Culture and art in Poland in the 20th century were heavily influenced by historical events and the political and social movements of the time, and this was no different for animated film. When the film industry in Poland began production again after the Second World War, it immediately had to contend with the trauma of the just-ended conflict and at the same time, a new government enforcing the doctrine of socialist realism.

During the Polish People's Republic, filmmakers such as Jan Lenica, Walerian Borowczyk, Mirosław Kijowicz and Daniel Szczechura challenged laws of censorship by hiding subliminal political messages in their work. Filmmakers also attempted to capture the atmosphere of the Cold War and impending nuclear danger in their films. In the 1980s, animated films also began to refer to the martial law declared in Poland, and then to the political upheaval of the late 1980s.

Curated by filmmaker and academic Michał Mróz and with the kind support of the Polish Institute, we’re delighted to bring these rare films to LSFF and reflect upon the stories of the animators working throughout decades of Polish history.