Cinematic Kujawsko-Pomorskie: Kultura Nas Ocali Festival in Włocławek
Wojciech Smarzowski, Martyna Byczkowska, Jacek Poniedziałek, Magdalena Celmer and Filip Bojarski are just some of the guests attending the 6th edition of the Kultura Nas Ocali (Culture Will Save Us) Festival. From 27 to 30 October, the Włodzimierz Gniazdowski Theatre in Włocławek will become a meeting place for Polish cinema enthusiasts. The programme features 21 film screenings, as well as discussions with directors, actors and prominent public figures.
After five years in Brześć Kujawski, the Kultura Nas Ocali Festival is moving to Włocławek. The sixth edition will run for four days, combining film screenings with discussions about culture, society and the contemporary world. The programme includes 15 short films, three documentaries and three feature-length fiction films.
One of the festival’s highlights will be a meeting with Wojciech Smarzowski, the director of films such as The Wedding (Wesele), Volhynia (Wołyń), Clergy (Kler) and Good Home (Dom dobry), and a recipient of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship Marshal’s Film Award. Known for films that regularly spark debate and tackle difficult social issues, Smarzowski will visit Włocławek to revisit his film Rose (Róża) with the audience. The screening will take place on 29 October at 6 p.m., followed by a discussion with the director, giving viewers an opportunity to talk about the film and its significance.
Kultura Nas Ocali also offers an opportunity to discover a younger generation of filmmakers and films recognised at Poland’s most prestigious film festivals. Filip Bojarski will attend the festival with his feature-length debut Czarna godzina (The Dark Hour), which won the Sapphire Lions Award at the 51st Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. The programme also includes Sprawa NR (The NR Case) by Patrycja Polkowska, a winner in Gdynia’s short film competition, as well as a retrospective of Paweł Podolski’s work.
A particularly special event for Włocławek residents will be the screening of Kobieta w morzu (Woman at Sea), co-created by Magdalena Celmer, an actress originally from Włocławek. Jacek Poniedziałek, who appears in the short film Duchy (Ghosts), will also be among the festival guests. Meanwhile, emerging cinema will be represented by La petite mort, directed by Martyna Byczkowska and Kaja Zalewska.
Documentary cinema will form an important part of the festival. Szkoda, że nareszcie (At Long Last, Unfortunately), directed by Sebastian Juszczyk, is a portrait of Jacek “Budyń” Sienkiewicz, the charismatic frontman of the band Pogodno. Audiences will also have the opportunity to see Silver by Natalia Koniarz, featuring cinematography by Bydgoszcz-born Stanisław Cuske. The film portrays the harsh realities of working in Bolivia’s silver mines.
Another documentary, Arek. Mama. Panorama., directed by Mikołaj Janik, explores the life of visual artist Arek Pasożyt and his relationship with his mother. The documentaries featured in the festival programme provide a starting point for discussions about human experiences, social inequalities and aspects of the world that often go unnoticed in everyday life.
The festival extends beyond the cinema, inviting audiences to engage in discussions about public affairs. One of the guests will be Jan Śpiewak, a sociologist, columnist, social activist and author. The meeting will focus on the challenges facing contemporary Poland, the mechanisms of power, the state of Polish cities and the role of culture in understanding the world around us.
This year’s edition also holds personal significance for the festival’s artistic director, Agata Całkowska. Włocławek is her hometown, and her memories of the local Polonia cinema are among the experiences that shaped her passion for film. Moving the festival from Brześć Kujawski to Włocławek is therefore not merely a change of venue, but also a symbolic return to the roots of her cinematic passion.
Admission to all festival screenings and meetings is free of charge.
Paweł Jankowski
Promotion Department
14 October 2026