Blog & nowości

The 23rd edition of Węgiel Film Festival has come to a close in Katowice — an event that for years has served as an important gateway for emerging filmmakers entering the professional film industry. More than simply a short film competition, the festival functions above all as a platform for the exchange of experience, expertise, and professional connections between film school students and established practitioners of the audiovisual sector.

An integral part of the festival was the Student Film Market — a dedicated space for meetings, consultations, and conversations about the realities of contemporary film production. It is precisely there that theory meets practice, and networking takes on genuine significance as a tool for building relationships and supporting long-term professional development.

Heliograf’s presence during this year’s edition was a natural extension of that environment. Our stand became a space for open discussions about film technology, lighting, and contemporary production workflows. We spoke with students from various film departments about the practical aspects of working on set — from lens selection and lighting configurations to the conscious adaptation of tools to a project’s visual language and narrative intentions.

One of the key points of the programme was Sylwester Adamski’s Master Class devoted to the evolution of lighting technology. The lecture offered a broad, cross-sectional perspective, covering both historical solutions and classical light sources, as well as contemporary LED systems, the development of lighting modifiers, and the continuing trend toward greater miniaturization and increasingly precise control of light on film sets.

The presence of Sylwester Adamski, Piotr Kępisty, and Kuba Harycki at the festival once again confirmed that Heliograf operates precisely at the intersection of technology, education, and cinematographic practice. Węgiel Film Festival remains a place where many young filmmakers gain their first industry experience, but it is increasingly becoming a space for the conscious development of craft and for making informed decisions about future professional paths.

During the closing gala, awards were presented to filmmakers whose works stood out most prominently in this year’s programme:

– Mikołaj Piszczan and Stefan Żółtowski for “SLAP!!” — Grand Prize

– Mieszko Chomka, whose “Let’s Leave It Untitled” received the award for Best Short Documentary

– Yelyzaveta Toptyhina, whose film “Curfew” received the Audience Award

We would like to thank everyone for the meetings, inspiring conversations, and the opportunity to participate in an event that actively supports the development of the emerging film community. Congratulations to all award winners and participants of this year’s edition of Węgiel Film Festival.