For the 20th time, we invite you to one of the largest audiovisual workshops in Europe – “Film Spring Open Workshop” in Kraków (October 7–16, 2025).
Film Spring Open Workshop is a 10-day workshop created by Sławomir Idziak, which for twenty years has attracted some of the best professionals in the film industry. It is a true “festival of filmmaking” that enables participants to develop and realize projects under the guidance of outstanding mentors within dedicated working groups.
It is also a forward-looking “Innovation Sandbox” focused on the revolution and the growing role that Artificial Intelligence already plays in the audiovisual industry. Participants will be able to learn and use AI tools for producers, screenwriters, animators, and VFX creators thanks to lectures by Jacek Nagłowski, nominated for the Polityka award.
During the Plenery we will host Magnus von Horn, director of the Oscar-nominated film “The Girl with the Needle.” Camera tests for this film were carried out during Film Spring Open Workshop 2022.
There will be no shortage of outstanding, award-winning creators who will share their knowledge. Among them will be director, screenwriter and producer Anna Sasnal, who will present the film “Huba,” created together with her husband Wilhelm Sasnal.
Screenwriter, producer, writer and script consultant Ilona Łepkowska will talk about dramaturgical analysis of a screenplay and the process of casting actors.
We will also see a surprise film by Emi Buchwald, whose film “There Are No Ghosts in the Apartment on Dobra Street” received an individual directing award at the Gdynia Film Festival. Emi will join us and talk about her feature film debut.
Our educational model is based on working in dedicated groups, which is the core of our learning platform. Film Spring Open Workshop enable the development and realization of studio projects under the guidance of outstanding filmmakers.
Film Script Open Group, led by Kasper Bajon, will develop television series screenplays. Work on the projects has already begun during online meetings, and during the Plenery new participants can also join and work in the writers’ room format.
The International Group of Interactive Audiovisual Narrative Forms will be led by Florent Pallares from Red Eyes Cool, founder of Film Spring Open France, long-time participant of the Plenery and now lecturer in France, as well as creator of ecological festivals and artistic residencies.
In the Animation Group, master animator Mariusz Wilczyński, assisted by Szymon Wołek, will help participants translate imagination into animated storytelling. Script sessions are already taking place online.
The SONY Fiction Series Group, led by Jakub Kijowski (DOP), will shoot selected scenes developed in the Film Script Open Group.
The Mastercard Advertising Film Group, under the guidance of director and photographer Daniel Jaroszek, will create short advertising pieces inspired by the 30th anniversary of Mastercard in Poland. The best projects will be presented on a large screen during the anniversary celebration, and their creators will receive awards and opportunities for further collaboration with the brand.
The Fototechnika Documentary Film Group, led by the award-winning director Paweł Łoziński, offers a unique opportunity to work with a master of documentary filmmaking who is known for discovering the extraordinary in everyday life.
The course “Cinematography in the Age of GenAI,” led by Bartosz Nalazek, PSC, will explore how traditional cinematographic techniques can be translated into the tools and language of generative artificial intelligence.
The project “Mobile Center for Education in the Implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Audiovisual Industry (AV)” is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage within the program of the Creative Industries Development Center: Development of Creative Sectors.
The Casting Direction Group, led by award-winning casting directors Ewa Brodzka, Julia Popkiewicz and Katarzyna Gryciuk-Krzywda, will conduct castings for roles in series scenes. Students from the AST Theatre Academy in Kraków will also take part.
The Piotr Woźniak-Starak Modern Film Production Group, led by Magdalena Kamińska (Balapolis), is aimed at young producers and film production students. Participants will learn all stages of the producer’s work—from script analysis and financing to production organization and promotion.
The Screenwriting and Directing Group “Comedy for Two Actors,” led by the directing duo Maria Zbąska and Kazimierz Zbąski, will work with participants to create comedic scenes and develop dialogue through collaboration between screenwriter, director and actor.
The Music Video Group, led by Kobas Laksa, will create music films with the support of AI to a song by the band LOR, who will visit the Plenery.
