Walls | WATCH DOCS

Kasia Smutniak, an actor based in Italy, makes a bold entry into documentary filmmaking with a debut that demands attention. For the first time on the big screen, viewers get an intimate glimpse into the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border through the eyes of activists scouring the Białowieża Forest for lost migrants. The individuals profiled in Walls are driven by a profound intolerance for human suffering, much like the director herself, and they act despite potential repercussions, striving to alleviate the hardships they encounter. The film captures their extensive, often fruitless, forays into the forest, the frequent interruptions by authorities, and a pervasive undercurrent of threat. However, Walls transcends the story of this single frontier. It delves into a meditative exploration of the various partitions and divides that have emerged through history. Concurrently, it is an intimate examination of familial bonds and a journey to unearth one's heritage. 

Konrad Wirkowski