For seven days, Radom will live and breathe film. Filmmakers from across Poland and Europe will fill the city’s streets, audiences will gather under the open sky to meet film stars in the evenings, and the city center will transform into the stage for a spectacular performance inspired by the history of the June 1976 protests in Radom. A parade, open-air cinema screenings, FREEDOM Film Festival, workshops, competitions, and special events – this is what the 19th edition of the KAMERALNE LATO International Film Festival has in store.
It is in Radom, during the KAMERALNE LATO Festival, that experienced artists, emerging filmmakers, film industry professionals, and audiences eager to stay close to the world of cinema come together each year. This year’s edition will once again bring together film, education, history, and city life, demonstrating that the best festivals are created where culture meets the local community. So, what has the FILMFORUM Association prepared for this year’s edition?
19th KAMERALNE LATO Takes Over the City – A Parade, Music, and Iconic Cinema
The festival will begin on July 5 to the sound of fanfares, drums, and trumpets. During the official opening ceremony at the Deskurów Townhouse, attendees will enjoy a performance by the Orchestra of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Katowice. Following a colorful parade through the Market Square, the musical celebrations will move to the Concert Shell in Tadeusz Kościuszko Park. There, residents and visitors alike will have the opportunity to enjoy a concert by Mistrz i Małgorzata, a Radom-based music project that has been active since 2014.
Previous editions have shown that the people of Radom have truly embraced SKY ABOVE RADOM, the open-air cinema series of the KAMERALNE LATO Festival. In response to the tremendous enthusiasm of audiences, the FILMFORUM Association has prepared even more cinematic experiences under the stars for this year’s edition.
Audiences can look forward to meetings with filmmakers and actors, discussions about cinema, and screenings of films that entertain, move, and inspire reflection. Each screening will be preceded by a conversation with special festival guests, hosted by Łukasz Adamski. Among those appearing on the festival stage this year will be Olaf Lubaszenko, Kordian Kądziela, Piotr Cyrwus, and Kamila Urzędowska. This year’s program combines action film classics with contemporary Polish productions. Audiences will have the opportunity to watch First Blood directed by Ted Kotcheff, E=mc² directed by Olaf Lubaszenko, LARP: Love, Trolls and Other Quests directed by Kordian Kądziela, and Wujek Foliarz directed by Michał Tylka.
A new addition to this year’s edition will be the KRÓTKO I DOSTĘPNIE program, an initiative by the FILMFORUM Association dedicated to improving accessibility in film culture. As part of the project, audiences will have the opportunity to watch a carefully curated selection of short films presented in a format designed to meet the needs of viewers with visual and hearing impairments. Audio description, closed captions, and other accessibility features will ensure that the festival’s film screenings are even more inclusive and accessible to all audiences.
Mucha in Action: The Special Scene
On July 7, the center of Radom will be transformed into a film set. Cameras, lighting equipment, special effects, and live cinematic action will take over the area around the fountains on Żeromskiego Street. The event will be directed by Bodo Kox, a filmmaker renowned for his distinctive cinematic language and unconventional artistic vision. The lead role will be played by Anna Mucha, an actress who has been a prominent presence in both film and theatre for many years.
This is one of those events that best captures the spirit of the KAMERALNE LATO Festival. For years, the festival has extended beyond traditional screening venues, inviting residents to take an active role in cultural life. The Special Film Scene is its most spectacular example – for one evening, the boundary between a film set and the everyday reality of the city virtually disappears.
Not coincidentally, the event will also tie into the commemorations marking the 50th anniversary of the June 1976 protests in Radom. Through SCENARIUSZ’76, its film-based historical education program, the festival aims to demonstrate that history is not a closed chapter confined to textbooks, but a living narrative to which contemporary cinema can continually return. The memory of the events of June 1976 will therefore serve as one of the key themes and points of reference for this year’s Special Film Scene. The culmination of the SCENARIUSZ’76 program will be the announcement of the winners of a competition for a film treatment inspired by the events of the Radom June protests. The laureates will be selected by a jury chaired by Filip Bajon.
Famous Names, Important Films
As part of the 5th edition of FREEDOM Film Festival, audiences will have the opportunity to watch films selected for the National and International Short Film Competitions. These are stories that are personal and social, local and universal. They are united by a single theme: each of them seeks to answer the question of what freedom means in today’s world.
The task of selecting the best films has been entrusted to distinguished representatives of Polish cinema. In the Polish Competition, filmmakers will compete for awards judged by director and screenwriter Magdalena Łazarkiewicz (Chair of the Jury), actor Piotr Cyrwus, actress Kamila Urzędowska, and film producer Maciej Rzączyński. The winners of the International Competition, meanwhile, will be chosen by a jury chaired by director and screenwriter Agnieszka Smoczyńska. Joining her on the panel will be actress Anna Mucha, actress Paulina Gałązka, and director and screenwriter Bartosz M. Kowalski. These jury line-ups promise lively discussions, diverse perspectives, and unexpected choices.
And this is only the beginning. The program of the 19th edition of KAMERALNE LATO still holds many highlights that will be announced in the coming weeks. One thing is certain – this summer, Radom will once again become a place for truly exceptional cinematic encounters. Follow KAMERALNE LATO for the latest updates, and see you in July!
