Spotlight

In 1960s Łódź, Poland, a small moth is drawn to the warm glow of a tenement window but crashes and falls into a puddle. Drenched and unable to fly, it crawls into a smoky jazz club, where a bright bulb above the stage becomes its new obsession. As it chases the light, the moth is swept into the wild rhythm of a jam session — bounced between instruments, sucked into a saxophone, nearly drowned in a drink. The music consumes it: glowing colors, vibrating shapes, and pulsing sounds blur its sense of direction. Torn between instinct and the magnetic pull of rhythm, the moth climbs a double bass toward the bulb—just as it goes out. Darkness falls, yet the melody glows on. At first terrified, the moth resists, trembling in confusion, but slowly surrenders, letting rhythm and color envelop it. United with the sound, it no longer seeks the bulb; it becomes part of the performance—alive, radiant, and free.

Director’s statement
The idea came naturally—I've been tied to music since childhood, perceiving sounds as colors and shapes. Animation lets me express that. After quitting music school, I tried to leave music behind, feeling unsafe and disconnected there. Yet my love for sound never left; it was always about how it spoke to me. Reclaiming music as my own turned it into strength, shaping how I animate and tell stories. The moth became my metaphor—drawn to what it resists, finding meaning in surrender. I'm inspired by 1960s–70s Polish jazz (Komeda, Trzaskowski) and the animations of Lenica and Giersz, when artists and musicians shared a spirit of improvisation. Łódź, my hometown, once pulsed with underground jazz and pioneering animation. While studying in the Netherlands, I met artists who now collaborate on this project. Our shared musical journey, fueled by a jazz KOSMOS quintet's improvisation, continues to shape the film's rhythm.