Moon Films’ Tala Dołgowska on Her Artistic Spark

Introducing Moon Films artist and filmmaker, Tala Dołgowska. One of the exciting up-and-comers of Poland’s emerging generation of directors, her experimental style is informed by her artistic training – currently pursuing a PhD at Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts – and a love of cinema.

Tala’s influences combine across a repertoire of commercials, documentaries, fashion films, and multimedia installations that layer striking aesthetics upon conceptual depth, working both in Poland for brands such as MISBHV, and internationally for the likes of Vogue, Swatch, H&M, and New Balance.

Now working on her debut documentary, Tala’s previous short films have been showcased at international film festivals, published by Nowness, and featured at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, cementing her reputation as a creative to watch.

To find out more about the world through Tala’s lens, LBB’s Zara Naseer sat down with the Moon Films director.

Above: Tala's short film, 'Me, Myself & Touch'

LBB> Which pieces of your work show what you do best – and why? 

Tala> It's challenging to define myself by a single work, but several projects truly resonate with me. The video art ‘Is It Worth’ at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw is one. Then there’s ‘Togetherness’ by MISBHV, a powerful nod to women’s strength during a pivotal time for women’s rights in my country. The project 'Me, Myself, and Touch' is particularly meaningful to me, as it aims to raise awareness about breast cancer. And ‘Slava,’ shown on Nowness, is a touching response to the attack on Ukraine. I’m drawn to work that goes beyond advertising and genuinely impacts the community. 

LBB> How does your training in fine arts feed into your filmmaking approach? 

Tala> I began my artistic journey with documentary photography, focusing on long-term projects that emphasised concept over mere aesthetics. This deep interest in the underlying idea continues to drive my passion for photography. I eventually transitioned into documentary filmmaking, a genre I've always admired. Personal narratives are particularly compelling to me, and they tend to anchor my work. In creating video content, I often draw inspiration from past encounters with various art forms – not just video. I find that artistic concepts, sculptures, and spatial installations frequently spark my creativity, a testament to their enduring influence on my approach. 

LBB> Fashion features prominently in your portfolio – what about it keeps you coming back? 

Tala> I often return to projects related to the fashion industry because they offer me more creative freedom than standard advertisements tailored to a specific brief. In such films, I often oversee the entire concept and can use my own visual language. Lately, I've noticed that many brands outside the fashion world want to adopt the visual key and language typical of fashion. For me, it's an exciting challenge to incorporate these elements into typical commercial films. I also want to emphasise that I am open to various forms of video – I enjoy playing with form. 

Above: MISBHV x Reebok 'Togetherness'

LBB> You’re currently working on your debut documentary. Can we get a hint as to what it’ll be about?

Tala> I am already in the production of a feature-length documentary, which has become an international co-production (Swiss-French) and concerns the place I come from – the Zakopane region. ‘On the Way’ is a cinematic exploration, both physical and symbolic, revealing the modern face of tourism and the complex relationships humans have with nature. It is a reflective documentary film that explores the relationship between humans and nature in the Tatra Mountains, focusing on mass tourism at Morskie Oko, one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe. The structure of the film is based on a four-act symphony, where each act – corresponding to a different season – introduces new rhythms and emotions, similar to a musical piece. 

You tend not to rely on speech to move your stories along – what are your go-to tools for keeping audiences engaged without it?

Tala> I prefer an abstract approach in my films, emphasising atmosphere over traditional storytelling. I use visuals and sounds to set the mood and let the audience fill in the blanks with their own interpretations. 

LBB> To you, what sets Polish creativity apart from the rest of the world? 

Tala> I don’t know if there is something like ‘Polish’ creativity, but there definitely is a certain approach to work that's connected with the broader region we come from (Central and Eastern Europe) and its cultural influences, which are very eager to emulate the West, and somehow find it harder to see a lot of value in native culture. I often feel we replicate Western models before exploring local ones. 

Above: Tala's short film, 'Is It Worth'

LBB> What sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them? 

Tala> I am eager to work on more advertisements that combine documentary observation with strong visual storytelling, reflecting my film background. I have always worked on projects that I believe in or find interesting in some way. I would very much like to do more advertising projects that are socially engaged in some sense. Projects that have an impact and, apart from great visuals, also have the power of a message. 

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot? 

Tala> I seek out unique film references, often outside of commercials, that resonate thematically with my current projects, enriching the creative process. Often, these are quite niche things that possibly no one has seen before. I also like to draw on the world of art, taking examples from its various fields. 

LBB> Finally, what excites you in the advertising industry right now as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities? 

Tala> I would really like to work on more productions outside of Poland related to larger campaigns (they don't necessarily have to be fashion videos!).

Above: H&M 'Dziękujemy, że jesteście sobą'