The full 16. TAURON American Film Festival lineup is now revealed!
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been introducing the residents moving into our festival dream neighborhood. Today, the list is finally complete: the entire program of the 16th TAURON American Film Festival is here, and you can now decide who you’d like to visit between November 6–11 in Wrocław (or welcome them to your home screens – thanks to the online edition available until November 23).
Ticket sales for both on-site and online screenings will begin on Thursday, October 23, at noon.
Prefer to listen? Tune in to the podcast where Ula Śniegowska, the festival director, talks with Patrycja Mucha-Smolińska about this year’s program (available in Polish only).
Welcome to the neighborhood!
Iconic North American suburbs set the tone for this year’s visual identity—and the story framing our program announcement. Each film and each new name became another element of this expanding district, which you can now see in all its glory. Our dream neighborhood has grown impressively: AFF audiences can look forward to 137 films with a combined running time of 12,001 minutes! Among them are 35 Polish premieres and 17 European premieres. Wrocław will also host dozens of filmmakers from the United States and Poland, including Susan Seidelman, Alexandre O. Philippe, Pete Ohs, Lena Góra, and Agata Trzebuchowska. (Look for screenings marked with an asterisk in the program—you’ll meet our guests at those events!)
A family beginning, a family ending
Our first guide through the AFF suburbs will be Jim Jarmusch. As part of the opening, and thanks to our collaboration with Gutek Film, we will present his Golden Lion–winning FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER. On the festival’s first day, you’ll also be able to see Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, Lynch/Oz by Alexandre O. Philippe, The Chronology of Water by Kirsten Stewart, Sorry, Baby by Eva Victor, After This Death by Lucio Castro, The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Jim Sharman, and—very fittingly—SubUrbia by Richard Linklater. We’ll bid farewell to the 16th TAURON American Film Festival in the company of HIKARI’S Rental Family, presented thanks to our collaboration with Searchlight Pictures.
The villa district, or festival hits
The core mission of AFF is to showcase independent, original gems from the United States—films that rarely make it to Polish cinemas, filtered out by the tight sieve of the mainstream. Yet, Hollywood-style productions also have a permanent home in our lineup: for years, we’ve been showing that the dream factory can still produce outstanding works where big budgets meet true artistry.
So let’s take a stroll through the villa district of our festival neighborhood. This year’s hits include: Christy by David Michôd, featuring the sensational Sydney Sweeney after a striking visual transformation; Richard Linklater's Blue Moon (starring Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott) and Oliver Hermanus' The History of Sound (starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor) – two films exploring love for music and love through music; Die My Love by Lynne Ramsay, a story about destructive passion (though we guarantee you’ll fall even deeper for Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson); and The Mastermind by Kelly Reichardt, a delightfully subversive comedy about trying to win affection through an audacious act of theft.
If you like living next door to famous and beloved celebrities who, despite their star status, are approachable and pleasantly down-to-earth, this is your street. Here you’ll find Willem Dafoe (Late Fame), Chen Chang (Lucky Lu), Jay Duplass (director of The Baltimorons), Juliette Lewis (By Design), and Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, winner of the Silver Bear at Berlinale 2025—her performance is a real earthquake!). If that’s your kind of neighborhood, be sure to visit the Highlights and Festival Favorites sections.
Indie Star Award: Susan Seidelman and Alexandre O. Philippe
They carve their own paths instead of following the mainstream. They consistently break down barriers—whether thematic, stylistic, or industry-related. They expand the field of cinematic possibility while remaining true to their vision. We present the Indie Star Awards to creators who redefine the face of independent cinema through their work. This year, two exceptional residents join our festival neighborhood: Susan Seidelman and Alexandre O. Philippe.
Susan Seidelman is among the few filmmakers who, since the 1980s, have navigated the male-dominated film industry with success, ensuring that the female perspective never goes overlooked. The festival will honor her with a retrospective, featuring Desperately Seeking Susan (with unforgettable performances by Madonna and Rosanna Arquette) and episodes from the first season of Sex and the City directed by Seidelman herself. The director will also give a masterclass. The patron of this year’s Indie Star Award for Susan Seidelman is Ewa Voelkel, owner and CEO of Concordia Design and founder of the Voelkel Foundation, while the retrospective is organized under the curatorial direction of Dr. Patrycja Mucha-Smolińska, with the support of the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute.
