Kujawsko-Pomorskie Film: Awards for Bydgoszcz Filmmakers at the “Young and Film” Festival
Cinematographer Stanisław Cuske received an award, while director Krzysztof Nowicki earned a special mention at Poland’s leading festival for debut filmmakers.
The 45th edition of the Young and Film Debut Film Festival took place in Koszalin, where filmmakers from Bydgoszcz received major honours in the feature documentary competition.
Award for Silver
Stanisław Cuske received the Jantar 2026 Award for Cinematography for the documentary Silver. Created together with director Natalia Koniarz, the film explores the harsh realities of labour in Bolivia’s silver mines. The documentary has already gained international recognition and won numerous awards at festivals in Poland and abroad.
In its citation, the festival jury wrote:
“The mountain is an open space. The mountain is freedom and light. In darkness, human beings and matter become one. For a beautiful and metaphysical encounter with darkness. For imagery that allows the viewer to taste mercury, feel the crushing weight of stone, and experience the fever of glittering underground corridors. For cinema that leads to an experience close to synesthesia.”
Director Natalia Koniarz was also honoured in Koszalin with the festival’s top award, the Grand Jantar 2026.
Recognition for Three Songs
A special mention in the feature film competition went to Krzysztof Nowicki for the documentary Three Songs, produced by the Bydgoszcz-based Koloroffon Association.
The jury praised the film:
“For inviting us into a world where a compassionate gaze allows us to listen to the diverse, individual, and sensitive voice of each protagonist: Laura Florentyna, Małgorzata, Kamil, Przemek, Gabriel, Matylda, and Grzegorz. We meet them at moments of transformation and self-discovery. Accompanying them on this journey restores faith in the power of community and in the importance of looking at ourselves and our own voices with kindness. Let us remember that the human voice in unison is the most beautiful instrument in the world.”
The screening in Koszalin marked the Polish premiere of Three Songs. The documentary will soon be presented at the Tofifest International Film Festival in Toruń and the Fonomo Festival in Bydgoszcz.
About the Filmmakers
Stanisław Cuske graduated from the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Katowice, specialising in cinematography, and completed the documentary programme at the Andrzej Wajda School. He is associated with the Bydgoszcz Film Chronicle and has worked on music videos, feature films, and documentaries, including The Dam (2018), End of Season (2019), and Postcards from the Edge (2023). He also served as cinematographer on Fatherland, the latest film by Paweł Pawlikowski, which received the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Krzysztof Nowicki is a director, screenwriter, and producer. He founded the film collective Stealtheapple and launched the activities of Bydgoszcz’s Koloroffon in 2007. His body of work includes award-winning short documentaries screened at festivals in Poland and internationally, such as The Oldest Man in the World, The Swimming Pool, There Used to Be a Cinema Here, 21, Homestay, and Leocadia’s Dream. Three Songs is his feature-length debut.
Dariusz Czołgowski
Promotion Department
15 June 2026
