Festival History
The tradition of showing Polish films in Australia goes back to 1994, when Polish films were presented for the first time in Melbourne. The first Festival in 2012 showcased a comprehensive sample of Polish films and was met with an enthusiastic support from the Polish community eager to be engaged in Polish cultural and artistic events, and to have an opportunity to see the best of Polish cinema at that time.
From there, the Festival grew to become an annual event run by Ted Matkowski, with programs presented by Puma Media and exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Perth.
The response from the Polish community to the annual Polish Film Festivals has been fantastic, indicating great interest in Polish cinema, and appreciation of opportunities to meet Poland’s most talked about actors and directors. The Festival audiences have been growing considerably year by year.
In 2018, the Festival enjoyed great success with the audience growing to over 2,000 people, and attracting not only the Polish-born audiences, but also many Australian film lovers.
The program included a broad spectrum of Polish films ranging from comedies and classics, to romance and science fiction, as well as the internationally acclaimed Cold War, which was also presented during a mini–Festival in Sydney, and screened in cinemas in Melbourne.
So this year, before you embark on a new viewing adventure, spare a moment to remember and reminisce…
7th Festival – 2019
Mr Jones / Obywatel Jones
The film tells the story of a journalist from Wales named Gareth Jones, who in 1933 travels to the Soviet Union and uncovers unpleasant truths.
Dolce Fine Giornata / Słodki Koniec Dnia
A woman’s life begins to fall apart after she develops a relationship with a young immigrant.
Werewolf / Wilkołak
Eight children who have just survived the Holocaust find refuge in an abandoned orphanage, only to be surrounded on all sides by a pack of bloodthirsty wolfhounds.
The Butler / Kamerdyner
Set between 1900 and 1945, the film follows a Prussian family von Krauss, and a forbidden love story between the Kashubian boy Mateusz and the German aristocrat girl Marita.
Playing Hard / Zabawa Zabawa
We look at three women. The 40-year-old prosecutor Dorota, the young student Magda and a distinguished surgeon, Teresa. They have something in common, an alcohol addiction.
Nina
Nina, a teacher in her mid-30s struggling to have a child, looks for a surrogate mother. It would seem that, together with her husband, she has come up with an idea.
Clergy / Kler
A few years ago, three Catholic priests’ fates were joined together by a tragic event. Their lives were miraculously saved. Now, on every anniversary the clergymen meet to celebrate their survival. Each took a different path.
Perfect Strangers / (Nie)znajomi
Seven long-time friends get together for a dinner. When they decide to share with each other the content of every text message, email and phone call they receive, many secrets start to unveil and the equilibrium trembles.
The Art of Loving / Sztuka Kochania
This is the true story of Michalina Wislocka, a woman who achieved the impossible. Disposing of conservative stereotypes and pervasive ignorance, Wislocka revolutionized the sexual life of the whole country. And she did all that with a book.
The Polish Missionaries
This film takes you on a journey into a work that is rarely seen, and it may change your view of religion. It shows what faith-based aid workers from wealthy nations can do to help poorer countries.
6th Festival – 2018
Cold War / Zimna Wojna
Set against the background of the Cold War in 1950s Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia and Paris, this is the tale of a couple separated by politics, character flaws and unfortunate twists of fate — an impossible love story in impossible times.
Loving Vincent / Twój Vincent
This film brings the paintings of Vincent van Gogh to life to tell his remarkable story. Every one of the 65,000 frames of the film is an oil-painting hand-painted by 125 professional oil-painters who travelled from all across the world.
The Man with the Magic Box / Człowiek z Magicznym Pudełkiem
The story is set in Warsaw in 2030 and follows Adam, whose memory has been wiped-out by the secret service. He falls in love with a woman from a higher social class, and finds an old radio from the 50’s which allows him to travel into the past.
Panic Attack / Atak Paniki
One of the most astonishing debuts of recent years about the anxieties overpowering modern society. It comprises six stories about ordinary people put in extreme situations.
Mug / Twarz
Jacek loves heavy metal, his girlfriend and his dog. He works at a construction site for what is supposed to become the tallest statue of Jesus in the World. When a severe accident disfigures him completely, all eyes turn to him as he undergoes the first facial transplant in the country.
Juliusz
The title protagonist is an orderly art teacher whose main problem in life is his father – an incessantly partying artist-painter. When the senior suffers a second heart attack and yet refuses to change his lifestyle, Juliusz will have to find a way to influence his behaviour.
Fugue / Fuga
Alicja has no memory of her past, but has managed to build a new life and identity. When her first family finds her, she doesn’t want her old life back, until bits of memories begin to come back. Gradually, her new and old identities merge allowing for an unsettling self-discovery.
Another Day of Life / Jeszcze Dzień Życia
A gripping story of a three-month-long journey that renowned Polish reporter Ryszard Kapuściński took across Angola ravaged by a war in which the front lines shifted like a kaleidoscope from one day to the next.
