Goals and research scope of the Polish Animation Research Group (GBPA)

The group is a voluntary association of researchers and enthusiasts of animated film, operating at the Department of Film and Audio-Visual Media of the University of Lodz. Its mission is to develop studies in film animation and to initiate research and popularisation projects dedicated to animation. The group emphasises the production of high-quality theses and publications on animated film at the University of Lodz, as well as networking – connecting young and experienced researchers for better knowledge exchange and cooperation.
 

Our group is primarily about people and their ideas – students, doctoral students, researchers, and enthusiasts who want to learn about, document and talk about film animation in its diverse manifestations 

– underlines Dr Ewa Ciszewska, the founder of the Polish Animation Research Group and one of its leaders.

Since its inception, the group's members have been guided by the idea of creating a space where a passion for animation translates into real-world action – publications, presentations, research and meetings. Interestingly, the group officially launched its operations on 28 October 2021, precisely on International Animation Day.

Initiatives and events of the group

What are the group's daily activities like? The Polish Animation Research Group organises many interesting events and activities related to animation, among other things, the Faculty of Philology of the University of Lodz hosts a series of animated film meetings, featuring lectures, screenings, and discussions. During these meetings, participants have analysed, among other things, Jerzy Kotowski's puppet films, Zenon Wasilewski's music in animation, and the work of forgotten women in animation. The group also organises meetings with creators, hosting, for example, Slovak director Joanna Kożuch, who talked about contemporary animation in her country.

A visit by the group members to the set of the puppet film "RO," directed by Magdalena Osińska was one of the most inspiring initiatives. This direct "behind-the-scenes" look at the creation of animation proved to be an invaluable experience for the young researchers.

Such an exposure to the creative process is incredibly inspiring for them and often becomes a starting point for new research topics

– underlines Dr Ciszewska.

GBPA is also involved in organising events at the intersection of film science and practice. Every two years (starting in 2021), it co-organises the national academic conference "ANIMOWANE, nieANONYMOWE – Konferencja O! Polskiej Animacji" (Animated, Non-Anonymous – Conference on Polish Animation), devoted entirely to Polish animated film. This conference brings together researchers from various centres, as well as animation creators, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas about the history, aesthetics and future of animation. The theme of the 2025 edition was "Boundaries of Animation" referring to the limitations and possibilities of animation art in the context of production, technology and interpretation. The event is held in cooperation with the O!PLA festival and other institutions – its patrons include the Polish Society for Film and Media Studies, the Etiuda&Anima Festival, and the Film Museum in Lodz.

Contribution of students and young researchers

Activation of students and doctoral students is one of the most important aspects of activities of the group. From the very beginning, the group has focused on involving young people in research work.

We encourage students to conduct independent research and write about animation – from the first sketches and ideas, through presentations at our meetings, to the subsequent development of this work in scientific or popular science texts

– notes Dr Ewa Ciszewska.

During the meetings of the group, students can present their first research ideas, consult them with more experienced colleagues, and then turn them into articles, chapters of diploma theses or conference papers.

This content related supervision quickly yields results. Several young members of the group have already secured research grants from the University of Lodz to pursue their own projects. For example, mgr Oliwia Nadarzycka, studied the changes in the animated film production process at the Se-Ma-For studio in Lodz in the 1960s, and currently, as a doctoral student, is working on her doctoral dissertation on the international circulation of Polish animated film during the socialist era. Mgr Szymon Szul began by delving into the history of Lodz animation (analysing, among other things, the artistic career of director Stanisław Lenartowicz and the Se-Ma-For studio's co-productions in the 1990s), before embarking on doctoral studies and writing a dissertation on the international cooperations of the Se-Ma-For Studio of Small Forms Films.

International cooperation

Although the Polish Animation Research Group (GBPA) focuses on Polish animation, its horizons extend far beyond Lodz. The international dimension of the group's activities is crucial. Its members have presented their research at prestigious academic conferences abroad, including in London, Zagreb and Bristol. The group has also established collaborations with animation researchers from other countries: Finland, the United States, and the Czech Republic. These researchers visit Lodz, give guest lectures, share experiences and discuss animation with the University of Lodz students. This international exchange generates new inspirations and projects, while also demonstrating how our domestic animation fits into the global discourse.
 

This proves that Polish animation can be a starting point for global conversations about the history, aesthetics and contemporary challenges of the medium

 – says Dr Ciszewska.

Publications and research projects

Although the group has only been operating for a few years, its achievements are impressive. The group members have already published numerous scholarly and popular science works documenting and analysing the history and contemporary contexts of Polish animation. These include articles in academic journals and texts introducing animation to a wider audience. The analysis of the specificity of Polish puppet film (stop-motion animation using puppets) based on productions by the legendary Lodz-based Studio Małych Form Filmowych Se-Ma-For is one of the examples. GBPA researchers have also prepared, among other things, a unique database of artists associated with the Se-Ma-For Studio, which has been published as an open dataset, made available to the international community of animation researchers.

Passion, community and the future of animation

In just four years of its operation, the group has established its own brand in the film studies community, becoming a pioneering platform combining scholarship with a love of animated film. Its members not only write about animation but also actively participate in cultural life: attending festivals, talking with creators, visiting film sets and archives – all to better understand and further share the charm of animation.

Dr Ewa Ciszewska is very satisfied with her achievements to date.

I am very proud of how our group is developing and how we are consistently building an environment for the exchange of knowledge, inspiration and passion for film

– she says.

She emphasises that the Polish Animation Research Group is not just about research, but also a community of people who "want to think about, talk about and co-create the future of animation – both locally and internationally." This idea guides all of the group's activities – from local meetings to global conferences.

International Animation Day is a celebration of cinematic imagination, but thanks to initiatives like the GBPA, it also becomes a celebration of knowledge and passion, which go hand in hand. Researchers from Lodz prove that it's possible to combine scientific inquisitiveness with fan-like delight, and the results of this synergy benefit the entire community of fans of cartoons, puppet films, and all other forms of animation. Thus, if you've ever wondered who researches Polish animation and ensures its rich tradition doesn't remain anonymous, the answer is this group of enthusiasts from the Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz. We'll certainly be hearing from them again, as their adventure with animation continues to gather momentum.

Text: Eryk Woźniak