An interview with Katarzyna Kuczyńska, producer for Polish company Haka Films and selected for the 2023 Emerging Producers programme. Read her EP profile here.

Why do you produce documentaries? Do you see documentary cinema as an instrument of social and political change?
Katarzyna Kuczyńska: With every documentary I work on, I get to be more and more amazed by the stories that life brings to others, by the bravery and creativity of people (both in front and behind the camera). This work really puts incredibly inspiring people on my path and that’s what keeps me excited about it, even when it gets tough. I really hope that cinema can bring change, influence people’s minds and work towards changing the reality by bringing viewers closer to subjects that seemed so distanced and abstract. 

Where do you find audiences for your films?
I only do films that I myself would like to watch. When producing a film, I aim to get it both to the festivals and TV / VOD platforms. There’s my audience – people who look for cinematic, creative approach towards life stories, people who are interested in others – their life choices, their ideals, their dreams, who like when cinema brings them to different worlds, often so distant and secluded, they would not be able to see it otherwise. 

What films have you seen recently and would recommend watching?
Red Rocket by Sean Baker. 

What projects do you have underway (including fiction films and other projects)?
My newest project, Ukrainian-French-Polish co-production We Will Not Fade Away [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
ficha de la película] by Alisa Kovalenko premiered in Generation Section of Berlinale 2023 and was nominated for Berlinale Documentary Award. 

I’m currently finishing one documentary – Lili by Sylwia Rosak and I am in production of another one – Shadowing (previously One for the Team) by Katarzyna Wiśniowska, which won Best International Pitch at FIPADOC 2022. 

I am also developing several documentaries including Insurance Against Meteorites by Natalia Śliwowska & Jorik Amit Galama which we will present at East Doc Platform in March as well as Frontline by Alisa Kovalenko (co-produced with Monica Hellström from Ström Pictures).

----------

EMERGING PRODUCERS is a leading promotional and educational project, which brings together talented European documentary film producers. The programme is organised and curated by the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.

Deadline for applications to the EMERGING PRODUCERS 2024 edition is 31 March 2023.