About the event
As part of the film programme of the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival, we invite audiences to the Old Theatre in Lublin for a unique showcase of documentary films that bring together two seemingly distant worlds: the brutal reality of the ongoing war in Eastern Europe and the turbulent, myth-shrouded lives of rock culture icons from the 1960s and 1970s. Through four distinct directorial voices from Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and the United States, we explore themes of memory, identity, and the price of freedom.
The “Move East Movie” section is a journey through history unfolding on two very different fronts. On one hand, we come face to face with a war taking place just beyond Poland’s eastern border. In “Mariinka”, we follow the lives of young Ukrainians whose destinies have been shaped by more than a decade of conflict in the Donbas region—from heroic female medics to brothers fighting on opposite sides of the front line, in a story reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. Meanwhile, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” takes us to a small town in the Ural Mountains, where a teacher named Pasha documents the militarisation of his school and the growing fear among children in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The film received both the Academy Award and the Sundance Jury Special Award.
On the other hand, the programme travels back in time to pay tribute to the untamed women of rock and roll. “Broken English” is a unique biographical hybrid centred on Marianne Faithfull, tracing her journey from being a muse to the Rolling Stones to becoming an artist who survived addiction and a heart attack. Directed by Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth, the film offers an intimate portrait of resilience and reinvention. “Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg” (featuring the artist’s memoirs read by Scarlett Johansson) reveals the life of the German model and actress often referred to as the “sixth Stone,” exploring her eccentric career, relationships with members of the band, and lasting influence on global culture.
Together, the festival’s film programme forms a cinematic discussion on how history—whether written in the bloodshed of war or shaped by public judgment and the struggles of artistic creation—defines our collective memory.
All screenings will take place on 4–5 July 2026 at the Old Theatre in Lublin. Admission is free.
Details
Saturday, July 4
13:30-15:05 | “Mariinka”, dir. Pieter-Jan de Pue, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, 2026, 95 min.
15:20-17:00 | “Broken English”, dir. Jane Pollard, Iain Forsyth, United Kingdom, 2025, 96 min.
Sunday, July 5
14.00-15.30 | “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”, dir. David Borenstein, Pasha Talankin, Czech Republic, Denmark, 2025, 90 min.
15.45-17.40 | “Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg” , dir. Alexis Bloom, Svetlana Zill, USA 2023, 113 min.
Movies
“Mariinka” begins long before the world watched the full-scale invasion. In eastern Ukraine, the film traces several young Ukrainians whose lives have been forever shaped by more than ten years of war and conflict in the Donbas region.
Amidst the war a promising boxing talent turns military paramedic, a girl is smuggling unexpected goods across the frontline to survive, and as in a Greek tragedy, two brothers now fight on opposite sides of the front line—against each other—while their youngest brother lives in safety far from the war with a foster family in the United States. Through letters, video calls and silent meetings, a story unfolds about belonging, national loyalty and the fault lines where political conflicts can trump even the bonds of blood.
“Mariinka” carries an almost biblical resonance, portraying the slow disappearance of a city and the resilience of those who once called it home.
The Ministry of Not Forgetting, led by Tilda Swinton, takes on its first case: Marianne Faithfull. More than just a muse to the Rolling Stones, she was the face and voice of the generation of ’68. Vilified by the media and underestimated by the music industry, she survived a heart attack and drug addiction. Despite these hardships, she released 35 albums, continually reinventing herself throughout her career. Like the life of its subject, the film itself defies convention. Creating a space somewhere between memory and imagination, fact and myth, “Broken English” reveals the many faces and remarkable talents of an artist who has always remained uniquely her own.
Pavel “Pasha” Talankin is an unlikely hero—a beloved Russian primary school teacher, known as a mentor and prankster who offers students a safe haven in his office. As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Pasha’s role in the school changes dramatically as he is reluctantly drawn into Putin’s propaganda machine. Forced to promote state-sanctioned messages and horrified by the transformation of his school and community, he struggles with guilt and a sense of powerlessness, leading him to become an international whistleblower. As the school’s videographer, Pasha documents intimate and revealing footage of Putin’s regime, capturing the rise of militarized children’s groups, repressive laws, fervent nationalism, and the recruitment of graduating students to fight in the war. When he learns his own life may be at risk, Pasha is forced to plan a dangerous escape from Russia. Directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pavel Talankin, this uniquely collaborative film is as captivating and joyful as it is eye-opening and sobering. Mr. Nobody Against Putin showcases rare footage that reveals the profound impact of Putin’s regime on the lives of everyday Russians, particularly its children.
“Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg”
This intimate documentary reveals the story of an unapologetic rock ‘n’ roller, actress, muse and mother who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. Using the words of her unpublished memoir, Catching Fire draws us deep into Anita’s world, with the help of a supporting cast that includes her family—Marlon, Angela, and their father Keith Richards.
Never-seen-before home movies and family photographs explore life with the Rolling Stones: this is a bittersweet tale of both triumph and heartbreak. From Barbarella to the Swiss Alps, and the Lower East Side of New York, Anita Pallenberg was a woman ahead of her time.
About the East of Culture – Different Sounds
The East of Culture – Different Sounds festival is a tribute to musicians who choose authenticity over popularity built on artistic compromise. At a time when culture is increasingly becoming a luxury commodity, Different Sounds serves as a reminder that quality should never be a privilege. It is an event for those who believe that music can be a space for encounter, reflection, and a sense of community—not merely consumption. For seekers who understand that the greatest revelations emerge where there are no ready-made answers. In a world where everything seems to have a price, Different Sounds offers something beyond value: a moment when sound becomes a language of communication and the audience becomes a co-creator of the experience.
This year’s line-up features Backengrillen, Therapy?, Sun Ra Arkestra, Dead Bob, Kap Bambino, Dälek, Tramhaus, Leila Bordreuil & Drew McDowall, Mats Gustafsson & Kimmo Pohjonen, Drank, Furia Plays Cinema, Marcin Masecki & Boleros, YANA, Hinode Tapes, Only Mess & Guests, Grupa Torpedo, AcidSitter, Nina Eba, Heinali & Andriana—Yaroslava Saienko, and The B17. The organisers will also host the renowned Vienna-based record label Trost Records.
The East of Culture – Different Sounds festival is not only about music. It is also a meeting place for some of the most compelling voices in contemporary Central and Eastern European literature. These encounters will take place within the Eastern Express series, featuring conversations with authors, translators, and literary professionals, as well as presentations of the latest releases published by Workshops of Culture Publishing House.
The programme will also include exhibitions, talks, music workshops for children, and the return of last year’s audience favourite–the Sound Resets.
As always, admission to all festival events is free of charge, with more announcements coming soon.
More information about the festival can be found at innebrzmienia.eu and nck.pl/projekty-kulturalne/projekty/wschod-kultury.
East of Culture – Different Sounds
July 2-5, 2026, Lublin
Admission free
Organisers: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, The National Centre for Culture Poland, The City of Lublin, the Workshops of Culture in Lublin.