The 18th—now grown-up—edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity will begin on September 3. The countdown to the start of Poland's biggest documentary film festival is a great opportunity to recall the films awarded at last year's edition. If you have not seen any of them yet, you can do it on VOD.MDAG.PL. You can buy a one-time access to the films for PLN 9.50 or buy a pass for several films!

FOR SAMA, dir. Waad Al-Kateab, Edward Watts

"For Sama" tells the inside story of the Syrian tragedy. The commentary is in the form of a letter from a mother to her child. War can’t get much closer without being there yourself. Waad al-Kateab dedi-cates the film to her newborn daughter: “I need you to understand why your father and I made the choices we did, what we were fighting for.” With a simple digital camera, she documents the Syrian uprising against Assad in the rebel stronghold of Aleppo, from the beginning to the forced evacuation at the end of 2016.

Audience Award (Warsaw audience vote)

WOMAN, dir. Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Anastasia Mikova

”Woman” is a worldwide project giving voice to 2000 women across 50 different countries. Despite its impressive scale, the film offers an intimate portrait of those who constitute half of the humanity, yet are still subject to violence and injustice. What the film would like to underline most is the inner strength of women and their capacity to change the world despite all the difficulties they face. In this new era where women’s voices resonate more and more, the aim of the film is not only to call for rights or focus on problems, but to find solu-tions and try to reconcile the two genders.

“Co Jest Grane 24” Readers’ Choice Award

THE WALL OF SHADOWS, dir. Eliza Kubarska

Ngada Sherpa and his wife Jomdoe from Nepal, break a taboo and climb Kumbhakarna – one of the most holy of mountains, to earn money for their son’s school and save him from a dangerous and degrading work as a porter. The East face of the mountain (7710 m) is one of the most difficult challenges in alpinism today. A group of leading alpinists from the Western world take part in the expedition. The Holy Mountain confronts both the climbers and Sherpas with equal harshness.

Silesian Voivodeship Audience Award

BETWEEN US, dir. Dorota Proba

An intimate portrait of three relationships. Three couples decide to have an honest conversation initiated by a set of seemingly simple questions. Slowly, space for an exchange of hidden emotions and confessions is created. "Between Us" is a depiction of contemporary love with a generous seasoning of humour.

Best Polish Film Award

THE WHALE FROM LORINO, dir. Maciej Cuske

Chukotka, a place located on the edge of Siberia, where freezing winter lasts ten months. It's a severe land, where only the strongest are able to survive. One of the oldest Siberian tribes has been living there for centuries. Its tradition, culture and life in harmony with nature had been brutally destroyed by the Soviet regime. Since the USSR collapsed the tribe members have been trying to survive, in spite of the lack of wisdom coming from their ancestors and lack of hope for the future. One of the last sources of life and tradition for the Chukchi people is hunting for whales, whose fate is also threatened.

The Smakjam Polish Competition Prize for the Best Production

The Euphoria of Being, dir. Réka Szabó

The Hungarian Éva Fahidi was 18 when she and her family were deported to Auschwitz in 1944. She was separated from her family and learned after the war that all her 49 blood relatives had been murdered, including her parents and sister. Director and dancer Réka Szabó became fascinated by Fahidi’s life story, documented in her book “The Soul of Things”. She reached out to the elderly Fahidi to ask if she would like to dance in a piece about her life, together with the young and acclaimed dancer Emese Cuhorka. 

The Best Debut Award