Breaking the Limits / Najlepszy
The award-winning biopic of Jerzy Gorski, an alcoholic and drug addict, who despite all odds turns his life around to become winner of the Ironman Triathlon and a Polish sports legend.
5th Festival – 2017
The Last Family / Ostatnia Rodzina
Based on the bizarre true story of the cult Polish painter Zdzisław Beksiński, whose saga unfolds through paintings, near-death experiences, dance music trends and funerals.
I Am a Killer / Jestem Mordercą
A true story, which takes place at the beginning of the 1970s, when Poland was in the throes of full-on Communism. The residents of Zaglębie, an industrial region in the south of the country, are shaken by a series of extremely brutal murders.
Blindness / Zaćma
A little known episode from the life of Stalinist security police officer Julia Brystiger. Her nickname Bloody Luna was a reference to her incredibly brutal methods of interrogation.
Afterimage / Powidoki
A great artist and co-creator of the theory of Unism, Strzemiński became famous before the Second World War. His students still treat him like the “messiah of modern painting”, but university authorities have a very different opinion.
Convoy / Konwój
A murder of a convict held in custody seems to be connected with dark and mysterious events from two years back.
Be Prepared / Czuwaj
Two groups of boys from different social classes confront each other as a result of a risky decision taken by adults. What was meant to be a lesson of responsibility and tolerance is transformed into a battle for leadership.
United States of Love / Zjednoczone Stany Miłości
Poland, 1990. The winds of change are blowing in Poland. Four apparently happy women decide it’s time to change their lives, fight for their happiness and fulfill their desires.
Reconciliation / Zgoda
1945. Communist secret police forces in Silesia use punishing traitors as a pretext for purging the country of enemies of the system. Franek gets a job at the camp to save the woman he loves.
Volta
A woman stumbles upon a valuable artifact, the crown that belonged to Casimir the Great.
Spoor / Pokot
Janina Duszejko, an elderly woman, lives alone in the Klodzko Valley where a series of mysterious crimes are committed. Duszejko is convinced that she knows who or what is the murderer, but nobody believes her.
The Righteous / Sprawiedliwy
It is 1942. The Nazis launch the decisive phase of their destruction. Anastazja takes in an abandoned Jewish girl, Hania, and it doesn’t go unnoticed by the local blackmailers, who demand ransom for their silence
Marie Curie / Maria Skłodowska Curie
Follows the famous physicist and chemist Marie Curie and her struggle for recognition in the male-dominated science community in early 20th century France.
4th Festival – 2016
Summer Solstice / Letnie Przesilenie
Romek is a Polish railway worker and Guido is a German soldier. They are both 17, in love with jazz and the same pretty girl. But it's 1943 somewhere in Nazi-occupied Poland, and their lives are bound to change soon.
11 Minutes / 11 Minut
The lives of several residents of Warsaw are intertwined for just 11 minutes. These minutes turn out to be crucial for their ultimate fate.
The Eccentrics / Excentrycy, czyli po słonecznej stronie ulicy
Jazzman Fabian comes back to Poland from England and sets up a swing big band in his hometown. He soon falls for singer Modesta, the mysterious sensual femme fatale.
Secret Sharer
On a rusting cargo ship in the South China Sea, it’s the young Polish captain’s first command. When the crew abandon ship, the young captain finds a naked body floating in the sea below. Inspired by Joseph Conrad’s “The Secret Sharer”.
These Daughters of Mine / Moje Córki Krowy
Comedy directed by Kinga Dębska. Two completely different sisters, who don’t get on well with each other, need to come together and face the illness of their mother.
Carte Blanche
Inspired by incredible true events, this is a story of a respected high school teacher who hides his progressing blindness from everyone around him.
Anatomy of Evil / Anatomia Zła
A convicted hit man goes to a parole and receives a lucrative offer from the same prosecutor that earlier sent him to prison.
Damaged / Panie Dulskie
A dynamic story of three generations of the Dulski family set in three time periods. The main protagonists are three women in a famous literary family.
3rd Festival – 2015
Body / Ciało
A touching, light in tone and beautifully nuanced film about the inextricable link between mind and body, the grief after losing a loved one, and different ways of dealing with it.
The Photographer / Fotograf
A thrilling story of a serial killer operating in Moscow, connected to events of forty years ago. Two plots intertwine to build a mysterious and gloomy atmosphere. The film depicts a unique perspective on modern Russia.
Gods / Bogowie
The early career of cardiac surgeon Zbigniew Religa. Despite the harsh reality of 1980s' Poland, he successfully leads a team of doctors in the country’s first human heart transplant.
Citizen / Obywatel
The life and times of regular citizen, Jan Bratek, who must cope throughout key moments of Poland's turbulant history.
Close Ups / Zbliżenia
A psychological drama that presents the power of family ties: a mother and daughter who cannot live with or without each other, and a husband fighting for his family's right to happiness.
