Film Lovers’ Feast

This is the largest and at the same time the least strictly defined section of the festival. Every selection is inherently subjective, and dozens of similar lineups could be assembled. Working on such a program is a bit like hosting an elaborate banquet: the host prepares a richly laden table and invites guests, who then choose their favorite dishes.

This year, we present 32 titles. The oldest, the Portuguese Aniki-Bóbó by Manoel de Oliveira, was made in 1942, while the most recent is Donnie Darko – The Director’s Cut (2004). Such a broad selection offers a journey through time, as each film captures the essence of the era in which it was created.

Since the first edition, this section has primarily showcased “canonical” works, and this year is no exception—which seems fitting for a festival that includes the phrase “timeless films” in its name. At the same time, we strive to present discoveries and titles that invite fresh reconsideration.

I am convinced that one of the festival’s standout discoveries will be the Finnish miniseries Eight Deadly Shots (1972), whose restored version was screened in 2022 at the Il Cinema Ritrovato festival in Bologna. Many attendees considered it the most remarkable film they had seen in years. There is every reason to believe it will resonate just as strongly in Warsaw.

Roman Gutek