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Alisa Kovalenko, who was awarded with a triple standing ovation at the world premiere of her film at this year’s Berlinale, together with the young heroes of "We Will Not Fade Away" brings hope in dark times. The film observes, with extraordinary tenderness, a group of teenagers entering adulthood in Donbass, 2019, while the threat of another war is in the air. Thanks to their incredible energy and enthusiasm, the heroes remain hopeful, which allows them to fully experience the last golden hours of childhood. Alisa Kovalenko follows their pack of young, creative minds - some of them paint, some take photos, and still others dream of an acting career or becoming the next Elon Musk. They manage to keep their dreams alive, even though the world around them is on fire. They rebel and go on adventures. Sometimes they bravely venture into minefields or simply soak up the sun by a nearby lake. They dream of escaping not only from the war, but also - like their peers around the world - from the boredom of a small town. Unexpectedly, an opportunity arises to set off on a long journey to Nepal. In the face of the events of 2022, "We Will Not Fade Away" gains new, special meaning and lets us believe that after Ukraine's victory, thanks to the enthusiasm of people like the heroes of Alisa’s film, their homeland will be able to fully bloom again.
The presence of a female director on this year's poster, especially with the photo shot by Weronika Ławniczak, most known for portraits of creative women, is particularly significant for the MDAG festival. With great joy, the festival announces that this year it will once again maintain gender parity - all the films presented in the program have been directed equally by women and men. This is particularly important during the 20th, anniversary edition of the festival, as on the one hand it bears witness to the long-term efforts of the programming committee in this regard, yet on the other it reflects the reality of modern documentary cinema, where inequalities between male and female artists are not as deep and stark as in narrative cinema.
The author of this year's MDAG visual identification is for the first time Bartek Bojarczuk - creative director of the ILLCAT.studio. He specializes mainly in graphic design, typography, branding and poster art. His career includes both large global brands as well as smaller clients from Poland. When it comes to his illustration portfolio, it includes a variety of works: from press illustrations, through murals and clothing designs. A designer for unusual tasks that require a special approach. Winner of many awards and distinctions, e.g. The KTR Golden Sword, Good Design, Must Have, 3x3 Annual and Polish Graphic Design Awards. The festival team welcomes Bartek to the team, very much looking forward to this collaboration, which begins with the creation of a wonderful poster, bringing hope and perfectly expressing the slogan "Against Gravity".
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