Michał Cygan
Directing
Biography
His body of work includes short films like Silent Night (2024), which tells the story of a deaf woman from Lebanon who finds her first job in London, in a place where no one knows sign language, and A Knight (2023), which depicts a mysterious masked knight whose visit to the Nobleman's manor provokes confrontation between two different visions of human rights. Whether it's commercial or music video, his style looks to find new ways of exploring visual opportunities, always with a human at its core. Back in Poland, being able to study and work with people from Krzysztof Kieslowski Film School and Lodz Film School was a crucial step in finding his own, independent voice. Later, working with people from around the world at London Film Academy hardened his conviction that cinema is truly a universal language. Michal currently lives in London, where he is in the early stages of putting together his debut feature, besides working on several projects as a director and making behind-the-scenes photography on various film sets.
Known For
A commentary on the management of public opinion, the spread of fake news and the rebellion of the individual against the general. Dawid, a former war reporter, has 24 hours to write an investigative report about the death of a couple of refugees from the Middle East and a Polish soldier on the border with Belarus. During the investigation, however, he discovers that the official version of events presented in the media differs from what actually happened. The pressure to write a fixed version is mounting.
Not enough of a human
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during XVII century. The mysterious Knight arrives at the Nobleman's manor. His unexpected visit provokes a confrontation between two different visions of human rights.
A KNIGHT
Grace, a deaf woman from Lebanon, just got her first job as a graphic designer at a travel agency in London. However, her new colleagues don't know sign language, which leads to many misunderstandings. After a few weeks, Grace has proven herself at work and is invited by her friends to Christmas party. One evening, she sees her friends on the street, but they pretend not to recognize her and quickly hail a taxi. This encounter makes Grace question whether her colleagues only pretend to be nice during work hours. Grace’s best deaf friend from Eritrea - Paula, persuades her to go to a party after all. At the party, she discovers why her colleagues acted as they did outside of work and receives a gift beyond her wildest dreams.
Silent Night
A failed director is gifted a mysterious device that can record his dreams. He uses these recordings to reclaim his career, but at what cost?
Dreamcatcher
A hater receives a message from an unknown sender: "If you don't stop hating, you will die”.
H8
Replacing body parts is dangerous. Frankenstein loved it. Olga hates it. Being gender-agnostic means they get to wear whatever they want, but human parts come infused with emotions. Painful memories stuck inside a boy’s left eye set Olga off on a hunt and puts a target on their back.
Olga
"Ending" is a dystopian drama set in a world where a rebellious faction known as The Resistance opposes a tyrannical regime called The Order. The story centres on Arthur Hughes, a legendary rebel leader, who is captured and interrogated by Lieutenant Thomas Bennington, a former comrade turned traitor. The intense, dialogue-driven narrative unfolds in a prison setting, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the moral complexities of rebellion. As Arthur and Bennington confront their past and ideological differences, the film delves into the psychological and emotional struggles of fighting for freedom in a seemingly hopeless battle.
Ending
A creative child with a passion for drawing escapes the confines of a rigid school system through her imagination, where epic battle between mice and a hawk mirrors her fight for self-expression - changing both her world and her teacher's.
Cornfield
Nathalie, a young dancer, trapped in a black-and-white world of discipline, battles perfectionism and self-rejection during a solo rehearsal. When she finally breaks free and embraces the full force of her identity, the world isn't ready.