Ten-year-old Yula has but one dream – to lead a normal life. For 14 years, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Hanna Polak follows Yula as she grows up in the forbidden territory of Svalka, the garbage dump located 13 miles from the Kremlin in Putin’s Russia. The film is Yula’s story – a dramatic tale of coming of age and maturing to the point of taking destiny into one’s own hands. It is a story of hope, courage, and life, all shot in gripping vérité style that stuns with its directness and immediacy.

Hanna Polak (the author of the short documentary entitled “Children from Leningrad” nominated for an Oscar) created a warm portrait of a young heroine. Not judging her relatives or hers, the Pole for a dozen or so years returns to her with a camera, following changes in the girl’s life. The film was presented, among others, at film festivals in London, Munich and Nuremberg (the last two were awarded). The co-producer of the film is HBO Europe.

Man in the Centre
This is a new film series with which we would like to draw attention to the importance of helping and protecting human dignity around the world. Every month we will present a film that sensitizes to social injustice, shows emotions and inspires to help others. We will show that even small activities can create a better reality in different parts of the world. In accordance with our mission, we will address the issues of preventing and mitigating the effects of human suffering; protection of dignity, discrimination based on nationality, race, gender, religious or ethnic beliefs. The HumanDoc Festival is a partner of the “Human Center” series.

The series of film screenings on humanitarianism and assistance to those in need is supported by the Lublin Regional Branch of the Polish Red Cross