Programme

Introduction

Over the years, two competitions have remained the core of the Festival program: the Main Dramatic Competition “Making Way” and the Polish Feature Film Competition. The first of the two sections is a showcase of ten directing debuts and second films from all over the world competing for the Andrzej Wajda Krakow Film Award of USD 25,000. In the Polish Feature Film Competition ten most interesting Polish titles have a chance to win the Dominika Kulczyk & dFlights Award of PLN 100,000. Other awards include those for Best Actress, Best Actor and Mastercard Rising Star for acting debut. The winners are selected by members of two juries comprised of outstanding international filmmakers and experts.

In 2023, during the upcoming 16th edition of the Festival, the Mastercard OFF CAMERA audiences will see films screened in regular, well-known and popular sections: American Indies – dedicated to daring, uncompromising and fascinating American cinema and Best of Fests – showcasing interesting productions awarded at international film festivals, that the Polish audience will have an opportunity to see on the silver screen, often for the first time.

You can also expect a multitude of amazing novelties: with four completely fresh film sections, the Festival audience will go on an unforgettable journey through film genres, conventions, phenomena and trends. On top of that, join us for numerous meetings with guests, film directors, special screenings, workshops, discussions and accompanying events.

Programme

Contests and sections
Main Dramatic Competition “Making Way”

The international competition for the Andrzej Wajda Krakow Film Award is the main section of the Mastercard OFF CAMERA Festival. Festival audiences will be the first in Poland to see the debuts and second films of the most talked-about artists from around the world. These are the films that delighted audiences at the biggest film events, including festivals in Toronto, Locarno, Rotterdam and Sundance.

see films of sections

Polish Feature Film Competition

Our Polish Feature Film Competition is dedicated to those Polish titles that opened throughout the past year and stroke us as most interesting, original and universal. Ten feature films will compete for the Dominika Kulczyk & dFlights Award in the Polish Feature Films contest: PLN 100 000.

see films of sections

Hello, Adventure!

It’s a concept as old as cinema itself: films can be a way for audiences to feel like they’re taking part in the on-screen characters’ incredible adventures, which they’ll probably never get to experience in real life.

see films of sections

American Indies

American cinema has always been very much about stories. Stories that stimulate the imagination, are bold and, above all, diverse. Sometimes tongue-in-cheek, at other times a little more serious, they portray characters entangled in various traps, the ups and downs of life overseas. Although the protagonists’ reality is changing as dynamically as the American landscape, they will not hesitate to fulfil their dreams, cross borders and live their own lives.

see films of sections

Best of Fests

In this section, we will see the latest films by recognised directors, but also productions of budding filmmakers who captured the attention of audiences and critics around the world. These films, highly appreciated by our programmers, often combine commercial potential with an independent, creative spirit and rebellious nature.

see films of sections

Herstories

There’s no question that we’re still stuck in a thoroughly patriarchal and chauvinistic society. While the last few years have brought on a lot of positive cultural change, spearheaded by the #metoo and #timesup movements, women still find themselves sidelined: at work, in the family, and ultimately on the big screen.

see films of sections

Techno Party

Technology is an essential part of modern life, affecting almost every aspect of our existence. It’s difficult to imagine everyday life without a smart-phone, a computer, or access to the Internet. Rapid advances in technology also contribute significantly to the development of medicine, and artificial intelligence may soon revolutionize the labor market.

see films of sections

All in the family

According to the well-known saying, you can’t choose your family (though we will come back to that later). This “basic social unit”, as it is commonly defined, has been an inexhaustible source of cultural and cinematic inspiration for decades. Intricate, dramatic and amusing family stories are dressed up by directors in a variety of conventions and genre schemes.

see films of sections

Special Events
Szczepański Square Cinema

Come to Szczepański Square! In an environment rather unusual for film screenings, the cinemaniacs will be able to see the film hits that – though we know them so well – never get old or boring.

see films of sections

Podgórze Cinema

Podgórze is another new location that fits into the festival’s idea of showing good cinema in urban space. The screenings held there are not only a chance for a cinematic experience, but also an opportunity to get to know this dynamically developing district.

see films of sections

Cinema by the Galeria Krakowska Shopping Center

Galeria Krakowska and the main train station right next door have thousands of people passing through them every day. This makes it an ideal space for the festival’s open-air cinema.

see films of sections

Botanical Garden Cinema

Nature opens up to the cinema. This new outdoor spot on the festival’s map will let you enjoy the cinematic experience in the unique, verdant setting of the Jagiellonian University Botanic Garden.

see films of sections

Storytellers by Storytel

Once more we invite you to take part in a TV series focused event, held during the MASTERCARD Off Camera Festival. Storytellers will take place in Krakow, on 29th of April – 2nd of May. It is an annual event dedicated to serialized narratives of all shapes and forms. It is a celebration of engaging stories, paying attention to the quality of storytelling, not only to the commercial potential of certain titles. It is a chance to present original, revolutionary episodic narratives, both adapted and original;

See series

PRO INDUSTRY by Digital Domain

PRO INDUSTRY – Mastercard OFF CAMERA industry meetings at the highest level.

For three days (2 – 4 May 2023) Krakow will become a meeting center for an international group of creators, producers, directors, screenwriters, experts and consultants. Panel discussions, workshops and co – production meetings will provide an opportunity to hear about the ideas for new projects and share experiences with the making of feature films and facing a wide range of difficulties. We’ll also talk about successful distribution of Polish films.

See meetings

Storytellers by Storytel

Once more we invite you to take part in a TV series focused event, held during the Mastercard OFF CAMERA Festival. Storytellers will take place in Krakow, on 29th of April – 2nd of May. It is an annual event dedicated to serialized narratives of all shapes and forms. It is a celebration of engaging stories, paying attention to the quality of storytelling, not only to the commercial potential of certain titles. It is a chance to present original, revolutionary episodic narratives, both adapted and original; an opportunity to encounter writers, producers, actors and actresses taking part in creating a nuanced, mutifaceted story and characters. Storytellers also allows us to speak of film franchises, narrative video games, episodic audiobooks, and any popular popcultural universes using different forms of storytelling. It provides a great space for workshops, and can be used for creating ellaborate stories, which will in return help inspire Polish creative industry, as well as help TV series fans to look deeper into the narrative world.

Storytellers is free to all attendees. All events included in the programme are held in MOS and Plac Szczepański in Kraków, as well as online – via MASTERCARD Off Camera social media profiles and Interia.pl

Skip to content
Zezwól na powiadomienia OK Nie, dziękuję