Discoveries from Poland World Cinema

In a shattered world where the struggle for survival is the only goal, a lone wanderer roams the wilderness deranged by visions of revenge. He encounters a stranger with whom he shares his past.

When 12-year-old Lauri tries too hard to get his older siblings’ attention he falls badly and loses his ability to walk. Now Lauri is stuck at home, lonelier than he ever was. Just then a helpful furry creature from another dimension appears and takes him on a fantasy adventure. In the other dimension Lauri trades his shadow for being able to walk again, but the shadow becomes a goofy, all-eating monster who follows Lauri back to his world. To beat the monster Lauri needs to team up with his siblings and give up his ability to walk. However, Lauri is now determined to learn to walk again and he has his siblings beside him - and that’s what really matters.

A Vietnamese girl, Mai Anh, illegally enters Poland. Now she only has to reach Warsaw, where she will join her boyfriend and start the life she has dreamed of. But the journey through Poland turns into one of humiliation and violence.

The ponytail is a dumpster version of the Oedipus myth. Diana, a prostitute from Vienna, returns to the city. She has a trace, memory gaps, and milk started flowing from her breasts. Twenty-year-old orphan-outcast May suspects that she may be its author. Diana's return coincides with one made in the neighboring forest. May is arrested for being violent on police officer Max's wife.

Witek runs after a train. Three variations follow on how such a seemingly banal incident could influence the rest of Witek's life.

The film is an intimate portrait of a Father Adam Boniecki. It shows a priest, aged 85, who can always find time for a meaningful conversation and, simultaneously, remains torn between his faith and concern about the condition of the contemporary Church, in particular in Poland.

Obese 12-year-old Wojtek is ashamed of himself and his mother, who runs a rundown grocery. On a bad hair day, the boy rebels against his mother, but instead of making her change, he humiliates her.

Ancient Rome, during the time of Emperor Nero. Vinicius, a young patrician, falls in love with the beautiful Lygia, the daughter of a Barbarian commander who was killed in battle, and wants her for his concubine. For Lygia, a Christian, being a pagan's concubine is a severe sin and disgrace. However, when Vinicius is wounded, Lygia cares for him, and starts to reciprocate his feelings. Vinicius, in return, becomes interested in Christian learning and asks Apostle Peter to teach him. In the meantime, Emperor Nero accuses Christians of having started a great fire in Rome. He encourages the imprisonment, torture and murder of his Christian subjects.

Berlin, 1990. At the invitation of his actor friends, who have already lived abroad for many years, Max, a Polish theater director, comes to Berlin. They begin to work together. They try to realize their dream: to stage a play, the staging of which was prevented by the imposition of martial law ten years earlier. The way they raise funds (selling pieces of the "historic" wall) and struggle against the heartless machinery of bureaucracy forms the axis of the film. In their efforts, the four protagonists are assisted by Regina, a translator familiar with local customs and practices. The film deals with the problems of artists in the new, commercializing reality.

A young married couple, Iza and Slawek, stray from the forest road, with a moment of privacy in mind. In addition, their car breaks down. Slawek stays behind, while Iza decides to go to the bus stop. After a while, 4 men get out of the off-road car. It turns out that they are gangsters who are celebrating the release of one of them from prison. Iza becomes their "plaything". Meanwhile, a concerned Slawek tries to interest the police in his wife's disappearance. The gangsters, along with Iza, go to a summer house located in the so-called "quiet zone" and there they have an alcoholic libation, and Iza has to fight for survival.

Your favourite gamer trio is back! This time, Waldek, Staszek and Delfina will spend an adventure-packed summer in the Tatra Mountains. During the trip, Waldek accidentally finds out that his father – the man he has heard so much about from his mum, the person who abandoned his family a long time ago – lives nearby. The boy is determined to find him and ask him about the reasons for his decision. Together with Staszek, under the cover of night, they set out on their mission. The hazards of the mountain trail, however, are nothing compared to what Delfina will have to do. The creative teenager has to hide the truth about the boys’ disappearance from her aunt, the mother of Waldek and… her new partner. How will this secret mission affect the lives of all the characters? Will Waldek find an answer to the questions that haunt him and understand the actions of his father?

