In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of our podcast, host Aleska talks with Askar Tumanov, the creative mind behind the film The Suitcase. Askar shares his unique approach to filmmaking, where music serves as the primary architect of his stories and emotions take precedence over traditional scripts.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Power of Daydreaming: How Askar uses specific songs on repeat to visualize an entire film’s atmosphere and narrative before even writing a single word.
• A New Directorial Style: Why Askar identifies as a "chaotic" director who values raw improvisation and emotional authenticity over rigid, pre-planned scenes.
• The Race Against Time: The intense challenge of filming an entire project in just 10 days and finishing the final edit on a bus ride to Zakopane.
• Cinematic Influences: Askar discusses his love for 90s and 2000s cinema and how he distills specific sounds and movements from his favorite classics into his own work.
• Leadership and Teamwork: The difficulties of managing a four-person crew with busy schedules and finding the right people who can connect with his specific artistic vision.

Join the screening! Experience Askar’s film, The Suitcase, on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 at Vistula University.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of the podcast, host Olaf sits down with Aruzhan Akhmurzina, a versatile student filmmaker who has taken on nearly every role on set. After a successful run as a supporting actress, Aruzhan shares her experiences stepping behind the lens for this year’s festival.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Ultimate Multi-Tasker: Aruzhan discusses her intense responsibility at this year's festival, where she served as writer, director, and director of photography for her film.
• A Personal Tribute: Discover the heart-warming and emotional inspiration behind her movie, I’m No Director, which is based on a story told to her by her grandfather.
• From the 24-Hour Challenge to the Big Screen: A look back at her previous work as an actress in Just a Wave - a role that earned her a festival nomination - and how it gave her the confidence to direct her own project.
• Collaborating with Friends: Why Aruzhan chose to work exclusively with friends this year and how their close bonds and honest advice improved her creative vision.
• Overcoming Stage Fright: Aruzhan candidly shares her feelings about seeing herself on the big screen and how she has moved from "blushing and hiding" to feeling a sense of immense pride.

Join us for the screening! Don’t miss Aruzhan’s film, I’m No Director, premiering on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 during the Vistula Film Festival.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition, host Olaf sits down with Shamikh Gazali, the director and writer of the upcoming film Everyone's In It. As the co-founder and former president of the Movie Club, Shamikh discusses his transition from organizing the festival to competing in it, and what it takes to manage one of the largest student film crews in the festival's history.

In this episode, we explore:

• From President to Participant: Shamikh shares how it feels to step down from leadership to focus on his personal creative passion for filmmaking.
• Building an "All-Star" Crew: Learn how Shamikh assembled a massive team of 18 people, including several previous festival winners (his "Infinity Stones"), to bring his vision to life.
• The Directorial Challenge: Shamikh discusses the logistical and emotional hurdles of managing a large group, setting professional boundaries with close friends, and the intense 4-day shoot that wrapped up this April.
• The Evolution of a Filmmaker: A look back at Shamikh’s experience with the 24-hour film challenge and how he applied those high-pressure lessons to this year's professional-grade project.
• Anticipation and Nerves: With only 10 days left until the screening, Shamikh opens up about the excitement and fear of showing his work to a live audience.

Catch the Screening! Don’t miss Shamikh’s film, Everyone's In It, premiering on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 at Vistula University.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of the podcast, host Aleska talks with Veniamin, a multi-talented artist who is now stepping into the spotlight as a filmmaker. Veniamin discusses the high-stakes production of his latest film, Behind the Eyelids, and the artistic journey that led to the director's chair.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Adrenaline of a 7-Day Shoot: Veniamin reveals the intense pressure of filming his project in just one week after an original idea (involving a high-speed car chase in a VW Passat) fell through.
• A Creative Partnership: How Veniamin teamed up with co-director Mykyta to develop the dream-focused narrative of Behind the Eyelids.
• The Artistic Synergy: Veniamin describes the "one head, not two" synchronization he shares with his creative partner, allowing them to communicate through thoughts during production.
• Honest Feedback: How his parents - both professional filmmakers - responded to his latest work and what he took away from their critiques.
• The Future of His Vision: Why Veniamin is already looking toward his next projects and how this experience has pushed his directing skills to new heights.

Join the screening! Experience Veniamin’s film, Behind the Eyelids, on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 at Vistula University.

In this special Vistula Film Festival edition, host Olaf is joined by Mykyta, a multitalented student who steps into the spotlight this year as both a co-director and lead actor. Mykyta shares the behind-the-scenes story of his latest project, Behind the Eyelids, and the unexpected turn of events that led to its creation.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Inception of a Dream: Mykyta describes his film as a 10-minute "budget-friendly Inception," a journey through the surreal world of dreams.
• The "Passat Incident": Hear the hilarious and tragic story of why Mykyta’s first project - a film centered around a VW Passat - was abandoned after the car literally collapsed.
• A New Creative Partnership: How Mykyta teamed up with Veniamin to pivot from the "car movie" to a deeper, more experimental psychological piece.
• The Multi-Talented Artist: Beyond filmmaking, we look at Mykyta’s presence at Vistula, from his musical performances at Global Fest to his competitive run in the university’s table tennis tournament.
• Acting for Oneself: Why Mykyta decided to write the lead role specifically for himself and the challenges of balancing directing with acting.

Mark Your Calendars! You can watch Mykyta’s film, Behind the Eyelids, on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 at Vistula University.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of our podcast, host Olaf sits down with Jan Novak-Zempliński), a passionate photographer and student filmmaker. Janek discusses his journey into the world of cinema, the deep influences behind his work, and the challenges he faced while directing his latest project, Inexorabilis.

