Simona Kossak (2024)

Born into a prominent artistic family, Simona (played by Sandra Drzymalska) rejects the legacy of painters and writers to pursue zoology and forest science. She relocates to the Białowieża Forest, living in relative isolation, studying roe deer and their influence on sapling growth.

Her findings — that deer rarely damage young trees — clash with political and logging interests who prefer to portray them as “pests” to justify culling. Institutional pressures, sexism, and familial expectations form the backdrop to her determined defense of nature.

Besides Simona, the film features Agata Kulesza as her mother Elżbieta Kossak, Jakub Gierszał as Lech Wilczek, and Borys Szyc in a pivotal role. The film premiered at the 24th New Horizons International Film Festival in July 2024 and later screened at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia.

With striking forest cinematography, Simona Kossak delves into themes of environmental conflict, identity, legacy, and the personal cost of conviction.