Once Again, Life Didn’t Go My Way – Tales of Failure

It’s said that the last shall one day be first, and that a step back is sometimes needed to gain momentum and race forward to the finish line. Cinema is full of stories about success achieved despite hardships, against all odds. A reality shaped by capitalist mechanisms loves tales of heroes who, through hard work and determination, climb to the peak of their potential to fulfil (their) dreams. They run with a broken leg and, despite the pain, stand on the podium with a gold medal in hand. But what about those who reach the finish line long after everyone else? What about the stories that don’t fit neatly into the marketable narratives of constant growth and progress? What about the life’s losers, misfits, and outsiders — those who just can’t seem to get it right, or maybe never even wanted to take part in this endless race?

The films you’ll see are for — and about — all those who stumbled before the start, never made it to the end, or simply prefer a slow walk to a sprint. In defiance of tales of spectacular success, we tell stories of failure. Our protagonists observe the everyday, somewhat bleak life of housing estates. They wander aimlessly through virtual realities, ponder the nagging sense of lack or not fitting in, and awkwardly try to connect with others. We show failures that are sometimes very ordinary and familiar, but also those born of systemic marginalisation of certain social groups.
In our “set of failures”, there’s room for everyone. Instead of running further, let’s sit back in our cinema seats for a while and share those moments of cringe and awkwardness — moments that may once have made us feel alone.

Curator: Maja Cieślak

Guest: Mariusz Rusiński (“Houdini”)

Programme:
Bye Little Block, Eva Darabos, Hungary 2020, 9’
Kinderfilm, Total Refusal, Austria 2023, 11’11”
Will You Look At Me, Shuli Huang, China 2022, 20’09”
A Kind of Testament, Stephen Vuillemin, France 2023, 16’24”
Houdini, Mariusz Rusiński, Poland 2025, 19’
Don’t give them room to grow, Karine Bille, France 2024, 13’09”