The verdict of the Short Film Competition Jury at the 51st Polish Film Festival in Gdynia has now been announced. The winners of this year’s special awards were also announced during the Young Gala on Friday, 25th September 2026.
The Short Film Competition Jury, comprising:
Ewa Braun – Chairperson
Joanna Szymańska
Bartosz M. Kowalski
after viewing the 28 films selected for the Short Film Competition, awarded:
The Lucjan Bokiniec Award for Best Short Film
A cash prize of PLN 15,000. The award is sponsored by the Festival’s Patron, Energa SA
Case No., directed by Patrycja Polkowska
Special Prize
A cash prize of PLN 10,000 and a non-exclusive licence valued at PLN 15,000 from the Educational Film Studio
They Were All Named Anzhelika, directed by Aleksandra ‘Sasha’ Kutsen
Special Mention
A cash prize of PLN 5,000
The Knot, directed by Izabela Zubrycka
Award for Best Cinematographer
Production support worth PLN 20,000 in the form of equipment hire – funded by Heliograf
Patryk Roman for the film Recess, directed by Jana Saczka
THE JANUSZ KORCZAK GOLDEN LITTLE LIONS AWARD
Section Partner: KGHM Polska Miedź; Award Sponsor: Telewizja Polska
Too Old for Fairy Tales 3, directed by Kristoffer Rus
JOURNALISTS’ AWARD
Through the Wall, directed by Maciej Sobieszczański
CICAE JURY AWARD FOR A DIRECTING DEBUT OR SECOND FILM
A Free Woman, directed by Eliza Godlewska and Alan Ruczyński
YOUTH JURY AWARD
National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute
Liquid States, directed by Maria Wider
ART HOUSE CINEMAS ASSOCIATION AWARD
Through the Wall, directed by Maciej Sobieszczański
THE POLISH CINEMA ASSOCIATION’S ‘AMBER LIONS’ AWARD
for the film Good Home, directed by Wojciech Smarzowski, to the film’s producer and distributor for the highest box-office takings in Polish cinemas during the 2025–2026 season
THE ‘AUDIO DESCRIPTION OF THE YEAR’ AWARD FROM THE DE FACTO ASSOCIATION AND THE KINO DOSTĘPNE FOUNDATION
JURY’S SPECIAL MENTION
A cash prize of PLN 2,500
Bartosz Wokan (scriptwriter) and Magdalena Dudowicz (script consultant) for the audio description in the film 13 Days Till Summer, directed by Bartosz M. Kowalski
THE ‘AUDIO DESCRIPTION OF THE YEAR’ AWARD FROM THE DE FACTO ASSOCIATION AND THE KINO DOSTĘPNE FOUNDATION
AUDIENCE AWARD
A cash prize of PLN 5,000
Alicja Maciejewska (scriptwriter) and Magdalena Dudowicz (script consultant) for the audio description in the film Skrzyżowanie, directed by Dominika Montean
THE ‘FILM FOR THE CLIMATE’ AWARD FOR THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTION
Award sponsor: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
The Honorary Organiser of the Competition is the “Film for the Climate” Association | The National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers is the Content Partner for the Award within the Competition
in the Feature Film category:
producers and implementation of eco-friendly solutions: Kamil Janik and Patrycja Strzyżewska in the production of the film A Free Woman, directed by Eliza Godlewska and Alan Ruczyński
THE ‘FILM FOR THE CLIMATE’ AWARD FOR THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTION
Award sponsor: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
The Honorary Organiser of the Competition is the “Film for the Climate” Association | The National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers is the Content Partner for the Award within the Competition
in the Short Film category:
the implementation of eco-friendly solutions by Jagoda Surzycka (creative producer) and Gabriela Rybołowicz (production manager) in the production of the film The Knot, directed by Izabela Zubrycka, produced by Katarzyna Staszczy and Jagoda Surzycka
THE ‘DON QUIXOTE’ AWARD FROM THE POLISH FEDERATION OF FILM DISCUSSION CLUBS
Through the Wall, directed by Maciej Sobieszczański
AWARD FROM POLISH FILM FESTIVALS AND REVIEWS ABROAD
Through the Wall, directed by Maciej Sobieszczański
GDAŃSK RADIO “GOLDEN CLAQUEUR” AWARD
The Time That Never Came, directed by Julia Rogowska
GQ POLAND AWARD FOR A CINEMATIC VISIONARY
Mikołaj Bukrewicz in the film Less of a Stranger, directed by Kristoffer Rus
HARPER’S BAZAAR POLAND DISCOVERY
Agata Trzebuchowska, director, and Maciej Edelman, director of photography for the film Sick
MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSPECTIVE – DR IRENA ERIS BRAND AWARD
Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska, Jaśmina Polak, Magda Koleśnik and Monika Frajczyk for the film EXOTIC, directed by Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska
ZWIERCIADŁO’ MONTHLY MAGAZINE AWARD: STRONG START
Patrycja Polkowska, director of the film Case No.
INTERIA ‘ON THE WAVE’ AWARD
Patrycja Polkowska, director of the film Case No.
AWARD FOR BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
presented by the Polish Post-Production Association and the Pomeranian Film Foundation in Gdynia
Sebastian Dominik, Supervisor, and Lumiere de Cinema for the film Less of a Stranger, directed by Kristoffer Rus
AWARD FOR BEST CASTING DIRECTION
Guild of Polish Casting Directors
Nina Gold, Martin Ware and Paulina Krajnik for the film Good Boy, directed by Jan Komasa
ENERGA TURNS ON EMOTIONS AT THE 51st POLISH FILM FESTIVAL
1st place – Klaudia Cieślak
2nd place – Jakub Szwed
3rd place – Zuzanna Deyna