The Canon Fictional Documentary Group, led by Mariusz Konopka, will focus on this hybrid audiovisual form, with technical support from Robert Woźniak (Canon Poland).
The Film Music Composition Group, led by Paweł Lucewicz (composer of the film “The Quack”), will work on creating music for selected film material.
Producer Joanna Tatko, together with participants of the project “Get Inspired for the Future” implemented in cooperation with KIPA and Netflix, will create films presenting different professions within the film industry.
The Virtual and Augmented Reality Group, led by Konrad Ziaja, will guide participants into the world of 360° storytelling and VR narratives.
The SFX Makeup Group, led by Marian Folga, multiple international bodypainting champion, will introduce participants to VFX makeup and professional character design.
The Video Games Group, led by Maciej Kunach (Bloober Team), will show filmmakers how to create projects in a virtual environment using Unreal Engine 5.
The ATM Lighting Group will allow participants to learn practical lighting techniques while supporting the cinematography group led by Jakub Kijowski.
Meeting with the director of the film “The Girl with the Needle” – dir. Magnus von Horn
Meeting with the creator of the film “It’s Not My Film” – dir. Maria Zbąska
Meeting with director Emi Buchwald, whose film premiered this year at the 50th Gdynia Polish Film Festival – dir. Emi Buchwald
Meeting with Daniel Jaroszek, director of the film “Boomerang”
Meeting with the creators of the film “Huba” – director Anna Sasnal and producers Magdalena Kamińska and Agata Szymańska (Balapolis)
Meeting with the creators of the series “Projekt UFO” – director and screenwriter Kasper Bajon and cinematographer Jakub Kijowski
Meeting with composer Paweł Lucewicz – among others the composer of the music for the film “Napad” directed by Michał Gazda
The Role of the Cinematographer in the Age of Generative AI – Bartosz Nalazek, PSC
Screenplay – Dramaturgical Analysis in Terms of Casting – Ilona Łepkowska
Modern Film Production – Magdalena Kamińska (Balapolis)
Actors – the Heart of the Film. An Essay and Presentation of Unique Documentary Material from Andrzej Wajda’s Work with Actors on “Zemsta” – Julia Popkiewicz, Ewa Brodzka, Katarzyna Gryciuk-Krzywda (Casting Directors)
Animation Master Mariusz Wilczyński – Creative Process, New Film and Surprises
AI as New Tools in Film Storytelling – lecture combined with film screenings – Adam Strzelecki
Creating a Character in the Casting Process. Factors Shaping the Character and Relationships Between Characters, Various Working Methods – Julia Popkiewicz, Ewa Brodzka, Katarzyna Gryciuk-Krzywda (casting directors)
More Good Cinema for Less Money, or Shoot Smarter and Spend Less – Sławomir Idziak
Basics of Makeup for Everyone – Marian Folga
The Use of Motion Control Robots in Contemporary Cinematography – Michał Szymczak
The Comedy Social Campaign “Mafia for a Dog” – dir. Maria Zbąska, screenwriter Kazimierz Zbąski
Empty Fiction – Cinema of Appearances and Averaged Emotions, or Narratives and Illusions of Artificial Intelligence in the Cinema of the Future – dir. Kobas Laksa
HDR Color Grading. Come Out from Under a Rock – Tomasz Czech
Legally Compliant Use of AI in the Audiovisual Industry – attorney Karolina Lutomirska, Meakultura Foundation
A Few Quarter-Truths About Artificial Intelligence – Jacek Nagłowski (vinLab)
How to Use Houdini and Create VFX – Adrian Meyer, VFX Specialist
A Workflow Based on Blackmagic Solutions. Premiere of the Latest URSA 17K Camera! – Vladimir Hristov (Blackmagic)
Canon EOS C50 and the VCM Lens Series – Cinematic Power in a Compact Size – Mariusz Konopka and Robert Woźniak (Canon Polska)
Anatomy of a Camera Rig: Overview and Selection of Components – Tomasz Babicz (creativetools)
Post-Production in Low-Budget Productions and the Use of Universal Music Publishing Music Libraries – Maciej Stadnik
Projekcje:
“The Girl with the Needle” – dir. Magnus von Horn
“It’s Not My Film” – dir. Maria Zbąska, DOP
“Huba” – dir. Anna and Wilhelm Sasnal
“Projekt UFO” – written and directed by Kasper Bajon, cinematography by Jakub Kijowski
“Napad” – dir. Michał Gazda, music by Paweł Lucewicz
“Boomerang” – dir. Daniel Jaroszek
“The Balcony Movie” – dir. Paweł Łoziński
“Johnny” – dir. Daniel Jaroszek
Screening of a film directed by Emi Buchwald
There will also be screenings in the “It Can Be Done” series, in which we present films made by our participants:
“Without End, Without Beginning” – dir. Edyta Jadowska
“Mirror Marionette” – pedagogical supervision: Maciej Sajur, cinematography: Bartosz Rachwał
Remember to bring your films to the Plenery. There will be an opportunity to watch them together on the big screen!
