The festival of digital and traditional stories is back at Atlas Arena!
The 32nd edition of the International Comics and Games Festival in Łódź will be held in a hybrid format.
On October 2–3, 2021, the 32nd edition of the International Festival of Comics and Games in Łódź will take place at Atlas Arena. The event will be held in compliance with all applicable restrictions and health regulations. However, we are certain to bring back the extraordinary atmosphere of Poland’s biggest comic book festival.
The public will have access to a marketplace featuring all of Poland’s leading comic book publishers, as well as booths run by smaller publishers, authors, and collectors. The main stage will host the latest edition of the cosplay contest. For fans of board and video games, free-play zones, tournaments, and interactive booths will once again be open. The festival will also bring together Polish comic book creators, who will meet with the public in person at the autograph zone and during panels in the conference rooms.
“For now, we’re not providing any specific information about international guests at the event,” says Adam Radon, the festival director. “This is because different countries have different pandemic-related regulations in place.” The situation is also still changing and evolving. We’ll likely find out in the fall who will actually be able to fly to Łódź. It’s worth noting, however, that we’ve learned from last year’s experience with a fully digital edition of the festival. We’re therefore opting for a hybrid format, and some of the performances by our guests from outside Poland will be presented as professional recordings.
The pre-recorded interviews will be screened in the theater during the festival and will then be made available online on the Cyber Zone platform—the festival’s digital zone.
During this year’s Festival, we plan to organize a themed area dedicated to Stanisław Lem. This part of the program will be carried out in collaboration with our new partner—Wydawnictwo Literackie, the publisher of books by Poland’s most distinguished science fiction writer. The program dedicated to Stanisław Lem will feature invited writers, scientists, journalists, and artists whose work revolves around his oeuvre.
The contest titled “The Wish-Granting Machine” also draws inspiration from Stanisław Lem’s work. Contestants are tasked with creating a comic that references the title, which is taken from one of the renowned author’s short stories. In connection with the ongoing Stanisław Lem Year, the organizers encourage the submission of works related to or inspired by the writer’s work and the broadly defined theme of science fiction: visions of the future, alien civilizations and space travel, the development of human civilization, and technological progress.
The contest is divided into two age categories:
Ages 10–14
15–18 years old
The results of the competition will be announced on October 2, 2021, during the 32nd International Film Festival in Łódź.
The contestants' entries will be presented during the 32nd MFKiG and published on the website associated with the Festival and the contest.
As always, the Festival’s program will focus on comics and games—both electronic and traditional. There will be plenty of workshops for children and adults, panel discussions, and presentations. American comics, which are very popular in Poland, will feature prominently in the program.
We haven’t forgotten our long-standing partners! As we do every year, we’ll invite Festival attendees to a panel organized in collaboration with CD Projekt RED. This world-renowned company has its roots in Łódź. And for those looking to follow in its footsteps, this year’s Festival offers an excellent opportunity to showcase themselves to the public. We are creating a separate program for Łódź-based companies in the video game industry and inviting them to present and promote themselves—as well as their titles and projects—on a broader scale. This year’s Festival will also serve as an opportunity for the Łódź game development industry to meet, network, and build connections.
One of the festival’s highlights will undoubtedly be the chance to see, for the first time, exhibitions at the new EC1 Center for Comics and Interactive Narrative. There, we will present an exhibition of works from the international short-form comic competition (which we continue to encourage you to enter—details at komiksfestiwal.com) as well as artwork by one of our international stars.
The layout for the 32nd edition of the Festival—and in particular the poster and promotional video—was created by Marcin Podolec, a graduate of the animation program at the Łódź Film School. He is the creator of comic books, documentary animations, music videos, and illustrations. He has received numerous awards, including at film festivals and at the International Festival of Comics and Games in Łódź.
“We’ve learned to effectively use digital media as a platform for connecting with fans of both digital and more traditional forms of storytelling,” says Adam Radon. “This year, however, we have double the reason to celebrate.” First, in-person meetings and the festive atmosphere are something that nothing can replace. Second, we have the opportunity to invite everyone to visit the soon-to-be-opened EC1 Center for Comics and Interactive Narrative, of which we are already extremely proud. And one more thing: even though this is already the 32nd edition of the event, we’re enjoying it as if it were the first. I’m sure that we, as organizers, and you, as hosts and guests, will appreciate it even more.
More information:
Adam Radon
500 470 522
directions
You will arrive in many ways. You can comfortably get there by public transport, train or car. For our guests we have prepared comfortable parking lots and bicycle racks.
Learn more