A young detective seeks the help of a discharged police officer, giving him the chance to reclaim his old life in exchange for solving a bank raid case.

To impress his beloved, Adam forms a punk rock band.

After climbing Broad Peak mountain, Maciej Berbeka learns his journey to the summit is incomplete. 25 years later, he sets out to finish what he started.

The house on Złota Street, nestled against the last remaining fragment of the Warsaw ghetto wall, is now occupied by the grandson of its pre-war owner, who was of Jewish descent. His life and memories of the former residents intertwine with the stories of today's residents: 94-year-old retired accountant Czesław, Ukrainian Inna, and Fadi from war-torn Syria.

After an argument with her lover, a young woman recklessly gets into the parked car of a mysterious stranger. Their brief encounter will lead to mutual attraction, insight and fatal accomplishment, during a journey to the end of the night. Through a maze of colorful flashbacks, intricately related to the main character's painful past, the destiny of the young woman is inevitably connected to that of an imaginary fish.

After the fall of the September Campaign of 1939, two Polish pilots are forced to fight for their nation in foreign battlefronts.

Based on the true story of Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, who served as a courier between the commanders of the Polish Home Army and the Polish Government in Exile in London. He must return quickly to Warsaw to transmit orders from the Polish PM to the Home Army's commander-in-chief before the start of the Warsaw uprising.

Young Pharaoh Ramses XIII clashes with Egypt's clergy over influence on the affairs of the state and its coffers. inexperienced, but quite ambitious pharaoh is putting up a fight against a powerful clan of priests usurping rule over the country.

Documentary about the famous Polish director Agnieszka Holland and her relationship to Czechoslovakia, based on two storylines: one depicting the life of Agnieszka Holland during her studies in Prague towards the end of the 1960’s, her friends, her participation in a student strike and her arrest for supporting the dissident movement and anti-state tendencies, and the second one - following her return there.

Since the 1990s, the Poznań-based group "Alternative Action Ourness" has been concocting happenings ridiculing politicians and activists with a Communist Party pedigree. Already 20 years ago it organized protests against Putin's criminal activities. The intergenerational group, headed by Piotr Lisiewicz, permanently argued with the courts, the police and the media. The documentary is a fast-flowing story of the erstwhile rebels, who are now active on the right side of the political scene.

Alan Biernat, a talented young actor with speech problems, is faced with the difficulty of finding roles in the film industry. Desperate, he starts recording casting tapes, but to no avail. One day he comes across a script with a conspiracy theory theme. Instead of traditional casting, he decides to share the video online, which brings him unexpected popularity, although not because of his acting talent, but the content of his speech. Over time, Alan deepens his interest in conspiracy theories, transferring them to the screen as well. Gradually, he begins to believe in them, and playing the role becomes a real experience for him. The audience watches as the actor gradually becomes a character from his own films, losing himself in the whirlwind of conspiracy theories that he once only pretended to be.

Sheriff Kowalsky arrives in the cornfields with an unusual challenge. He learns that his wife has found a crashed spaceship. The only witness to the events is a stunned farmer. After a brief conversation, however, it turns out that he is a masked alien and hides a secret that has kept the sheriff alive for the past eight years.

The documentary will introduce the viewer to the state of extreme physical exertion and moments of mental crises that runners must face. At least in part, it will allow them to experience the extremely intense emotions that become the lot of ultramarathoners.

American filmmaker Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999), one of the greatest in history, but also one of the most reserved, gave few interviews throughout his long career, and none of them were filmed. A first-person journey through his life and work, based on a recorded conversation with French film critic Michel Climent.

A famous surgeon is beaten by drunken bullies, loses his memory and cannot recollect who he was before. He gets to a village, lives in a not so well to do family and becomes the Quack - he slowly regains his talent for medicine and saves the lives of several village patients.