At the end of the Workshop, there will be a joint screening of the films created during this year’s workshops!
Workshops:
Cinematography storytelling tests – Kasper Bajon (Film Script Open Group), Jakub Kijowski (SONY TV Series Visualization Group), with the support of ATM Lighting Group
Two-day practical workshop with the Mark Roberts Motion Control robot – Michał Szymczak (Motion Control Operator), Tomek Lechicki (Motion Control Technician), Krzysztof Bolek (Motion Control/VFX Supervisor, TPS Film Studio, NoLimitsFX)
Legal Culture workshops for Film Spring Open 2025 participants. A practical approach to copyright law relevant to conscious creators and participants in culture. A workshop inspired by the documentary “The Story of the World According to Getty Images”
Practical DaVinci Resolve 20 color grading workshop – Tomasz Czech
Practical workshops dedicated to animators, VFX creators, producers and screenwriters with Jacek Nagłowski
Master of the Sky: the Art of Designing and Flying Drones – Andrej Szramko. In addition, Andrej will present his gimbals and 360 filming. On October 11–12, 2025, Andrej will support you in shooting your films
Workshop with the MovieBird 17 crane – Jakub Kijowski, Piotr Czarnecki, Krzysztof Ilków. It will be possible to use the crane while shooting your projects
Throughout the entire weekend, you will have the opportunity to use the Motion Control robot while shooting your films
You will also visit TVN XR STUDIO with Bartosz Nalazek, PSC.
There will also be a Flash Mob directed by Florent Pallares. We will celebrate 20 years of Film Spring Open Workshop.
Green Film Open
During the Plenery, we will once again encourage participants to pay attention to the aspect of green production in filmmaking. The 7th edition of Green Film Open will take place – a panel on ecological film production, featuring director Florent Pallares, who organized an ecological film festival in France this year, as well as Sławomir Idziak. We will also see a selection of films.
Plenery are not only intense creative work, but also a space for building lasting professional relationships. The contacts made together may become the beginning of future film productions. We can already guarantee that it will be exciting! Join us!
The cost of participation in the entire ten-day workshop program is PLN 400. REGISTRATION
Plenery are not only intense creative work, but also a space for building lasting professional relationships. The contacts made together may become the beginning of future film productions. We can already guarantee that it will be exciting! Join us!
More information: https://filmspringopen.eu/
Registration: https://filmspringopen.eu/edukacja/plenery/rejestracja-plenery/
Co-financing:
Polish Film Institute, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Municipality of Kraków
Film Spring Open Plenery have been granted the Honorary Patronage of the Marshal of the Małopolska Region, Łukasz Smółka, as well as the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
Film Spring Open Plenery are carried out as part of the PW eSkills initiative of the Ministry of Digital Affairs for the development of digital competences.
Partners:
Małopolska Region, Starak Family Foundation, KIPA, Film Spring Open France, Red Eyes Cool, PSC, Polish Filmmakers Association, Next Film, Mastercard, Universal Music Publishing, Casting Direction Course, Legalna Kultura, Kia Filipowicz
Film Spring Open Plenery have been awarded twice by the Polish Film Institute and have been nominated many times in the “Professional Training Program” category.
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