Eliza Kubarska is an accomplished director, artist, and mountaineer, renowned for her visually stunning and emotionally resonant documentaries. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and the Wajda School in Warsaw, she has also been a recipient of the prestigious Minister of Culture and Art scholarship.
Eliza’s films have garnered international acclaim, premiering at world-renowned festivals such as Hot Docs Toronto, Locarno, LA Film Festival, IDFA, Zürich Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Margaret Mead Film Festival (NYC), Krakow Film Festival, and MDAG Warsaw. Her collaborations span leading networks including ARTE, ZDF, HBO, Max, and Amazon Prime.
Her notable works include:
In 2023, Eliza made history as the first independent woman to receive the Grand Prix of the International Alliance for Mountain Films, recognizing her exceptional contributions to mountain-themed cinema.
An adventurer at heart, Eliza has participated in expeditions across the globe, including the Karakoram, the Himalayas (Nepal, Sikkim), Greenland, the High Atlas in Morocco, Mali, and Mexico. Her unique perspective as a filmmaker and mountaineer brings unparalleled authenticity to her storytelling, capturing the spirit of human resilience and the majesty of the natural world.
During these workshops, multi-award-winning film director Eliza Kubarska shares her experiences with students, drawing directly from her time on extreme film sets. She will base her story on her work on the last three films she directed: ‘K2: Touching the Sky’ – Grand Prix of VIMFF 2016, ‘The Wall of Shadows’ – Best Adventure Film at VIMFF 2021 and ‘The Last Expedition’ (VIMFF, Vancouver premiere at 2025).
What is the topic, why do I want to tell this story, and do I really want to dedicate 2 to 5 years of my life to it?
How do I choose a story for a film?
Also: “This is only a documentary” – How to avoid falling into the trap of your own project, and how can I maintain a balance?
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