Halfway Through WATCH DOCS: Wednesday's Highlights!

Palestine’s Oscar nominee, dog-themed print, and the last screening of ‘Comrades’ – WATCH DOCS hits the midpoint: what’s on this Wednesday (November 27)!

“From Ground Zero” (6:00 PM, KINOMUZEUM) – A collection of twenty short stories from the heart of the Gaza Strip. Created by young Palestinian filmmakers—ranging from debutants to seasoned professionals—these creative documentaries, animations, and hybrid works offer a perspective far removed from the one typically seen in the media. What is daily life like for residents of besieged cities? What are their fears, how do they cope with hunger, water shortages, a lack of medicine, and the challenges of raising children? Can cinema truly convey their experiences to the world? "From Ground Zero” is a powerful, urgent attempt to shine a light on the lives of people striving to survive in a world where they’ve lost control over their future. After the screening, stay for the discussion "Crime without punishment".

Wednesday is also the last chance to meet the protagonists of two outstanding Polish documentaries:

"Such Feeling" (6:00 PM, Kino Muranów + Q&A with the crew and film protagonists)
The most important contemporary documentary about queer Warsaw. A candid portrait of a group of friends, which has become a manifesto for their generation. Artist and choreographer Alex Baczyński-Jenkins spent several years following a close-knit group of individuals for his debut feature film. The film features Aaa, Billy, Dawid, Filipka, and Olo, who create, protest, and support each other while facing a hostile environment for queer people.
"Comrades" (6:15 PM, Kinoteka + Q&A with the director and film protagonists)
An unconventional portrait of a generation of idealists who are up against the political status quo. The protagonists of Joanna Janikowska's film live in Bologna—a city with a strong leftist tradition. Demonstrations, riots, and clashes with the police are part of their everyday lives. They want to make a difference, and joining the Communist Party seems like the natural choice—a party traditionally associated in Italy with the true leftist ethos. However, the party, mostly made up of comrades over sixty, struggles to keep up with a rapidly changing reality, and for many of their peers, opposition to the system is reduced to singing communist anthems and smoking joints. What could revolution look like today? Does socialism even have a place in the age of social media?

Today, you also have a unique opportunity to get this year's dog-themed print! For the third year in a row, we’re teaming up with Gallery V9 to bring you the benefit “Selfisz” event. You bring your own clothes to be decorated with a limited edition festival graphic, and in the process, you’ll be helping dogs in need—the proceeds will go to the Ratuj Adoptuj Pomagaj Foundation. The foundation rescues dogs from shelters and individuals who have mistreated them. The dogs who receive help are often the ones most in need—those who are unadoptable, paralyzed by fear, injured, semi-wild, or elderly.The print will be applied using screen printing—if you can’t attend, you can still place a preorder.

Hurry up to help the pups— and catch the best docs at WATCH DOCS!