The 15th American Film Festival: thank you!
A week of screenings at New Horizons Cinema and nearly two weeks of cinematic magic in your homes – every American Dream, no matter how long and beautiful, must eventually come to an end. On Sunday, we officially concluded the 15th American Film Festival (though some of you may have squeezed in a final online screening yesterday).
After exploring the vast and varied landscapes of U.S. cinema, spending countless hours in theater seats and on familiar couches, and sharing dozens of lively discussions – both official and spontaneous – we’ll make it short: thank you! This year’s journey through all states of cinema was a celebration like no other, befitting the festival’s anniversary. We already miss you and are eagerly counting down the days to the 16th American Film Festival!
Long, but worth every word
We admit that “we’ll make it short” wasn’t entirely true. Because today, we want to express our gratitude to the incredible people, institutions, and partners who made this year’s American Dream so vibrant. The list is long, but that only proves how big the AFF family has become.
Above all, our deepest thanks go to you, the audience – the best festivalgoers from here (we write this in Wroclaw) to Alaska. Thank you for your trust, your insatiable appetite for independent U.S. cinema, your open-mindedness, and your thoughtful feedback. Your kind words – and your constructive criticism – mean everything to us. And since we’re on the subject of feedback, we’d love for you to help us grow even better by filling out our survey.
A stripped-down hit? Not at AFF. For years, we’ve said you are the heart of the festival, and year after year, this sentiment holds true. Dear Volunteers: you are the lifeblood of AFF, and your cordiality, composure, and professionalism are what make this event so uniquely special.
Our gratitude also goes to the patron of the American Film Festival, the Municipality of Wrocław. For more than a decade, this city has not only been the cultural hub of Lower Silesia but also the European capital of the finest independent cinema from the United States.
We extend sincere thanks to our outstanding sponsors and partners: the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, mBank – partner of the Highlights section, Mercedes-Benz Grupa Wróbel, Luxmed Group, and Concordia Design. And 4 Szpaki for wrapping us in Miłość (Love) once again, as well as iTaxi for ensuring safe travels. A special thanks to Fundacja Katarynka, whose commitment to making great cinema accessible for all remains unwavering.
To BWA Wrocław: with you, one can journey even to the Wild West. Thank you for organizing the stunning photography exhibition I Wish I Was a Yellow Dog by Lora Webb Nichols, which became the starting point for the Women of the American Frontier section. The exhibition is open until February 23, 2025 at Studio BWA Wrocław.
All states of good taste were provided by Texico and Rumbar, which hosted the Festival Club. A restful night’s sleep was provided by our friendly hotels: Herbal, Art, Monopol, Altus, Puro, Wyndham, and Korona. Thank you!
Reviews, interviews, essays, broadcasts, podcasts – and so much more. The buzz around this year’s American Film Festival was palpable, and we owe it all to our extraordinary media partners. Our long list included: Variety, Filmweb, TOK FM, Wyborcza.pl, Wysokieobcasy.pl, AMS, Radio RAM, Radio Wrocław, Radio Wrocław Kultura, Vogue, Zwierciadło, Radio 357, newonce, AMC, Filmbox, Film Cafe, Pełna Sala, Final Girls, Znak Monthly, Immersja, TvTOK, SpoilerMaster, Mocne Punkty, Wchłonięty przez Orient, Radio LUZ, Typowy Jędrzej – student filmoznawstwa, Typowa K., and Ten Konrad. We would also like to thank TVP Wrocław, TVP Info, TVN24, and Polsat News for covering the festival.
Last but not least: a heartfelt thanks to Łukasz Pawłowski and Piotr Tarczyński, whose contributions went far beyond the Podkast amerykański this year. As co-creators of the new Politics on Screen section, they masterfully guided us through the complexities of American politics, past and present.
We also extend our deepest thanks to the institutions and organizations that made US in Progress a reality. Special gratitude goes to the Marshal’s Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, the Polish Film Institute, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and our co-organizer, the Lower Silesian Film Center.
This long list of acknowledgements is signed by the team of the Association and New Horizons Cinema. Thank you, and see you in 2025! (And in the meantime, visit the New Horizons Cinema and dive into American cinematic gems on the New Horizons VOD!).
