The Cinema of Absence: From Nemes to Sorogoyen

The films in the “Absence” section explore relationships put to the test by time, distance, history, and life experiences. In the pre-release screening of “Orphan” by László Nemes, director of “Son of Saul”, the search for the truth about his father becomes a journey into family history and the memory of events that have marked entire generations. In “The Beloved” the section’s most talked-about film thanks to the outstanding performances of Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo, Rodrigo Sorogoyen tells the story of a father and daughter who, after years of separation, try to find common ground. Their reunion becomes an opportunity to come to terms with the past and rebuild their relationship. The power of bonds, despite the distance separating the characters, is also explored in Tudor Cristian Jurgiu’s “On My Own“, which won the CICAE Art Cinema Award in the Forum section at this year’s Berlinale. The film focuses on teenagers left behind in their home country who bear the emotional costs of their parents’ economic migration. Molly Manners’ “Extra Geography” and Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime” show that growing up without a support system can also be the beginning of extraordinary closeness. The former immerses viewers in the nostalgic retro aesthetic of the early 21st century, telling the story of an intense friendship between two girls—full of first crushes, emotions, and discovering their own place in the world. “Everytime” – a Cannes award winner and this year’s German Oscar nominee – takes us even further into the realm of unconventional cinema exploring memory and identity. Sandra Wollner’s film blurs the line between what has been experienced, remembered, and imagined, and shows how difficult it can sometimes be to separate reality from what we wish it were. In Blaise Grisson’s “Tierra Viva” absence takes on its most personal form. A mother tries to understand the world of her deceased son by discovering places, people, and traces she didn’t know before. It’s a story about grief, but also about love, which allows us to look at a loved one once more – even when they’re no longer by our side.

The 17th Camera Action Festival will take place from October 22 to 25, 2026, in Łódź, and online from October 19 to 21, 2026, on the Think Film platform. This project is made possible thanks to funding from the City of Łódź’s budget. It is co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state-administered special-purpose fund—as well as by the Polish Film Institute and the University of Łódź, the festival’s patron. The “Sound Direction” section is organized in collaboration with the Łódź Film School and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Poland. Filmweb is a partner of the section. The festival’s main partners are Monopolis, the Łódź Film School, and the Museum of Cinematography. The Camera Action Festival and the “Man in Danger” Media Festival form the “Łódź Film Festival” network.