A violinist in a provincial Polish orchestra, whose husband is the director of the ensemble, on a visit to the US ties up with the world- renowned symphony conductor. As it turns out he was once in love with violinist's mother. The conductor, a slightly unstable hypochondriac, returns to Poland to lead the provincial orchestra. He also tries to revive old love affair using the violinist as a surrogate of her mother. Her husband is resentful of the conductor for both personal and professional reasons.

Live without food? Draw energy from the environment—like plants? Is this realistic? The film follows a group of people who claim that it is possible to nourish oneself with light. Marek, a Polish bioenergy therapist living in Greece, did not eat for 63 days and lost more than half his body weight, which almost cost him his life. Krzysztof has just returned to Poland after a long stay in India, where he studied yoga. So far, he has fasted for a month, but he plans to finally cleanse his body and live without traditional food. Kazimierz claims that he has already done so and has been drawing energy directly from the sun for five years. Joanna has only gone without food for two weeks so far, but she believes that switching to not eating is the path to happiness for her. The protagonists, talking about their experiences, have the courage to contradict modern science.

An innocent cab driver is mistaken for a contract killer and imprisoned. Soon, he is sprung by a mob boss who needs a "killer" for a few more jobs.

After being tricked into dropping everything to save her grandmother's farm, big-city chef Oliwia falls for a handsome farmer who's hiding a secret.

Peter is a slight lad, solitary, locked out of the woods by his protective grandfather, his only friend a duck. In town, he's bullied. When a wolf menaces the duck - as well as grandfather's fat cat and an ill-flying bird that Peter has befriended - Peter bravely tries to tree the wolf. Grandfather, the townspeople, and the hunters who have antagonized Peter figure in the dénouement.

Creatures find their way to re-connect and re-interact with themselves and nature.

A lonely French trucker's routine life on the road takes an unexpected turn when he encounters a Polish driver. As feelings develop, he struggles to balance his demanding job with a chance at love, determined to make their connection work.

The lives of urbanites intertwine in a world where anything can happen at any time.

In 1983, communist Poland is shaken by the case of high school student Grzegorz Przemyk, who is beaten to death by police. The only witness of the beating becomes the number one enemy of the state.

A mysterious woman recounts the rise and fall of Nikodem "Nikoś" Skotarczak, one of the biggest gangsters in Poland's history. Inspired by a true story.

Lena, a 40-year-old actress freshly divorced, is determined to rebuild her life. Embracing change, she quickly plunges into the vibrant nightlife of Warsaw—and into the arms of Kundel, a young, charismatic student. Their relationship is a passionate explosion where the boundaries between intimacy and desire begin to blur. Meanwhile, Lena’s ex-husband Jan, a respected lawyer, struggles to accept the end of their marriage.

In the last few days of the Warsaw Uprising during World War II, a modest group of Resistance members remains. The band must take refuge in the sewers under the orders of leader Zadra, but it's only a matter of time before they will have to emerge. However, when they try, they are met only with intense hostility from the Nazis. Despite their attempts stay resolute through immense mental strain, it becomes increasingly apparent that they may be doomed.

Spring of 1794, Poland is in a state of unrest. General Tadeusz ‘Kos’ Kościuszko returns to the country, planning to ignite an uprising against the Russians by mobilising Polish gentry and peasants. He is accompanied by his faithful friend and former slave, Domingo. Kościuszko is being tracked down by a merciless Russian cavalry captain, Dunin, who wants to do whatever it takes to capture the general before he starts a national revolt.

Stach is a wayward teen living in squalor on the outskirts of Nazi-occupied Warsaw. Guided by an avuncular Communist organizer, he is introduced to the underground resistance—and to the beautiful Dorota. Soon he is engaged in dangerous efforts to fight oppression and indignity, maturing as he assumes responsibility for others’ lives. A coming-of-age story of survival and shattering loss, A Generation delivers a brutal portrait of the human cost of war.

On their way to an afternoon on the lake, husband and wife Andrzej and Krystyna nearly run over a young hitchhiker. Inviting the young man onto the boat with them, Andrzej begins to subtly torment him; the hitchhiker responds by making overtures toward Krystyna. When the hitchhiker is accidentally knocked overboard, the husband's panic results in unexpected consequences.

