WOODEATERS
POLISH TITLE: DREWNOJADY
In a Lemko Orthodox church in Poland’s Podkarpacie region, a quiet yet relentless battle is being waged against wood-boring insects, which are eating away at the historic church’s structure from within. For the entomologist involved, this is not only a scientific challenge, but also a mission to save the monument. He takes decisive action against the pests, using effective yet controversial insecticides such as Zyklon B. A substance used during the Second World War for mass extermination is now helping to preserve the cultural heritage of an ethnic minority in Poland.
- GENRE:
- documentary
- COUNTRY:
- Polska
- RUNNING TIME:
- 14'
- YEAR:
- 2026
- COLOUR:
- colour
- DIRECTING:
- Julia Pełka
- SCRIPT:
- Julia Pełka
- DOP:
- Szymon Kluz
- EDITOR:
- Julia Pełka, Mateusz Powszedniak
- MUSIC:
- David Dunn
- SOUND:
- Joanna Napieralska
- PRODUCTION:
- Paulina Skibińska
Julia Pełka »
Director, cinematographer, and producer, graduate of the Łódź Film School. The premiere of her film 'Gruba Kaśka' at Hot Docs established her position as a documentary filmmaker, earning critical acclaim and audience recognition. She creates auteur documentary cinema with a formal, minimalist approach, searching for visual metaphors that transcend literalness. Her films explore the relationship between humans and nature, moving away from hierarchical perspectives. Her style is marked by visual sensitivity, subtlety, and attentive observation of both subjects and protagonists. Her cinema consistently raises questions about humanity’s place in the world rather than offering straightforward answers.
- OFF Odense International Film Festival 2026, Denmark, 2026 (competition)