Waterline / Jeziorak
Iza, a provincial town policewoman, investigates a complicated murder case. Meanwhile, two policemen go missing, one being Iza's life partner.
Foreign Body / Obce Ciało
Angelo and Kasia meet and fall deeply in love, but Kasia returns to Poland to enter a convent. Determined to win her back, Angelo moves to Warsaw and has to contend with a ruthless boss who uses her power to manipulate him.
Hardcore Disco/ Hardkor Disko
A sociopath begins a relationship with the daughter of a couple he intends to murder.
Fanciful / Piąte: Nie odchodź!
After her mother's death, 15-year-old Roma falls ill with a strange disease. Previously distant and emotionally cold towards the teenager, now driven by fear for his daughter's life, her father tries to rebuild their relationship.
The New World / Nowy Świat
A story about a group of immigrants living in Poland.
2nd Festival – 2014
Walesa: Man of Hope / Wałęsa: Człowiek z Nadziei
The depiction of the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Poland's Solidarity movement, Lech Walesa, as events in the 1970s lead to a peaceful revolution.
Life Feels Good / Chce Się Żyć
The story of a boy suffering from cerebral palsy and his troubled growing up during Poland's transition in the 1980s and 90s.
Sophie Seeks 7 / Facet (Nie)potrzebny od Zaraz
After another failed relationship, Sophie takes a journey to her previous relationships to understand what went wrong.
The Girl from the Wardrobe / Dziewczyna z Szafy
Three lonely next-door neighbours alienate themselves in various ways. Jacek seeks contacts online, his brother Tomek has a brain injury. Magda spends time alone in her apartment. What if they become friends?
Baby Blues / Bejbi Blues
A teenager wanted a baby, but finds that life as a teen mother is a struggle.
Imagine
A blind teacher breaks the rules to help a female student rediscover the pleasures of life.
Viva Belarus! / Żywie Biełaruś
Inspired by the story of Frank Viachorka, activist of the Belarusian Oposition. Belarus has been under the dictatorship of Lukashenko for 17 years.
Loving / Miłość
The relationship of a young successful couple expecting a baby is put to the test after Maria endures a traumatic experience. Her husband Tomek wants to seek revenge, but doesn't know who is to blame.
The Vulture / Sęp
In the centre of Europe people begin to disappear without a trace. The investigation is in the hands of the Vulture, a police officer who appears to be devoid of feelings.
Papusha / Papusza
Based on a true story, this is the dramatic tale of the first Gypsy poet, whose work was translated into Polish and officially published
In Hiding / W Ukryciu
During World War Two, Janka is hiding a young Jewish girl named Ester, and an unusual bond is created between them.
Siberian Exile / Syberiada Polska
Mass deportations to Siberia of the 1940s as seen through eyes of a young boy called Staszek Dolina. His family members are among the 2 million Polish citizens, who are sent to the cruel Siberian work camps.
1st Festival – 2012
My Father's Bike / Mój Rower
A man's wife unexpectedly leaves him for another man which sparks a series of events. His son and grandson arrive from abroad and set off for a journey to find a woman dear to each of them.
Mall Girls / Galerianki
Shopping malls today is consumerist heaven. Young girls decide to "work" to be able to afford what they desire.
Erratum
Michal's business trip to his home town unexpectedly turns into an inner journey into his long-forgotten past.
In a Bedroom / W Sypialni
A lonely middle aged woman poses as a call girl to get into the homes of her "clients", but instead of sleeping with them, she sedates them and enjoys their unwilling hospitality. Until she meets a man who is genuinely interested in her.
Yuma
A story about the rise and fall of Zyga, a Polish kid in his early twenties who wants to take charge of his life, but in a time of chaos and moral anarchy, unwillingly becomes a gangster.
Courage / Wymyk
A film about people whose lives get disturbed by a violent act, which forces them to reveal who they really are.
Rose / Róża
Inspired by the story of Frank Viachorka, activist of the Belarusian Oposition. Belarus has been under the dictatorship of Lukashenko for 17 years.
Letters to Santa / Loving / Listy do M.
A romantic comedy set on Christmas Eve in Warsaw and centered around a series of characters.
The Mole / Kret
In the centre of Europe people begin to disappear without a trace. The investigation is in the hands of the Vulture, a police officer who appears to be devoid of feelings.
Fear of Falling / Lęk Wysokości
Father-to-be Marcin reaches out to his estranged schizophrenic father in search of love and understanding.
The Fifth Season / Piąta Pora Roku
Despite a rocky relationship, Barbara and Witek take off for a beach holiday.
In the Name of the Devil / W Imieniu Diabła
Nuns convinced of the teachings of Father Francis decide to cut themselves off from the outside world and to change the way they practice their faith.
My Name is Ki / Ki
Ki is a hell of a young girl with lots of energy, guts, wit and warmth - a single mother who irritates and fascinates at the same time.
