About the program

From August 8-13, Octopus Film Festival will emerge from the waves of the Baltic Sea for the sixth time to offer audiences a non-obvious film experience in the industrial spaces of Gdansk, and the program as usual
abounds in non-obvious events and original film items.
Well-known highlights will return, such as the Main Competition presenting the most interesting
The season’s premiere titles, with audiences again awarding the Audience Award; shows
from the VHS Hell series, which is a nostalgic journey into somewhat forgotten B-grade cinema, or Midnight Movies.
midnight screenings in tribute to controversial titles screened in American cinemas in the 1960s.
The festival is also known for hosting a series of special screenings, where the scenery corresponds to the
the subject of the film. This time they will include. The struggle between good and evil in the horror masterpiece “The Exorcist” at the Center
St. The “Raven” in the St. John’s Cathedral, the psychedelic “Climax” in the bunker under Electric Street, the “Raven” in the Royal Factory
Rifles, “Underwater Life with Steve Zissou” on the West Breakwater or “Home on the Cursed
Hill” with live special effects.

As every year, there will also be complete novelties: the Skate or Die series with a set of films about the skateboarding phenomenon
in pop culture; Octopus – genre cinema for the youngest; Turing cycle on artificial intelligence
created by artificial intelligence, which selected the videos, generated illustrations and texts to promote the
event. For the first time, the best genre short films will also be presented in the
As part of Octopus Shorts – International Short Film Competition, selected
Among more than 300 titles from around the world.

There will also be original octopus gems, such as the Hidden Séance, where both the title of the film,
as well as the location remain shrouded in mystery until the end, or the Séance with a live voiceover – in previous years
The audience could listen to, among other things. Michal Milowicz reading “Scam”, Katarzyna Figura sensually
interpreting “Naked Instinct” or the duo of Krystyna Czubówna and Tomasz Knapik reciting the iconic
“Pulp Fiction” dialogues. This year we will be amused to death by Tadeusz Drozda interpreting “The Joker” from the
Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role!
For the second time, the Inked Mack, a lifetime achievement award in cinema, will also be presented.
genre, and this time it will be given to actress Barbara Bouchet, known, among others. from her role as Miss Moneypenny in
The original 1967 adaptation of Bond’s “Casino Royale” will come to Gdansk to meet
with audiences as part of a retrospective of the greatest film classics featuring her.
The program also includes industry events for professionals at Octopus Industry, workshops with
film characterization with Katarzyna Foltyńska or meetings – Mariusz Szczygieł and Olga Drenda
will talk about the cult format of Polish television of the years. 90. “On every subject,” and Grzegorz Bryszewski.
will talk about his book on the history of Sky Orunia TV in Gdansk.