In this episode, we explore:

• The "Initial Spark": How attending last year’s festival and seeing his friends' work motivated Janek to transition from a behind-the-scenes volunteer and photographer to a competitive director.
• Cinematographic Language: Janek shares his philosophy on storytelling - why he believes the screen should do most of the talking rather than the actors - inspired by the painterly style of directors like Ridley Scott.
• Overcoming Creative Obstacles: A candid look at the difficulties Janek faced during production, which almost led him to back out of the festival, and the lessons he learned about leadership and not taking his crew for granted.
• The Concept of "Inexorabilis": An explanation of the film’s Latin title, which refers to "unstoppable forces and objects," reflecting the thematic weight of his project.
• Looking Ahead to Film School: Janek reveals his plans to apply for professional film school and how his time at the Vistula Movie Club has served as an essential "head start."

Join us for the premiere! Don’t miss Janek’s film, Inexorabilis, screening along with ten other student productions on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 during the Vistula Film Festival.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of our podcast, host Aleska sits down with Oles, an active member of the Vistula Movie Club and a winning director from this year’s 24-Hour Film Challenge. Oles reflects on his rapid evolution as a filmmaker - from watching in the audience last year to presenting his own complex production, Liminality, at this year’s festival.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Spark of Inspiration: Oles shares the exact moment during last year’s festival when he decided he had to be on that stage with his own film.
• The Winning Formula: A look back at the success of his 24-hour challenge entry, The Teapot, and how his long-term creative team helped bring it to life.
• The Evolution of "Liminality": Discover why Oles had to cut his original 40-minute draft down to a 10-minute masterpiece and how that process shaped the final version.
• Why Community Matters: Oles explains why working with friends he has known for a decade is his secret weapon for creative comfort and quality.
• Life-Changing Experiences: A candid discussion on how the Vistula Movie Club has shifted Oles' career trajectory and his plans for future directing projects.

Don't miss the screening! Catch Oles’ film, Liminality, on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 during the Vistula Film Festival.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of the podcast, host Olaf welcomes Iva, a Business Analytics student and the creative mind behind the film Make It Make Sense. Iva shares her inspiring transition from being a festival volunteer to taking charge as a director.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The Journey from Volunteer to Creator: How Iva’s experience helping with decorations at last year's festival inspired her to step behind the camera this year.
• 24-Hour Challenge Beginnings: Iva discusses her first foray into filmmaking during the intense 24-hour film challenge and how it paved the way for her current project.
• The Origin of "Make It Make Sense": Discover how the film's title was born out of a late-night editing crisis and the struggle to condense a 40-minute story into a 10-minute festival cut.
• Serendipity on Set: Iva shares a charming story about recruiting a random hiker in the forest to take behind-the-scenes photos, resulting in beautiful set photography and a new friendship.
• Directorial Challenges: The logistical hurdles of finding "kids" for the film, leading to a creative solution involving a groupmate standing on her knees to play a child.
• The Director’s Cut: Why Iva is already planning a longer, 15-minute version of the film to fully realize her original vision.

Join the screening! Don’t miss the premiere of Make It Make Sense on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4 during the Vistula Film Festival.

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of our podcast, host Aleska talks with Alisa - a talented student filmmaker and team leader at this year’s festival. Alisa shares her exciting journey from being a producer and background actress in the previous year, to making her directorial debut with not one, but two original films for this year's lineup.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Creative Process of a Duo: Alice discusses her close collaboration with her best friend and co-director, Ilona, and how their friendship fuels their creative energy.
• A Tale of Two Genres: A look at the contrasting styles of Alice’s two entries—the heart-warming and experimental comedy-musical Swagusia and the more intense, serious drama Almost Passed it.
• The Adrenaline of Directing: Alice reveals the challenges of her first time in the director’s chair, including a 3:00 AM wake-up call and a "dangerous" filming encounter that almost involved the police!
• Hidden Details: Discover the personal "Easter Eggs" Alisa tucked away in her films, including a special tribute to the artist Noize MC.
• Style and Evolution: How Alisa has developed a unique cinematic voice that balances humor with deep emotional resonance.

Don’t miss the screenings! Experience both of Alisa's films, Swagusia and Almost Passed it, on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4. Come and feel the "breeze" of Alisa's creativity!

In this special Vistula Film Festival Edition of our podcast, host Olaf sits down with Aruzhan Rashid, a final-year journalism student and a third-time participant of the Vistula Film Festival. Aruzhan shares her evolving journey in the world of Vistula Film Festival- from the first VFF, where she was an actress, to becoming the creative force behind the camera as a writer and director.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Evolution of a Filmmaker: Aruzhan discusses her transition from acting in the film Impact to directing her own projects, including last year’s In Sync.
• Filming in Prague vs. Warsaw: A look at the challenges and inspirations of shooting a "love letter to Prague" during an Erasmus exchange versus building a production community in Warsaw.
• The Power of Connection: How Aruzhan utilized random Erasmus group chats and photography classes to assemble a dedicated film crew from scratch.
• Behind the Scenes of "Wahashtini": A preview of her latest film for this year’s festival, a story that revolves around the Arabic language and identity.
• Expert Insights: Aruzhan shares which jury members she is most excited to hear feedback from and why honesty in evaluation is crucial for young creators.

Don’t miss the screening! Catch Arūzhan’s latest film, Wahashtini, on May 29th at 2:00 PM in Aula 4.

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