For 10 days, cinephiles will be treated to a diverse array of world-class films, shown across the iconic Kinoteka, Atlantic, and Iluzjon Filmoteka Narodowa cinemas in the heart of the Polish capital.
The festival’s programming team had the monumental task of selecting the best films from over 5,000 submissions.
This year’s lineup features 84 full-length films and 58 shorts, with an impressive 26 world premieres.
Adding to the excitement, the annual festival will also showcase 18 international premieres, six European premieres, five Eastern European premieres, and 20 Polish premieres.
“We focused on finding films by emerging filmmakers, often debutants," said WFF’s program director, Gustaw Kolanowski. "We believe that many of them will become names to watch."
The festival sections will feature a total of 94 films, including 15 in the prestigious International Competition.
Among the highlights is the world premiere of Invaders by Teodora Ana Mihai and the European premiere of End of Summer by Danis Tanović.
The International Competition jury includes notable figures such as Croatian director Vinko Brešan, Polish director Anna Kazejak, and Romanian producer Oana Iancu.
The festival's Kolanowski emphasized the event's "commitment to cinematic diversity."
He said: “Cinema should be diverse, and that’s why we don’t limit ourselves to typical festival films. This year’s selection includes a wide range of genres – Westerns, horror, science fiction ... I’m confident there’s something for everyone.”
The festival will open with the highly anticipated Kulej: Two Sides of the Medal, directed by Xawery Żuławski.
This Polish production tells the story of legendary boxer Jerzy Kulej, the only Pole to win two Olympic gold medals, and his turbulent marriage to Helena.
Closing the festival is the world premiere of Invaders, a powerful film by Teodora Ana Mihai that explores globalization and cross-cultural conflicts.
The Warsaw Film Festival (WFF) is not just about screenings—there’s a full slate of activities lined up.
“Cinema is about bringing people together," Kolanowski said. "After the lights come up, we want viewers to stay and engage. We’ve prepared a host of additional events: free screenings, Q&As with filmmakers, lectures, film club meetings, quizzes, and parties at festival clubs."
Tickets for the 40th WFF are available online, with sales opening in cinemas on October 8. For more details, visit www.wff.pl.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP, IAR, TVP3
Click on the audio player above to listen to a report by Radio Poland's Agnieszka Bielawska.