Once you get hooked, the way you feel changes your world forever. Learn more about a sport where each season brings a small revolution, in which you can progress in so many ways. In #Allseasons we will show you how love for the wind drives kitesurfers to live their passion all year round. You will meet people who plan their week following wind forecast no matter if it is hot Summer or cold Winter.

He is one of the top celebrities in the country: a fast-talking TV host, who can joke his way out of any situation. Women want to be with him, men want to be like him. He is looking for a new topic to discuss in his popular talk-show. She is a teacher at a musical school - a timid girl looking for Mr. Perfect on an internet dating site. He will help her realise her potential and teach her how to recognise various types of men for what they are, she will teach him what real life is about. The show will become a huge hit. It seems they are destined to fall in love and be together, but one day she actually does meet Mr. Perfect on the net.

A celebrity journalist and renowned womanizer starts to rethink his life choices after he falls for a mysterious model who leads a double life.

Italy, third millennium. Andrei, a Romanian university student, ends up embroiled in an intrigue linked to the disappearance of a German antiquarian.

A celebrity journalist and a down-to-earth teacher find their relationship in rocky waters when a job gets in the way of their new life together.

Maciek is a bright and savvy 20-year-old, although he has to borrow money and a car for a date from his dad. His father, on his eighteenth birthday, set off an explosive device, stole a car, contributed to the wrecking of two police cars and deceived for big money a shady businessman. At the same time, he won the heart of a beautiful woman. So he set the bar high, and it will soon become clear whether his son has inherited his bravado and propensity for dangerous intrigue. All this will happen through a date that will connect him with two unpredictable women and draw him into a game at stake - big money and even bigger love.

Jakub, who is dominated by his mother, invites a healer to his home.

On 3 April 2004, during the holiday of Ashura, Iraqi rebels loyal to Shiite leader Muktada As-Sadr, launched an insurgency in the Polish zone. The Poles, together with Bulgarian soldiers and Iraqi police, were given the task of defending City Hall, led by Lieutenant colonel Grzegorz Kaliciak. The clash developed into the biggest Polish engagement since World War II. Not a single allied soldier died, although about 80 insurgents were killed in a counter-attack.

When Maja brings her fiancé home, her traditional parents must overcome their cultural biases amidst a crisis at their dairy farm. Can love find a way?

Poland, 1970. Firmly determined to fight against Soviet tyranny and prevent the destruction of the world, the high-ranking officer of the Polish army Ryszard Kukliński makes a serious decision that will put his life, his family and the fate of an entire nation at risk.

Composed from the conversations that the director holds with people passing by in the street under his Warsaw apartment, each story in 'The Balcony Movie' is unique and deals with the way we try to cope with life as individuals. All together, they create a self-portrait of contemporary human life, and the passers-by present a composite picture of today's world.

The rebellious IIIB crew and their unconventional teacher Jan Sienkiewicz are back! Love, troubles and school dramas make up everyday life of Dante, Nel and the whole gang. It is joined now by a young mathematical genius - Korek. The guys intend to teach him how to pick up girls, but it turns out that their know-how is rather theoretical…

A young Polish filmmaker sets out to find out what happened to Mateusz Birkut, a bricklayer who became a propaganda hero in the 1950s but later fell out of favor and disappeared.

Every day at 6 pm a serial killer kills another person. Police officer Helena Rus thinks the killings are done by one man only and decides to reveal the killer's identity by getting back in 18th century history of the city.

Young Polish nobleman Jakub is saved from imprisonment by a stranger. In return, the stranger wants to obtain a list of Jakub’s fellow conspirators. As he follows his mysterious savior across the country, Jakub is affected by the overall chaos and moral corruption; he goes insane and becomes a mass murderer.

Margarita Mamun, an elite Russian rhythmic gymnast, is struggling to become an Olympic champion. It is the most important year of her career and her last chance to achieve the ultimate goal, the gold Olympic medal. The film creates a captivating portrait of a young woman who is desperately trying to handle her own ambitions and meet the expectations of the official Russian training system.