A Kujawsko-Pomorskie presence at the Cannes Film Festival
“Fatherland” by Paweł Pawlikowski will compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May. Among the film’s collaborators is a young cinematographer from Bydgoszcz, Stanisław Cuske.
“Fatherland” is the latest production by the creator of the Oscar-winning “Ida” and “Cold War.” The film is set shortly after the end of World War II and focuses on the relationship between German writer Thomas Mann (winner of the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature) and his eldest daughter, Erika. The leading roles are played by acclaimed actors Sandra Hüller, known for “The Zone of Interest” and “Anatomy of a Fall,” and Hans Zischler, who appeared, among others, in “Munich.” The cinematography was led by Łukasz Żal, and among his camera team was Bydgoszcz-born Stanisław Cuske, the son of renowned documentary filmmaker Maciej Cuske.
Not yet 30 years old, Stanisław Cuske is among the youngest cinematographers in Poland. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Radio and Television at the University of Silesia in Katowice. He comes from the circle of the Bydgoszcz Film Chronicle, co-created by his father. Despite his young age, he has already worked on acclaimed productions. He was one of the camera operators on the Oscar-winning film “The Zone of Interest” by Jonathan Glazer, where he also worked on set as part of Łukasz Żal’s team.
His joint project with director Natalia Koniarz—the documentary “Silver,” about the grueling work in Bolivian silver mines—has received international recognition and awards. In March this year, Cuske was honored with the Polish Society of Cinematographers (PSC) award in the documentary category.
Stanisław Cuske is also one of the protagonists of his father’s latest film, “Kandydaci śmierci” (“Candidates of Death”), which premiered in March at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, one of the most important European documentary film festivals. The director worked on it for nearly two decades. The starting point is a story from years ago—a shared vacation during which Maciej Cuske took his son Staś and two of his friends, and, wanting to pull them away from computer screens, suggested making an amateur horror film. Over time, this summer pastime evolved into a 17-year creative ritual, and the documentary became a record of growing up, relationships, and personal transformations. The film was produced in cooperation with the Kujawy and Pomorze Film Fund.
Cannes Film Festival
This year’s 79th Cannes International Film Festival will take place from May 12 to 23 and, as every year, will attract the attention of the global film industry. The winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or will be selected by a jury chaired by South Korean director Park Chan-wook. The main competition will feature 21 films, including “Fatherland” as well as “Parallel Tales” by Asghar Farhadi, produced by Krzysztof Piesiewicz and Maciej Musiał.
Dariusz Czołgowski
April 10, 2026