Events
The schedule of the 21st MDAG included a total of 221 accompanying events, concerts, and Q&A sessions - both offline and online.
festival goers had the opportunity to ask questions to 120 filmmakers or film subjects during 130 meetings with them.
In addition to numerous debates and discussions that thematically addressed the issues raised in the films, there were also unconventional special events and exhibitions—such as a tasting event paired with a screening of the film "Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros" and photographic exhibitions by Alys Tomlinson and Libuše Jarcovjáková. As every year, there were also evening parties and musical events.
Once again, psychological support was available to participants if a screening triggered strong emotions. A special helpline was set up with our partner, Wellbee.
Selected Special Events
During the 21st MDAG, we invited audiences on a fascinating journey through the mysteries of mature relationships and the art of communication with the film "Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other." We also sought a recipe for eternal peace and the perfect life in our discussion following the film "Monk."
A significant highlight of our program was the debate organized in collaboration with Amnesty International after the film "No Other Land". The film sheds light on the complex aspects of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Together with invited guests, we examined the rules governing wars and the methods of tracking and proving war crimes, genocides, and apartheid. We discussed modern technological challenges, including the issue of deepfakes and the unauthorized use of images in the film "Another Body" delving into the rights of individuals affected by this phenomenon with invited experts.
Festival events also featured meetings with extraordinary individuals like Kai Landre, the protagonist of the film "Cyborg Generation." Kai is a musician with an implanted extra sense that captures cosmic subatomic particles in the atmosphere, converting them into notes used for composing. What does the merging of body and technology mean for humanity? We had the opportunity to ask him this and other questions in person.
The screening of the film "Fakir" inspired us to meet with the Towards Dialogue Foundation and prepare the unusual performance "TAJSA." Through this unique event, we aimed to activate, strengthen, and inspire actions towards positive social change. TAJSA is an expression of the need to recognize Romani people, their culture, distinctiveness, customs, and language.
We also tackled topics of women's experiences and their significance in various aspects of life. It was an excellent opportunity to revisit remarkable heritage and hear their voices. We explored the impact of women on the history of music and art during the screening of the film "Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg." Additionally, with "The Disappearance of Shere Hite," we returned to the decades-long debate on female sexuality and sexual education. We sought reasons why, despite nearly 50 years since the release of the Shere Hite Report, these topics are still taboo for us.
Over the years, the festival has continued the tradition of presenting films addressing important issues related to ecology and human relationships with nature. During a discussion conducted in collaboration with WWF Poland following the screening of the film "I Am a River, the River Is Me," experts delved into the topic of river protection, treating them as a crucial element of our planet's circulatory system.
We bade farewell with a true feast not only for the eyes but also for the palate! "Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros" was a culinary-cinematic journey through a world where food can be viewed as a work of art. On the last day of the festival, we took the audience on a discovery of new flavors, serving a special tasting menu inspired by the film, prepared by Kubuś Piekarenka.
It was a journey through a world of discoveries, insights, and reflections.
VR section: MDAG Vision
MDAG Vision is the virtual experience section accompanying the festival’s film programme. The experiences employ the latest technology to engage all the senses in reflecting on fundamental issues of today’s world – from our ambiguous relationship with nature to the essence of human relationships. From a journey deep into the Amazonian wilderness, through the observation of a traditional Japanese dance, to an expedition into the imaginary realms of the human mind.
The exhibition consists of six experiences that, by combining diff erent media and adopting the viewpoints of diff erent cultures, create engaging narratives. It is impossible to experience them in any other form.
The MDAG Vision section is sponsored by Visa and co-organised by the National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw. Technical support is being provided by Showtime VR, and the comfort of the festival VR experience has been catered for by the noo.ma brand.
Music Events
Rave at MDAG
A unique event tied to the premiere of the film Rave, directed by Łukasz Ronduda and Dawid Nickel! The Kulturalna space was filled with pulsating techno sounds and dancing energy for the occasion.
During the event, the protagonists of the documentary Rave performed, including Maria Smolarz, also known as nocnakawiarnia—a young artist and the face of the 21st MDAG poster!
Bad Like Warsaw Dancehall
An event accompanying the film Bad Like Brooklyn Dancehall. At the 21st MDAG, we had the chance to travel back to 1980s and 1990s New York to immerse ourselves in the Jamaican music scene that was developing in Brooklyn at the time. Filip Kalinowski, madikoptah, and DJ Zeten were responsible for filling the Kulturalna space with dancehall rhythms.
Cool Kids of Death Concert
At the 21st MDAG, we had the opportunity to experience live performance by one of the most iconic bands in the Polish alternative rock scene! Cool Kids of Death played on May 14th, in celebration of the premiere of the film Twenty Years Later: C.K.O.D.3, directed by Piotr Szczepański. The Cool Kids of Death performance was not just about music—it was also a wonderful journey through the history of the Polish alternative music scene.
Bartek Wąsik Plays Sakamoto!
Bartek Wąsik is a pianist, composer, and arranger. He has won numerous awards at national and international competitions, including the Fryderyk phonographic award and the Paszport “Polityki” in 2014. He is a co-founder and member of the Lutosławski Piano Duo and Kwadrofonik. He has performed in Europe, Asia, and both Americas. During his performance at the Pardon, To Tu club, he presented compositions by Japanese musician and composer Ryūichi Sakamoto, related to the film Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus. The film is a record of Sakamoto’s final concert performed in 2023.
