And on opening night, Michelle Fairley accepted the Cutting Edge award. This is an award given to creators who blur the boundaries between the world of TV series and film, redefining the way contemporary stories are told. This is an award for artists who boldly experiment with form and narrative, discovering new visual and emotional languages. Michelle Fairley phenomenally combines determination, strength, and sometimes ruthlessness in her characters, while fully maintaining fragility and feminine delicacy. Her heroines are driven by strength of character, not muscle power, and at the same time they are able to overcome any obstacles.
“I am honored to be with you this evening to accept this award. It is very unexpected for me to receive it for my role in the series, because I started my career as a stage actress and it has been a really big part of my life. I will be eternally grateful for the opportunities it has given me – to play so many wonderful characters of strong and sensitive women. It was a challenge to taste it as an actress. Thank you very much. It really means a lot to me. I would like to wish all the nominees good luck, you are all winners.” – said Michelle Fairley, accepting the statuette.
We felt that there was a lack of a place in Poland that would meet the needs of viewers, creators and streaming platforms. Places that show and focus only on TV series. And this festival was born out of just such a need. This is the first full-fledged series festival in Poland. And that is why we are meeting today at its second edition, precisely because of the need for a real conversation about TV series – said Szymon Miszczak, Director of the BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon Festival, during the opening conference.
The first talks as part of Stars on Stage by BNP Paribas are also behind us. Natalia Ryba and Marcin Radomski talked to Przemysław Bluszcz, Piotr Janusz, Jakub Sierenberg, Sonia Bohosiewicz, Daria Woszek, and Konrad Eleryk about the details of competition productions and the condition of Polish series, whose golden era is in full swing. During the 2nd BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon, stars can be seen, among others: in series: “Breslau”, dir. Leszek Dawid (Disney), “Otchłań”, dir. Daria Woszek (WoW) and “Heweliusz”, dir. Jan Holoubek (Netflix).
“It seems to me that the boundary between television and series and cinema and film is blurring for good at this point. Series are no longer what they used to be. That is, episodic stories told briefly, and are becoming valuable stories that are in fact long films. Which makes me extremely happy. The series allows us to develop. If we do it in a way that is interesting for the viewer, and not boring, well, then we are actually working on a huge long work. film that it can leave in us, I hope that it will be more than just a film,” said the chairman of the jury, Łukasz Palkowski.
Profiles of this year’s jurors were also presented. Barry “Baz” Idoine is an outstanding cinematographer and director of photography, collaborating with the world’s largest studios. He has shot for high-profile productions such as “The Mandalorian” and “Westworld”. Frank Spotnitz, writer and producer, is a name every TV fan knows. As the co-creator of the cult “The X-Files” and producer of “The Man in the High Castle” for Amazon Prime, Spotnitz has been shaping the face of world television for years. Susie Liggat – producer of the cult series “Doctor Who” – is one of the most important figures on British television. Edward K. Gibbon is a costume designer whose designs delight with precision, style and understanding of the role of clothing in building narrative.
See also: “This festival was created out of love for TV series.” The second edition of the series festival has started
He worked on many European and Hollywood productions (including “Daughter”, “House of Guinness”, “Skins”) in which the costume became a carrier of the character’s emotions and identity. Richard Bullock is a respected set designer who has been co-creating global film and TV series productions for years (including “Peaky Blinders”, “The Day of the Jackal”), combining functionality with artistic vision. His works are characterized by attention to the narrative space and atmosphere of the story – from realism to stylization. The jury’s work will be supervised by Łukasz Palkowski – director of such hits as “Gods”, “Belfer” and “Chyłka”. His work, combining cinematic panache with emotional truth, perfectly reflects the ambitions of the contemporary Polish series.
We have been supporting cinematography for over 100 years. I am proud that we have been the patron of BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon for two years. During these four days, let’s enjoy and celebrate TV series. – said Dariusz Maciołek – Managing Director of the Communication, Marketing, Customer Experience and Social Engagement Division of Bank BNP Paribas.
Just after the opening evening, there was a pre-premiere of “To Kill a Miss” directed by Maciej Bieliński, and the interview was conducted by journalist Anna Gacek. “Killing a Miss” is not only an intimate portrait of the life of Agnieszka Kotlarska, one of the most recognizable icons of Polish modeling of the 1990s. The series is also an insightful study of platonic love, which gradually gets out of control and turns into a dangerous obsession.
On Thursday at 8 p.m., viewers of this year’s BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon will be able to see a pre-premiere screening of the series “Heaven. A Year in Hell” – a new, powerful HBO Max production inspired by real events described in the book “Heaven. Five Years in a Sect” by Sebastian Keller. Before the screening, there will be a meeting with the creators: Tomasz Kot, Michalina Łabacz, Stanisław Linowski, Tomasz Cichoń and Bogumił Lipski.
As part of Stars on Stage by BNP Paribas, we will hear conversations between Natalia Ryba and Marcin Radomski with Agnieszka Podsiadlik, Ireneusz Czop and Anna Karczmarczyk. As part of the Warsaw Dream section, viewers will be able to see, among others: the first three episodes of “Decalogue” by Krzysztof Kieślowski, and for the youngest we will show “Rybka MiniMini on the Trail of Emotions”.
The following topics will be discussed at Pro Industry: the anatomy of the series, vertical format – a new medium, how to create good comedy, HBO Max: discussion around local productions and Clay: The Return of a Legend in a New Era. As part of the Competition for the Best Polish Series of 2025, you will be able to watch: “A Minute of Silence” (season 2, episode 1.2; CANAL +) directed by Jacek Lusiński, “Bay of Spies” (season 2, episode 1.2; TVP) directed by Łukasz Ostalski, “Przesmyk” (episode 1.2; HBO Max) directed by Jan P. Matuszyński and “A Decent Man” (episodes 1.2; HBO Max) directed by Aleksandra Terpińska.
See also: Interia is the media patron of BNP Paribas Warsaw SerialCon. You can read about the details of the event HERE