by FilmInk Staff
OPENING NIGHT 25 OCTOBER 2026 LUNA LEEDERVILLE
Polish cinema returns to Perth this October as the Polish Film Festival in Perth launches its 12th edition, presenting a selection of acclaimed contemporary films, exciting Australian premieres and a landmark Polish classic — Andrzej Wajda’s cinematic masterpiece Ashes and Diamonds.
The Festival runs from 25 October to 10 December 2026, with screenings across Luna Leederville and The Backlot Perth, showcasing the breadth of contemporary Polish filmmaking — from the highly anticipated epic romance The Doll and a gripping political thriller Winter of the Crow, featuring a standout performance by acclaimed British actress Lesley Manville, to award-winning coming-of-age stories, comedy dramas, romantic comedy and a documentary exploring the remarkable life of Art Deco icon Tamara de Lempicka.
Opening the Festival is THE DOLL, a spectacular new adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s beloved literary masterpiece — a sweeping story of love, ambition, money and social class. Set in Warsaw at the end of the 19th century, this lavish period romance brings the city vividly to life, following wealthy merchant Wokulski as he enters the world of the aristocracy in pursuit of the woman he loves.
Starring in the lead roles are Marcin Dorociński (The Queen’s Gambit, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning) and Kamila Urzędowska (The Peasants), alongside an exceptional ensemble of Poland’s leading actors, including Marek Kondrat (The Shadow Line, Man of Iron), Agata Kulesza (Cold War, Ida), Andrzej Seweryn (Schindler’s List, Total Eclipse), Krystyna Janda (Man of Marble, A Short Film About Killing), Maria Dębska, Maja Komorowska, Maja Ostaszewska, Jan Englert.
“A major cinematic event.” Movies Room
“Visually, dramatically and technically impressive. A cinematic finesse worthy of Prus”. Interia
Fresh from its theatrical release in Poland, The Doll will make its Australian premiere in Perth, offering audiences a rare first look at one of the most anticipated Polish films of the year.
“We are delighted to open the 12th Polish Film Festival with The Doll, a spectacular new interpretation of one of Poland’s greatest literary works. Its record-breaking post-pandemic opening in Poland is testament to the enormous interest surrounding the film. With an extraordinary cast of some of the country’s most accomplished actors, it is a film of real scale and ambition and a wonderful way to begin this year’s Festival. We also look forward to celebrating the enduring legacy of legendary filmmaker Andrzej Wajda with Ashes and Diamonds, as well as welcoming audiences to the Festival to discover the many other exciting new films in this year’s program.”, said Magdalena Ambrozkiewicz, Festival Director.
Opening night guests will enjoy a complimentary drink on arrival and Polish delicacies served by Polish Jar, followed by the official Festival opening and screening.
THE 2026 PROGRAM FEATURES:
Inspired by Nobel Prize-winning author Olga Tokarczuk, a gripping political thriller starring Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville (The Crown, Phantom Thread). Set on the eve of martial law in Poland, Kasia Adamik’s WINTER OF THE CROW premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and was selected as the closing film of the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
“Bleakly captivating with Lesley Manville delivering one of her most quietly ferocious performances to date.” Next Best Picture
From the producers of Oscar-nominated Corpus Christi, Piotr Domalewski’s bold coming-of-age story of four teenage altar boys who, frustrated by adults’ indifference to social injustice, decide to take matters into their own hands. Funny, rebellious and unexpectedly moving, THE ALTAR BOYS explores friendship, faith and the difficult transition into adulthood. A major success at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia, the film won eight awards, including the Golden Lions for Best Film and the Audience Award.
“An accomplished film about friendship and a surprising ‘coming of age’ tale.” Cineuropa
As part of Poland’s 2026 Year of Andrzej Wajda, marking the centenary of the birth of the celebrated filmmaker and Honorary Academy Award recipient, the Festival will screen his 1958 masterpiece ASHES AND DIAMONDS, starring the legendary Zbigniew Cybulski. Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at Venice in 1959, the film remains one of the defining works of Polish cinema and has long been admired by filmmakers around the world, including Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.
LACHTARA. LONGING will make its first festival appearances in Perth alongside its November Polish theatrical release. Starring Filip Pławiak, acclaimed Bosnian actor Branko Đurić (No Man’s Land) and Iranian actress Sarina Farhadi, who won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for A Separation, this poignant road movie, with humour woven throughout, follows a Greek father and his Polish-Greek son as they reunite after decades apart and embark on an unexpected journey across Europe in an old Polonez.
Winner of the Audience Award at the Trieste Film Festival and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Warsaw Film Festival, BROTHER is a raw and intimate portrait of brotherhood, resilience and adolescence under pressure.
The program also includes Emi Buchwald’s acclaimed debut NO GHOSTS ON GOOD STREET, a darkly funny story about four siblings growing apart as they enter adulthood,
THE LOVE BUZZ, a warm-hearted romantic comedy about friendship and second chances, and THE TRUE STORY OF TAMARA DE LEMPICKA & THE ART OF SURVIVAL, a documentary exploring the extraordinary life and legacy of the Polish-born Art Deco legend, narrated by Anjelica Huston.
The Festival concludes with the Australian Premiere of PICASSO’S MERMAID, a charming comedy-drama inspired by the true story of Pablo Picasso’s 1948 visit to Warsaw and the mermaid he famously drew on the wall of a Warsaw apartment.
All films are presented in their original languages with English subtitles or in English.
Tickets are now on sale and the full program is available at www.polishfilmfestival.org
