Film-Friendly Kujawy Pomorze: The “Białe Walce” Festival in Kowal
Kowal will once again become a meeting place for outstanding figures from Polish culture. The fourth edition of the Jan Nowicki Artistic Festival, “Białe Walce” (“White Waltzes”), is just around the corner. Dedicated to the memory of the distinguished actor, the event also celebrates the diversity of the arts and the power of face-to-face encounters with artists. The festival will run from 5 November to 3 December 2026. The event is supported by the Self-Government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region.
The fourth edition of the festival promises meetings with prominent figures from Polish cultural life. Among the announced guests are Jan Englert, recipient of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region’s Poli Negri Film Award; actor Olgierd Łukaszewicz; and linguist Jerzy Bralczyk. Their presence promises discussions about theatre, film, language and culture, as well as the experiences that shape the way we see the world.
Jan Nowicki, a theatre and film actor born in Kowal, left behind not only a rich artistic legacy but also a distinctive way of thinking about people, art and life. He was an unconventional personality, known for his intelligence, sense of humour and characteristic detachment. He worked with some of the most outstanding figures in Polish cinema and theatre. Kraków’s Stary Teatr (Old Theatre) and the artistic community surrounding Piwnica pod Baranami held a particularly special place in his life.
The “Białe Walce” Festival is a way of preserving the memory of the artist and highlighting his ties to his hometown. It also provides an opportunity for Kowal to welcome people who help shape Polish culture, as well as those for whom meeting an actor, musician, writer or intellectual can be an inspiring experience.
The event, initiated by Anna Nowicka, the artist’s wife, has grown with each successive edition. Its programme spans a variety of artistic disciplines, including film, theatre, music and literature, alongside discussions with invited guests. As a result, the festival goes beyond commemorating its namesake, creating a vibrant space for the exchange of ideas, stories and artistic experiences.
The first edition took place in November 2023. In subsequent years, Kowal has welcomed well-known figures from Polish cultural life, including Maja Komorowska, Daniel Olbrychski, Krzysztof Zanussi, Anna Dymna, Anna Seniuk, Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz, Marcin Daniec and Muniek Staszczyk.
Programme of the 4th Jan Nowicki Artistic Festival “Białe Walce”
– 5 November, 6:00 p.m.
Main Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Concert by ANIKOTY – Anna Szalapak / Zabłoccy Osobiście
– 6 November, 6:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
Wielki tydzień (Holy Week), directed by Andrzej Wajda (1995).
– 7 November, 4:00 p.m.
Chamber Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Zapis (The Record), performed by Teatr Nie z tej Kulisy from Warsaw.
– 7 November, 5:45 p.m.
Chamber Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Vattene, performed by Teatr Ecce Homo from Kielce.
– 8 November, 4:00 p.m.
Chamber Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Mickiewicz, Słowacki or Tuwim? — Can we truly grasp poetry when it is performed live? A discussion about acting with Beata Fudalej. Hosted by Mateusz Nowak.
– 8 November, 5:30 p.m.
Chamber Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
To Have One’s Source Like a River (Mieć jak rzeka swoje źródło) — an autobiographical one-person performance by Wiesław Komasa.
– 10 November, 6:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
Hasło Korn, directed by Waldemar Podgórski.
– 13 November, 7:00 p.m.
Sports and Entertainment Hall, Kowal, 20 Piwna Street
Concert: Everything Tells Me That… Skaldowie (Wszystko mi mówi, że… Skaldowie).
– 14 November, 11:00 a.m.
Primary School Auditorium, 20 Piwna Street
Meeting with Jan Englert, an outstanding theatre and film actor.
– 14 November, 12:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
Sweet Rush (Tatarak), directed by Andrzej Wajda.
– 14 November, 6:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
Anatomy of Love (Anatomia miłości), directed by Roman Załuski.
– 15 November, 5:00 p.m.
Chamber Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Book launch featuring works by Stanisław Brejdygant: Malignia and A Day in Athens – Exercises in Imagination: Four Short Stories, Two Dialogues and Poetry. Hosted by Anna Marcinkowska.
– 18 November, 6:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
The Magnate (Magnat), directed by Filip Bajon.
– 20 November, 6:00 p.m.
Primary School Auditorium, Kowal, 20 Piwna Street
Meeting with Olgierd Łukaszewicz. Hosted by Łukasz Maciejewski
– 21 November, 6:00 p.m.
Main Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Meeting with Professor Jerzy Bralczyk. Hosted by Leszek Bonar
– 22 November, 6:00 p.m.
Main Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Jazz concert by Mateusz Pałka
– 24 November, 6:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
A Hole in the Ground (Dziura w ziemi), directed by Andrzej Kondratiuk.
– 26 November, 6:00 p.m.
Kino Kameralne, 20 Piwna Street
The Scorpion, the Virgin and the Archer (Skorpion, Panna i Łucznik), directed by Andrzej Kondratiuk.
– 3 December, 6:00 p.m.
Main Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade (OSP), Kowal, 4 Zamkowa Street
Konrad Variations (Wariacje konradowskie) – a concert featuring artists from Teatr Bagatela, Teatr Stu, Teatr Ludowy and Piwnica pod Baranami.
Paweł Jankowski
Department of Promotion
23 October 2026