The Largest Documentary Festival in Poland with Our Patronage
The 23rd edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity will take place from May 8 to 17 in seven cities – Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Poznań, Katowice, Łódź, and Bydgoszcz – and will then move online from May 19 to June 1, allowing viewers to continue their cinematic journey on the web. The program includes nearly 180 documentaries from around the world, as well as meetings with filmmakers, workshops, debates, and musical events. Residents of Bydgoszcz will be able to participate in nearly 40 events over the course of 10 days.
For years, the festival has attracted a massive audience – in 2025, it was attended by over 181,000 viewers, making it not only the largest film event in Poland but also one of the most important documentary festivals in Europe. This year’s edition received support from the budget of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region.
This year’s installment brings a significant novelty: the establishment of the Documentary Grand Prix, awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). The award, which will be presented for the first time in 2026, will go to the best documentary film of the past year, selected by an international group of critics representing dozens of countries. This is a major step toward even greater global recognition for the festival.
The theme of this year’s edition – “Searching” (Poszukiwania) – refers both to the work of filmmakers and the experiences of the audience. Documentarians explore new forms of storytelling about reality, while viewers seek knowledge, understanding, and answers to contemporary challenges. In times of increasing polarization and uncertainty, the festival becomes a space for dialogue and reflection on geopolitical, social, and ecological issues.
In the Main Competition, the theme of the quest takes many forms – from literal ones, like the dramatic story of a father searching for his missing son in the film “Endless” (Bez końca), to more symbolic ones related to identity, relationships, and one’s place in the world. Creators are also experimenting with form.
The face of this year’s MDAG poster is Soraya Akhalaghi – the protagonist, cinematographer, and co-director of the film “A Fox Under A Pink Moon,” which won the main prize at the IDFA festival in Amsterdam, the world’s largest event dedicated to documentary cinema. Soraya is an Afghan multidisciplinary artist who has endured much in her life. She primarily creates paintings and sculptures.
The program includes productions acclaimed at the most important festivals, such as the Sundance Film Festival, Berlinale, and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The opening film, “Endless”, directed by Michał Marczak, has gained recognition from international audiences and juries alike.
Films addressing the theme of war and its consequences also resonate strongly, such as “Traces” (Ślady) by Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikituk, depicting the experiences of Ukrainian women during the Russian invasion.
The program is enriched by diverse thematic sections. “Women Changing the World” returns, along with cycles dedicated to family relationships and identity. Films in the section “In the Name of the Father and the Son” tell stories of the changes occurring in contemporary relationships between fathers and sons. The section “New York I Love You, But…” is a collection of films about the New York artistic bohemia. A new addition is the “Masters” section, presenting the latest works by renowned documentary filmmakers.
There will also be no shortage of socially engaged cinema – the section “All Eyes on Palestine” will bring viewers closer to the realities of life in the conflict region, while the avant-garde program “Use of Anger: American Subversive Cinema” will focus on the history of the struggle for civil rights in the United States.
The festival is more than just film screenings. As part of MDAG Vision, viewers will immerse themselves in XR experiences, combining art with new technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality. Meanwhile, MDAG Industry remains one of the most important industry events in Europe, where future documentary projects are born and international collaborations are established.
Department of Promotion
Paweł Jankowski
May 4, 2026