A ten-minute silent film. No dialogue — only images, light and the weight of what is left unsaid. Director Marcin Melcarek and cinematographer Błażej Perka made their film as part of a Łódź Film School competition, and what emerged was a meditation on war as a human condition, not a headline.
Could you introduce yourselves and tell us about the film?
Marcin Melcarek
My name is Marcin Melcarek, and I am the director of the film. I'm also a sculptor and filmmaker. This project began as part of a screenplay competition at the Łódź Film School. The task was to create a ten-minute silent film without dialogue — an exercise in telling a story purely through images. Our script was selected, and the prize was the opportunity to bring it to life.Błażej Perka
I'm Błażej Perka, the director of photography. I've worked mainly in documentary cinema for nearly twenty years, but making a narrative film had always been a dream of mine. This project became that opportunity.Why did you choose war as a subject?
Marcin
We wanted to address something deeply relevant to our times. For artists today, war is impossible to ignore. While the inspiration came partly from the tragedy in Ukraine, it was important for us to make the story universal. It is not about one country only — it could happen anywhere."We hope viewers will think of war not as a story of heroes or adventure, but as a world of victims. Everyone suffers — people, memories, even childhood itself."
Błażej, what inspired your visual approach?
Błażej
My background in documentary cinema influenced it strongly. We wanted some scenes to feel immediate and real, almost observational. Cinematography for me is always about expressing emotion through light, framing and movement.What was the most challenging part?
Marcin
Everything. We had children, animals, war elements, and only four shooting days. It was intense from beginning to end. But we had an extraordinary team, and everyone gave their full commitment. Around fifty people were involved — for such a short film, it was a large and dedicated crew.What do you hope audiences take from the film?
We hope viewers will think of war not as a story of heroes or adventure, but as a world of victims. Everyone suffers — people, memories, even childhood itself. It is only a short film, a small drop in the ocean. But even a small drop can carry meaning.