Yesterday was a day of conversations, music and Midsummer traditions. From morning workshops by the Warta River to the evening bonfire, Malta once again showed how many different ways there are to come together. And we are only halfway through the festival journey. 

How do we keep talking to one another when our experiences, choices and visions of the future seem to pull us further apart? On Wednesday, Malta Festival turns its attention to different forms of distance – the kind that emerges between people, generations and partners, but also the distance that can appear between us and ourselves. The day’s programme includes the Polish premiere of Tiago Rodrigues’ La Distance, another Women Talking event, outdoor performances, conversations about relationships and spirituality, and an evening of Silent Disco x NOS.

One of the most important events of the entire festival will be the Polish premiere of La Distance by Tiago Rodrigues, beginning at 19:00 in Aula Artis. Set in the year 2077, the performance follows a father and daughter living on two different planets – Earth and Mars. From this premise, the Portuguese director creates a moving story about love, responsibility and a world that is no longer shared. Audiences should remember that a second performance will take place on Thursday, 25 June, at 17:00.

In Stary Browar Park, audiences will have two opportunities – at 12:00 and 15:00 – to experience BARK, an outdoor performance by the Nordic collective Acting for Climate. Created in direct dialogue with nature, the work treats trees and the surrounding park landscape as equal partners in the performance. Later, at 16:00 in the Atrium UAP, Natalia de Barbaro and Agnieszka Szydłowska will meet for Spiritual Health & Safety, a conversation about finding balance, setting boundaries and navigating contemporary spirituality with awareness and responsibility.

Atrium UAP will also become a space for Conversations Without Taboo – a series of Kulczyk Foundation events dedicated to the changes that shape our lives and relationships. At 17:00, the screening of Monika Kmita’s campaign film Menopause Without Taboo will be followed by a discussion with experts. At 17:45, Paulina and Mateusz Damięcki will meet the audience for Couple Balance, while at 19:00, Dr Katarzyna Skórzewska and Dr Piotr Świniarski, authors of Until Hormones Do Us Part, will take part in Couple-Pause, moderated by Odeta Moro.

At 17:00 in Freedom Square, audiences will have their second and final chance to see The Air Between Us by New Zealand choreographer Chloe Loftus. This moving aerial performance is built around trust, partnership and mutual support.

Midsummer Night may end at sunrise, but its atmosphere will remain by the Warta River throughout Wednesday. From 9:00, the Witches’ Tent will once again welcome visitors, while Sara’s Herbal Infusions will offer a chance to linger a little longer with the themes of community, nature and spirituality that shaped Tuesday’s celebrations. At 12:00, Magda Justyna Polkowska will lead The Ancient Art of Storytelling, while at 14:00 Rita Małgorzata Daniło-Gorlewicz will host Tantra of Love, a workshop devoted to awareness, energy and building a deeper relationship with oneself.

At the Festival Club, the day begins at 10:00 with Awakening Inner Strength and a Gong Concert, a workshop led by Małgorzata Dec. At 17:30, the Festival Club will host another event from the Women Talking series. Michał Nogaś will be joined by Tara K. Menon, one of the most exciting new voices in international literature. Her debut novel Under Water is a story of friendship, loss and a world increasingly shaped by the consequences of climate crisis.

The evening will end on the dance floor. The Festival Club will host Silent Disco x NOS, with music selected by Michał Nogaś, Agnieszka Obszańska and Agnieszka Szydłowska – a trio well known to listeners of Polish Radio Three. It will also be the last chance to warm up before the launch of the Malta Festival Music Stage. Starting on Thursday, the festival’s musical heart will move to the Poznań International Fair grounds, where artists including Benjamin Clementine, Devendra Banhart, MARO, The Blaze, Beirut, Worakls, Charlie Cunningham and Two Door Cinema Club will perform over four consecutive evenings. Tickets for all concerts are still available.

At 21:30 in Stary Browar Park, Women’s Cinema returns with a screening of Brother by Maciej Sobieszczański, featuring Agnieszka Grochowska in one of the leading roles. The screening will be followed by a conversation with the director and the actress.

Some distances may seem impossible to overcome. Wednesday’s programme at Malta Festival suggests that trying to bridge them is often where the most compelling stories begin.

Before heading out to today’s events, take a moment to browse the photo galery.

See you at Malta!

To Love!