Film Fund: The Magic Fern Flower to Premiere Later This Year

The Magic Fern Flower is a fantasy feature film produced by the Bydgoszcz-based artistic collective Black Dwarf Foundation with support from the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund.

The screenplay, written by Katarzyna Płońska, is based on the classic fairy tale by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski and enriched with elements of Slavic mythology. The Magic Fern Flower tells the story of a young boy named Jacek, who ventures into a dark forest on Midsummer Night in search of the legendary fern flower in order to save his seriously ill sister. Along the way, he must confront demons, strzygas and other magical creatures determined to thwart his quest. His greatest challenge, however, is an internal one: Jacek must decide how to obtain the cure for his sister while remaining true to his moral principles. According to legend, the wealth granted by the fern flower cannot be shared with anyone.

The cast features some of Poland’s best-known actors, including Janusz Chabior, Piotr Głowacki, Sebastian Stankiewicz, Laura Breszka, Jerzy Bończak and Lech Dyblik. The role of young Jacek is played by Stanisław Kotwicki.

Filming took place in several locations, including Bydgoszcz, where the production team transformed large studio halls on Przemysłowa Street into forests, caves and marshlands.

“It’s an incredible adventure because the set feels like a Hollywood studio. There are marshes, forests, lakes and an entire host of demons trying to stop Jacek from finding the fern flower,” said Janusz Chabior during filming.

The production combines live-action performances in specially designed studio sets with elements of traditional puppet animation.

“This will be a Polish fantasy fairy tale unlike any other,” promises the Black Dwarf Foundation, the film’s lead producer.

The film is directed by Sebastian Kwidzyński and Marta Filipiak. The original score has been composed by renowned Japanese performer, pianist and composer Eriko Makimura.

The project is being produced in cooperation with the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund and has also received support from the Polish Film Institute and the Feature Film Studio in Wrocław.

The Magic Fern Flower is scheduled to premiere later this year.

Dariusz Czołgowski
Department of Promotion

23 July 2026