On what it means to be a woman and a filmmaker, and trying to make sense of both at the same time.

I used to think only observational documentaries could pull you in like fiction films do. Then I watched this delightful film on the porridge-making world championship, and wow: a fantastic doc in its own right, with a modern-day tip of the hat to Errol Morris. My old view was gone for good. I am SUCH a fan!

I rarely commit to long TV series, but these seven seasons were worth every film I set aside for them. Matthew Weiner, we need more!

When I was making my debut documentary, ‘The Queen and the Smokehouse’, I was fortunate to have a few directors I admire step in as mentors. Łukasz was one of them, and his heartfelt doc on the trials and tribulations of Europe’s largest pawnshop gave me invaluable insight into what it meant to portray a microcommunity.

This music video is an absolute sensory feast I revisit again and again. Tongue-in-cheek and effortlessly cool, it’s just pure visual indulgence.

There’s been a lot of discussion lately over whether film is political. I have no doubt it is, and after watching this powerful film by Kaouther Ben Hania, I believe it would be hard for anyone to argue otherwise. A must-watch.

For me, this film by Paweł Pawlikowski is truly a crown jewel of Polish cinema. I always recommend it to anyone looking to dive into the rich world of Polish cinema.

Dominik was the first filmmaker I worked with, and he opened my eyes to the possibility of becoming a filmmaker myself. Seeing his work grow year after year, with bigger and more impressive projects and collaborations, continues to inspire me. Here’s a recent one I love, made by a crew of talented friends: Dom himself, and produced by Julia Grzeszczak and Ania Szczepańska, and co-directed with Julian Klincewicz.

This one’s still one of my all-time favorites. It would be impossible to leave it off this list. And judging by how many filmmakers cite him as an influence, Trier seems to be shaping the sensibilities of a whole generation.

I saw this stunning short about funeral singers in Poland’s Podlasie region at Camerimage a few years ago, and it has stayed with me ever since.