Alexandre O. Philippe, recipient of the second Indie Star Award, is a longtime friend of the AFF and an excellent provider of cinematic pleasure. His documentaries on the history of American cinema spotlight visionaries and outsiders—figures without whom film as an art form would be far poorer. This year’s festival will feature a selection of his documentaries, and Philippe will also give a masterclass. The review of his work is curated by Piotr Czerkawski.
Politics on screen and politically incorrect jokes
Our festival community doesn’t exist in a vacuum—we don’t shy away from big questions or political debates. For the second time, we invite you to explore Politics on Screen, a section co-curated with Łukasz Pawłowski and Piotr Tarczyński, the creators of Podkast amerykański (The American Podcast). At the New Horizons Cinema, we’ll showcase a selection of the most compelling political films from the 1930s through the 1990s. Łukasz and Piotr will also join us in Wrocław: you’ll be able to attend their lectures, meet them in person, and hear Piotr discuss his latest book (more on that below).
To balance the political with the playful, we invite you to Freaks & Geeks, a section co-created with Filmweb and curated by Maciej Satora, Łukasz Muszyński, and Jan Lubaczewski. Here, we revisit the early 2000s, when American comedies were at their boldest and most unapologetically politically incorrect (yes, Tropic Thunder by Ben Stiller is on the list). On November 7, following the screening of Superbad, join us for a discussion titled “From McLovin to Darek Wasiak: On American and Polish Comedy in the 21st Century.”
Youth and experience: Young Americans and American Classics
The youngest residents of our festival neighborhood live in the Young Americans section, where we’ve gathered the most engaging coming-of-age stories: moving, tender, and full of the emotional turbulence of adolescence. Among them is Lemonade Blessing by Chris Merola, a devilishly sharp satire on religious upbringing in the United States (and a portrait of the hell that is being a teenager).
The doyens of our neighborhood can be found in the American Classics section, featuring cult, legendary, and timeless works. Expect, among others, Miloš Forman’s Oscar-winning grand slam One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now: Final Cut, and George Roy Hill’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid—screened as a tribute to the recently deceased Robert Redford.
Suburbia under the white and red flag: the Polonica section
Polish women and men have long played a vital role in shaping American cinema—and this year, we’re proud to show that their influence continues to thrive. In the Polonica section, you’ll find several remarkable titles born out of vibrant Polish-American creative collaboration. Among them is Pete Ohs’s Erupcja, shot in Warsaw with Charli XCX and Lena Góra.
New residents, or the Breakthrough and American Docs competition sections
Here, right here! This is the heart of our festival neighborhood—the place where discovery happens! The Breakthrough competition (15 feature films) and American Docs competition (6 documentaries) bring together outstanding (!) works from filmmakers who are just launching their careers but already shine with exceptional talent. If you’re looking for the boldest, freshest examples of American independent cinema, this is where to start. After each screening, don’t forget to vote for your favorites—you’ll help decide the winners of the Audience Award.
We would like to thank the TAURON Group, this year's patron of the Breakthrough Competition Award.
Documentarily good!
Creating a great documentary is an art. Creating a great documentary about great art is a masterpiece. If you love stories that delve into the creative process—of both artists and filmmakers—visit the Docs on Film and Arts section. Eleven titles await you, including Mike Figgis’s Megadoc, which takes you behind the scenes of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, and Alexandre O. Philippe’s Kim Novak’s Vertigo, a fascinating look at the story behind a legendary actress and an iconic role.
Short and to the point: American Shorts
Do you prefer jogging or power walking around our festival suburbs? Head to the American Shorts section, co-created with CINEMAFORUM, where we’ve gathered the freshest and finest examples of contemporary American short films.
Artificial intelligence, real dilemmas: films created by AI and discussion
AI is racing through the film world at breakneck speed. But is that good or bad news? Does it bring more risks or opportunities? Films (co-)created by artificial intelligence are already a reality—so it’s worth, and even necessary, to talk about it. During the festival, we’ll explore the impact of AI on the film industry in the broadest sense, and not just in theory. On November 8, we’ll screen a selection of films created with AI, followed by an in-depth discussion of this phenomenon with a panel of experts. The conversation and meetings with the creators (in English only) will be moderated by Matt Szymanowski, director and speaker from California.
