About Tess

I am a writer and director with a special love for stop-motion. I made my debut in a basement, where over the course of two dark years I created a 15-minute puppet animation on a budget of just 2,000€. The Designer premiered at Holland Animation Film Festival and its success opened the door for me to receive funding for future works, including Creatures, awarded the Sundance Channel Jury Award during Sundance London and distributed by Sundance TV to 48 countries. Since then, my work has moved between independent filmmaking and international commissions, including projects for Adult Swim Europe and Paramount Europe, alongside directing episodic children’s animation.

My graduation film, Curiosa, created as part of my MA degree at the National Film and Television School won 25 prestigious awards, including the Austin Film Festival Jury Award and was included on the 2025 longlist for Academy Awards. It was described after its BFI London Film Festival premiere as “Anomalisa meets Being John Malkovich in a delightful deconstruction of dating baggage“.

In 2025, I received the prestigious Young Poland scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Most day’s now you’ll find me at my desk in Camden Collective, where I’m working on my debut feature film Rainbow in Hel, currently in production, to be completed in 2028. I am also the writer of a graphic novel selected by the Polish Book Institute for a nationwide literacy initiative, with 420,000 copies set to reach children across Poland in 2028.

In 2019, I founded the Warsaw Animation Film Festival in collaboration with Platige Image, Polands leading postproduction house. I currently collaborate as selectioner and independent curator of animated horror, gore and erotic films for Academy Award qualifying Animator Festival.

Outside of filmmaking, I am passionate about longboarding, snowboarding, rock climbing, loud electronic music, and spending time in nature.

I’m the daughter of cave explorers and the granddaughter of Poland’s oldest working man, so curiosity about dark corners and stamina bordering on madness probably runs in the family.

I am currently represented by Fourth Wall Management – Alison Mann (mann@fourthwallmanagement.com).

In Poland I am represented by HIGHSPOT in.trin.sic


SELECTED AWARDS:

  • Young Poland scholarship from Hanna Wróblewska, Minister of Culture, and Robert Piaskowski, head of the National Centre for Culture, 2025.
  • Curiosa (2022):
    • Royal Television Society Awards – Best Postgraduate Animation. Jury statement: “This film skillfully utilises a mix of techniques, bold lighting and captivating sound design to enhance the themes of this stylish, witty and thought-provoking film.”
    • Austin Film Festival – Academy Award Qualifying Jury Award for Best Animation,
    • Festival Stop Motion Montreal – BEST EMERGING TALENT FILM;
    • Cinanima – Gaston Roch Award,
    • BFI London Film Festival – Screening
    • Tokyo Anime Awards Nomination;
    • ITFS Stuttgart – Nomination
  • Little Red (2018)
    • Papaya Young Directors 1st Award
    • Porsche Awards London – featured
  • Creatures (2016):
    • Sundance Tv – Sundance Channel Grand Jury Award awarded at Sundance London,
    • Krakow Film Festival – Nomination,
    • Crossroads of Art – Best Animated Short.
  • Polish Filmmakers Association scholarship to study at the National Film and Television School, 2020
  • Polish Film Institute’s scriptwriting scholarship
    • Sara and the Scarecrow, 2017
    • Rainbow in Hell, 2019
  • Dolina Kreatywna Winner of The Polish TV Channel TVP competition for young filmmakers, 2014
  • Darmasiswa Scholarship of the Indonesian Government to study Shadow Theatre in Indonesia in 2014/2015

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