From October 22 to 26, CINEMAFORUM will showcase the most interesting and outstanding short films in the world. The program of this 24th edition includes not only international films presented across several sections, but also screenings of independent music videos, meetings and Q&A sessions with filmmakers, and a range of special events.
CINEMAFORUM – the International Short Film Festival – is one of Poland’s leading events dedicated to short films. Each year, as part of the International Short Narrative Competition, the festival presents the finest short films from around the world. Audiences in Warsaw have a unique opportunity to see Oscar-nominated titles and award-winning films from Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, and Venice – as well as outstanding productions from across the globe, from Europe and Canada to Singapore and Haiti.
What’s in store?
Every day at CINEMAFORUM offers a journey through different cinematic worlds. For those most interested in Polish short films, we invite you on Wednesday and Thursday to screenings of works nominated for the Jan Machulski Awards. On Friday, the first screenings of the International Short Narrative Competition will take place — a mosaic of films from around the world — alongside American Shorts, a program presenting contemporary, turbulent visions of the United States through the eyes of young filmmakers. Staying within a similar cultural sphere, Saturday brings one of the audience’s favorite sections: BAFTA Shorts, featuring the best of British short films. The day will also include more Main Competition screenings, the Experimental Cinema section (for the more adventurous viewers), and the Masters showcase — featuring works by Julia Ducournau, Jonathan Glazer, and Piotr Domalewski, who will meet with the audience in person later that night. I’m deeply convinced that everyone will find something for themselves in our program. And even if someone decides to come spontaneously, they’ll always stumble upon a screening that lets them discover something new, comments Błażej Hrapkowicz, Artistic Director of the International Short Film Festival.
Jan Machulski Awards
This year’s program of films nominated for the Jan Machulski Awards (October 22–23) features seven screenings showcasing the diversity of contemporary Polish short cinema – from works addressing current social and political issues to intimate stories about relationships and emotions. The films will feature both emerging actors and established stars of Polish cinema, including Andrzej Chyra, Dorota Pomykała, Katarzyna Figura, and Andrzej Konopka. Each screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers, hosted by Marta Karnkowska, the Awards’ curator.
14th Independent Music Video Show
On Thursday, the festival will feature 37 music videos from acclaimed figures of the independent scene, including works by short film creators showcased at festivals, formal experiments, and videos from the latest musical discoveries – spanning genres from punk rock and country to electro, rap, and sung poetry.
CINEMAFORUM X KINOMUZEUM
This year brings not only a new festival location but also a new section in the program dedicated to experimental cinema. We are excited to partner with an event that has consistently showcased the many faces of short-form filmmaking over the years. We are particularly proud that, as KINOMUZEUM, we help shape the section devoted to experimental cinema. These experimental short films represent not only a turn toward bold visual explorations but also an opportunity to see new possibilities in film form. We hope that during the festival, our cinema will become a space for discovering rich cinematic perspectives. At the same time, we invite visitors to the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, where the exhibition Near East, Far West – Kyiv Biennale 2025 is on view. The sixth edition of the Kyiv Biennale 2025 has been curated by a consortium of curators from L’Internationale – the European confederation of museums, art institutions, and universities, says Michał Chabiera, curator and coordinator of KINOMUZEUM.
>>>PROGRAM OF THE 24th CINEMAFORUM
The detailed CINEMAFORUM program and festival updates can be followed on Instagram, Facebook, and the festival website: cinemaforum.pl.
CINEMAFORUM – International Short Film Festival
October 22–26, 2025 | Warsaw
KINOMUZEUM, Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
Free entry
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The event is organized by the FILMFORUM Association.
The project is co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Fund for the Promotion of Culture and the City of Warsaw.
Additional financial support comes from the Polish Film Institute.