The basis of good neighborliness: conversation
Sometimes you just need to sit down and have a chat. Together with the Pełna Sala team, we invite you to a film discussion club (DKF) after the screening of Hitchcock’s cult classic Vertigo (November 9). We’ll also meet with the Immersja team to discuss Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love (DKF, also November 9) and, more broadly, to reflect on the current state of American cinema—after the pandemic, the writers’ strike, and recent political upheavals (discussion on November 8). We’ll talk about American and Polish comedy in the 21st century with the Filmweb team (November 7). Admission to all discussions requires a ticket for the corresponding screening or a reservation with a pass or accreditation. (If there are free seats after the screenings, you’re welcome to join without one.)
On the festival’s final day, you’ll have the chance to bombard Piotr Tarczyński and Łukasz Pawłowski with questions during a meeting for listeners of Podkast amerykański—free admission!
Looking to make new friends? Here’s your chance: on November 8, join us for Speedfriending, organized by the Psychoczule Collective.
Required reading. Encounters within Reading America
Well, not really required—you can come even if you haven’t read the books yet. At these meetings, you’ll find out why they’re worth picking up in the first place. Together with the Wrocław Literature House and the publishers Czarne, Filia, Port, and Znak Literanova, we invite you to Club Proza for a series of discussions exploring the many faces of America. The program includes: a meeting with Piotr Tarczyński about Oślizgłe macki, wiadome siły. Historia Ameryki w teoriach spiskowych (The Slippery Tentacles, Known Forces: A History of America in Conspiracy Theories); a conversation with Katherine Stewart about her book The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism; a discussion of Maggie Haberman’s biography Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America; and a conversation about William S. Burroughs’ novella Queer. Admission is free.
Have you watched it? Have you read it? Now...
...head to the Wine and Food Pairing event at the Focus Hotel (right next to the New Horizons Cinema) after the screening of Sex and the City on November 8—it’s the perfect combination. Admission for adults is based on free invitations (limited number; details available on the festival website). Still thirsty? Then watch Bottle Shock, the story of Jim Barrett, owner of the famous Chateau Montelena vineyard, and afterwards, taste Californian wines in the cinema foyer (November 10). Admission is limited to adults upon presentation of a ticket from the screening or a seat reservation with a pass or accreditation. Or maybe you’re in the mood for a laugh? On November 9, after the screening of Are We Good?, stay for the stand-up show Three Americans Go to the Movies. The evening will feature three veterans who dare to claim they started stand-up comedy in Wrocław: Derrek Carriveau, Famous Jim Williams, and Christian A. Dumais.
AFF-ter parties and Top Floor Bar
Okay, sometimes you need to get out of the suburbs and head downtown to dance. This year, though, we have a different suggestion: instead of going far, go up! From November 6 to 10, the Top Floor Bar awaits you on the last floor of the New Horizons Cinema (open from 8 p.m. until late). Come to relax, enjoy a drink, listen to good music, or share your film impressions with friends.
We’re also continuing our beloved AFF-ter party tradition! On Friday, November 7, join us for a Silent Disco inspired by the Freaks & Geeks section (yes, there will be all the hottest hits from the early 2000s). On Saturday, the Erupcja film crew will set the dance floor on fire. Admission is free for festival ticket holders, pass and accreditation holders. Please note: there will be a small fee for headphone rental at the Silent Disco.
Psst! We have a little secret
…but we’re not revealing it just yet. We’re continuing our tradition of secret screenings—this time in collaboration with SkyShowtime. What? Where? When? Visit our website, check the details, and get ready to be (pleasantly!) surprised.
Expanding the neighborhood: US in Progress
Once again, the US in Progress industry event will take place—a platform where Polish post-production companies help complete independent American films, while producers can learn about co-production opportunities in Poland and connect with potential partners from the local film industry. It’s the perfect way to end this text: US in Progress is all about growth, where we make sure our American neighborhood keeps expanding.
US in Progress is co-organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.
* * *
The 16th TAURON American Film Festival will take place from November 6 to 11, traditionally at the New Horizons Cinema in Wrocław. Many films will also be available online from November 6 to 23 via the New Horizons VOD platform. Tickets for on-site screenings can be purchased at americanfilmfestival.pl, and online passes and packages are available on the NH VOD website.
