligence. Silver portrays the fate of families — mothers, fathers, and children — living in extreme poverty and working at the risk of their lives in a Bolivian silver mine. We witness environmental devastation and a lack of social solidarity. It is a film that provokes outrage and raises pressing questions: how is it possible that the world still looks like this? The images captured deep within the mountain are deeply unsettling. We wish to recognize not only the importance of the subject and its treatment, but also the courage of the filmmaking team.

Association of Arthouse Cinemas Award
The jury — Michał Konarski, Michał Surówka, and Maja Gomulska — awarded the prize to Silver, directed by Natalia Koniarz.

For its extraordinary fusion of form and content. Special recognition goes to the cinematography and camera work, which demonstrate how powerful silence can be. The use of wide framing in a documentary context creates a sense of claustrophobic threat, where various forms of superstition intertwine with human greed. The breaking of conventional editing patterns and the introduction of elements of magical realism do not undermine the film’s documentary nature; instead, they enrich it, allowing all components to form a thoughtful and coherent whole.