Best Polish documentary movies

Talking Heads (1980)

People of different age, profession and social status answer two simple questions: who they are and what they want from life.

The Office (1966)

The insane government bureaucracy at a state pension window.

The Balcony Movie (2021)

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.

Tell No One (2019)

Polish documentary directed by Tomasz Sekielski about child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Poland.

Over the Limit (2018)

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.

The Children of Leningradsky (2005)

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain an estimated four million children have found themselves living on the streets in the former countries of the Soviet Union. In the streets of Moscow alone there are over 30,000 surviving in this manner at the present time. The makers of the documentary film concentrated on a community of homeless children living hand to mouth in the Moscow train station Leningradsky. Eight-year-old Sasha, eleven-year-old Kristina, thirteen-year-old Misha and ten-year-old Andrej all dream of living in a communal home. They spend winter nights trying to stay warm by huddling together on hot water pipes and most of their days are spent begging. Andrej has found himself here because of disagreements with his family. Kristina was driven into this way of life by the hatred of her stepmother and twelve-year-old Roma by the regular beatings he received from his constantly drunk father. "When it is worst, we try to make money for food by prostitution," admits ...

Playing Hide and Seek (2020)

The documentary follows the story of two brothers who were sexually abused by the same priest of Polish Catholic Church.

Ania (2022)

An inspiring story about Ania Przybylska, a brave girl from Gdynia who loved life and dared to make her dreams come true. The documentary is built of interviews and never-before-seen footage from private archives portraying a woman who balanced her career and public appearance with family life.

Pianoforte (2023)

The world’s most talented young pianists compete in the International Chopin Piano Competition, held every five years in Warsaw, Poland. A rare behind the scenes look at the triumphant highs and crushing lows of competition, Pianoforte is both a testament to the remarkable power of music and an intimate coming-of-age portrait.

Faustina: Love and Mercy (2019)

Docudrama tracing the life of Saint Faustina Kowalska, whose visions of Jesus Christ inspired the Roman Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy and earned her the title of "Apostle of Divine Mercy".

Invincible (2021)

A dynamic and emotional story of fighting, passion and sacrifice. From 2016 to 2018, the filmmakers accompanied Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a multiple UFC champion, who at her time conquered the world of female MMA. To stay on top, the Polish fighter has to constantly confront her opponents and her own body, which is forced to make superhuman efforts over and over again. "Invincible" reveals the behind-the-scenes fights of modern gladiators, bluntly showing the blood, sweat, tears and overwhelming loneliness that are the price of the road to success in sports on a global scale.

KUBA (2024)

Football is much more than a simple game. It is a passion that connects people from all over the world. The players themselves have the unique ability to capture the hearts of fans and create a deep emotional connection with them. One of these outstanding players, who impresses not only with his footballing brilliance, but also with his impressive personality and life story, is Jakub Blaszczykowski. In this documentary about Jakub, also affectionately known as "Kuba", Jan Dybus tells the inspiring story of a man who consciously decided to pursue a career in football.

From a Night Porter's Point of View (1979)

At the time of the Polish social regime, a security officer is promoted to work at a prison yard. Introducing concurrently with the narrator; he speaks of himself, his thoughts, his point of view.

Skandal. Ewenement Molesty (2020)

A piece of Polish rap history that will take you to the times of rebellious youth, when buddies meant more than family.

Jurek (2014)

This documentary follows the feats of high-altitude climber Jerzy Kukuczka and his ascent to higher heights before his death in 1989.

Dawid Podsiadło: The Tour (2024)

An all-access documentary follows Dawid Podsiadło's epic Polish stadium tour with exclusive footage of the singer-songwriter's journey onstage and off.

Hospital (1977)

24 hours in the life of a hospital from the point of view of the doctors and nurses.

12 cali (2018)

You Have No Idea How Much I Love You (2016)

Relationships with the people you love most are often the most complicated. This is the problem Hania and her mother Ewa face during their sessions with a psychotherapist, filmed intimately and with the utmost respect by director Paweł Łoziński. The camera always focuses on one person at a time, revealing every emotion hidden behind the words and silences. The empathetic therapist carefully but purposefully peels away the hard layers under which mother and daughter shield themselves. Little by little, the personal tragedies that hamper their communication rise to the surface, as well as the source of the longing for love and acknowledgement that they find so hard to fulfill.

Abortion Dream Team (2024)

Every third woman in the world will have an abortion. That’s a fact. But in Poland there's a near-total abortion law as the government treats the life of the fetus as more important than the life of a woman. Luckily, there is Abortion Dream Team - a group of four women who run a hotline supporting their sisters in need. They inform on how to perform self-managed abortions at home or direct them to clinics abroad. They work all around the clock and they brag on TikTok that they facilitate 100 abortions per day or shock people with the slogan "Abortion is OK!”.

Chopin: The Space Concert (2012)

200 years after Chopin's birth, the Space Shuttle Endeavour, like a giant piano, took the music of Chopin into orbit.

The Last Expedition (2024)

The true story of Wanda Rutkiewicz, the first woman in the world and the first person from Poland to climb the highest peaks on earth, told by herself.

Dziennik z podróży (2014)

Comic Book Shop (2021)

The comic book culture in Poland, shown through the prism of an iconic store in Warsaw which brings together graphic novel enthusiasts. Kuba and his father run the oldest comic shop in Poland - "Centrum Komiksu" - that has long been recognized as a legendary address. Through their eyes, we invite you to experience stories about loyal customers, hardships of independent publishing and problems faced by comic book creators themselves.

I Am the Creation of Fiction (2024)

"I achieved everything I wanted in life," says the outstanding Polish actor Andrzej Seweryn, and then he takes us on a dynamic journey through subsequent professional challenges, which he still takes up with youthful verve. This is not a biography summarizing his artistic achievements - hundreds of outstanding film and theater roles, political activities or many years as director of the Polish Theater.

Kult - Legendary Rock (2019)

A documentary film containing unique and unpublished backstage materials from the life of the legendary Kult band and Kazik Staszewski himself. A real, exciting and anticipated film about people without whom the Polish music scene could not exist. The camera accompanied the musicians during the concert tour and in everyday life, showing the phenomenon and the group and its unprecedented relationship with fans.

Powołany (2022)

Czekając na sobotę (2010)

The Beksińskis. A Sound and Picture Album (2017)

Painter Zdzisław Beksiński, his wife Zofia and their son Tomasz, a well-known radio journalist and translator, were a typical and unconventional family, both at the same time. One of the father’s obsessions was filming himself and his family members. Using archival footage only, shot primarily by Zdzisław, as well many other materials, which have not been presented anywhere so far, the film tells a tragic story of the Beksińskis that has never ceased to fascinate Polish filmmakers.

The Musicians (1960)

An orchestra of working-class musicians rehearses in this short film, honored at the 1960 Venice Film Festival and among the favorite films of director Krzysztof Kieslowski who mentored under this documentary's director.