»Tides of Freedom«, is a multidisciplinary body of work comprising an award-winning experimental film and a photographic editorial series by Claudia Malecka. Both works are interwoven with the poem »Tides of Freedom«, written by Claudia Malecka and incorporated into the film as voice-over narration. The whole work is a raw and intimate exploration of identity and belonging, unfolding between inner states and untamed external landscapes. Moving between physical and emotional terrains, the work traces moments of joy, freedom, vulnerability, and tension, revealing the subtle forces that shape human existence beneath the surface. Nature and the human appear in dialogue, reflecting the fragile balance between control and surrender. Contrasts between stillness and movement, closeness and distance, clarity and abstraction, shape the work, mirroring the inner pull between belonging and freedom.
Tides of Freedom – Photo Series
Creative Direction & Photography by Claudia Malecka
Model – David Voss
Fashion Design & Styling – Adam Zapletal
Styling Assistant – Giorgia O’Sullivan
Hair & Makeup – Hoi Thung Delphine Chan
Shoot Production Assistant – Kateryna Bilaya
Runner – Mila Moskalenko, Laura Cuello, Tetiana Ladychenko
Tides of Freedom – Short Film
Written, Directed, Produced and Edited by Claudia Malecka
Director of Photography & Grading – Mica Komagata
Music & Sound Design – Hartbrand
Audio Mix & Master – Schaltgeraete Studios
Actor & Voice – David Voss
Fashion Design & Styling– Adam Zapletal
Styling Assistant – Giorgia O’Sullivan
Hair & Makeup – Delphine Campbell
Shooting Production Assistant – Kateryna Bilaya
Runner – Mila Moskalenko, Laura Cuello, Tetiana Ladychenko
Thanks to Adrien Merat, Simon Doba, Iva Sa’adon & Eladio Torres
Screenings, Nominations and Press
B3 Festival of the Moving Image – premiere with Q+A
Curation Hour – Interview with Claudia Malecka
Berlin Fashion Film Festival – nomination in 6 categories; Best Experimental, Best Script / Storytelling, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design / Use of Music, Best Set Design
BERLIN COMMERCIAL Official Selection, New Generation Award
CFA – CONERO FILM & ADV Official Selection
London Fashion Film Festival Nominee – Best Emerging Talent 2025
Braunschweig International Film Festival Official Selection
Kaltblut Magazine Publication