October 30, 2025
The second edition of the film celebration of independent amateurs filmmakers from Eastern Europe.
ABOUT THE REVIEW
INDEPENDEAST is a film review dedicated exclusively to amateur filmmakers from Eastern Europe – people who create films out of passion, because they love what they do.
We want to present to audiences sincere, fresh, and original stories told by young enthusiasts who may not have formal film education, but who have the courage and sensitivity to share their unique view of the world.
Our goal is to create a space for authentic voices and films full of ideas, energy, and emotions – works born in Eastern Europe, a unique place on the world map where cultures have met and intertwined for centuries.
The final of the second edition of INDEPENDEAST took place on October 30, 2025, in Suwałki (Suwalski Ośrodek Kultury).
Awards for the best films:
1st Prize – Bifurcation / Julia Lignarska – 3,000 PLN
2nd Prize – Biwakowicz / Tomir Dąbrowski – 2,000 PLN
3rd Prize – Like at Mom’s / Kacper Zieliński – 1,000 PLN
Audience Award: Biwakowicz / Tomir Dąbrowski.
Selected films will also be published on the streaming platform KINEJO.
Organizer: Bardzo Dziki Wschód – Foundation for the Development of Podlasie Cinema
Selected films will also be published on the streaming platform KINEJO.
Organizer: Bardzo Dziki Wschód – Foundation for the Development of Podlasie Cinema
JURY
Rasa Rimickaitė
Cultural scholar, theatre researcher, translator, and cultural activist.
From 2012 to 2024, she served as Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Republic of Poland. She graduated in Lithuanian Philology and Theatre Studies from Vilnius University, as well as from the Graduate School for Social Research at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.
She has initiated and patronized numerous projects promoting Lithuanian culture and literature in Poland, and has actively supported cooperation among Polish, Lithuanian, and Jewish creative communities. Recipient of many Polish awards, including the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture Gloria Artis, the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, and the Stanisław Vincenz Award of the Kraków City Council.
Przemysław Sadowski
A television and theatre actor born in Hajnówka. He is a graduate of the Łódź Film School (PWSFTviT). He became widely known to the public through his roles in the TV series Samo życie and Londyńczycy. He has delivered memorable performances in iconic films such as The First Million, In Desert and Wilderness, Closed Circuit, and Just Love Me.
Anita Piotrowska
Film critic and columnist for Tygodnik Powszechny, co-author of books on cinema, and columnist for Charaktery magazine. She also writes for Ekrany and Kino. Artistic Director of the Krakow Film Festival. As a member of FIPRESCI, she has served on juries at numerous festivals in Poland and abroad. In the field of film criticism, she has been awarded by the Polish Film Institute (2014) and by ZAIKS (2021).
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