Efterklang Concert
Time and again, in the 21-year history of the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival, musicians have come down from the screen to perform live for the audience—and 2024 was no exception. After an 11-year hiatus, the experimental Danish group Efterklang returned to the festival. The artists’ musical journey began in 2000 when a group of friends started recording their tracks in a Copenhagen rehearsal space, evolving since then and making a permanent mark on the contemporary indie scene. The musicians played for us on the occasion of the premiere of the film Efterklang: The Makedonium Band, directed by Andreas Johnsen, which is a record of an incredible concert performed by the musicians in North Macedonia in 2023.
Not Only Polish Mothers – Silent Disco
For the first time, the festival teamed up with Kulturalna to create a unique silent disco event. In 2024, under the theme “Not Only Polish Mothers,” we celebrated women and their uniqueness to the rhythm of sounds served by Warsaw DJs. But that’s not all—we also encouraged attendees to delve into this year’s program, with a special focus on the “Unforgettable Female Stories” section.
Activities in other festival cities
GDYNIA
There were 10 Q&A sessions and 18 accompanying events, including:
An exhibition of Patryk Hardziej's works titled “Film Posters,” showcasing several posters for feature and documentary films created by Patryk Hardziej.
A debate following the film Eternal You titled “The Afterlife at Arm's Reach: What Is the Future of Algorithmic Immortality?”
Pleasure Kitchen. A meeting with chef Marcin Popielarz after the screening of the film Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros, directed by Frederick Wiseman, featuring food during the screening.
A discussion with Adam Majchrzak: “Fake News on Steroids” following the film Another Body, directed by Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn.
Film Therapy: When Love Triumphs Over Old Age. A meeting with psychologist Anna Hebenstreit-Maruszewska after the film Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other, directed by Jacob Perlmutter and Manon Ouimet.
WROCŁAW
There were 8 Q&A sessions and 12 accompanying events, including:
A tasting of dishes inspired by the film after the screening of Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros.
Workshops titled “Paths of Pleasure” after the film The Disappearance of Shere Hite, during which participants explored and enhanced their sexuality under the guidance of educators from the ciao.wro Association.
A discussion titled “Ibelin” with Maciej Śledź, a specialist in the field, about the accessibility and equality potential of video games.
The screening of Hollywoodgate was complemented by a lecture prepared by Prof. Jarosław Jarząbek, who introduced the audience to the history of the Taliban’s activities in Afghanistan.
At the festival club Czuła Jest Noc, attendees could not only continue discussions about the films they watched but also enjoy sets by well-known Wrocław DJs, participate in games of makao, bingo, and ping-pong, and join film karaoke.
POZNAŃ
There were 5 Q&A sessions and 13 accompanying events, including:
“Black Queer Artist Night,” a queer party to the rhythm of LGBTQ+ artists’ tracks following the film Lil Nas: Long Live Montenero!
A debate titled “Towards Equality and Health Security: Why Is Abortion a Human Right?” after the film Abortion Dream Team, directed by Karolina Domagalska. Following the debate, there were hour-long Dialog Circles on (Women’s) Rights, where intimate discussions sought answers to questions related to abortion.
“Artificial Intelligence and Intimacy” – a discussion with Paula Skrzypecka and Adriana Prodeus after the film Another Body, directed by Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn.
As part of the Outdoor Cinema, there was also a screening of last year’s festival hit Pianoforte, directed by Jakub Piątek.
KATOWICE
There were 4 Q&A sessions and 12 accompanying events, including:
A meeting and discussion about the presence of women in the world of sports with the hockey players from the Kojotki Naprzód Janów Katowice team after the film Copa 71.
A meeting and lecture by Dr. hab. Jan Kozak, a professor at the Academy of Economics and an AI specialist, after the film Another Body: discussing the threats posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence and how new technologies can be used to protect against dangerous interference in our lives.
A meeting and discussion before the filmSowing the Seeds of the Wild with the rector of the Katowice Academy of Fine Arts, Prof. Grzegorz Hańderek (who participated in the film project Raw – How to Restore a River? created by the filmmakers of Sowing the Seeds of the Wild), Prof. Piotr Skubala – an ecologist and environmental ethicist – and the film's creators (May 19).
BYDGOSZCZ and ŁÓDŹ
In Bydgoszcz, there were 6 Q&A sessions and 1 accompanying event, and in Łódź, 4 Q&A sessions and 1 accompanying event, including:
An exhibition of festival film posters and frames – each year, festival screenings at the ORZEŁ cinema in the MCK are accompanied by an exhibition of selected frames and posters from the festival films, presented in the main hall of the MCK building, before the entrance to the cinema/performance hall ORZEŁ or in the popular restaurant Naturalna in downtown Bydgoszcz.
The screening of the film Grandmamauntsistercat and a meeting with the director Zuza Banasińska and producers from WFO was a special event for us, as the film won the main prize at the Berlinale, and WFO is a Łódź-based institution.
The screening of Rave and the accompanying discussion with the director and film subjects also led to a fruitful discussion and attracted large crowds – the room was packed.