Kujawsko-Pomorskie Film Region: Actresses – An Exhibition by Andrzej Wajda

Andrzej Wajda’s films have become a permanent part of the history of both Polish and world cinema. To mark the centenary of the director’s birth, the organizers of the 24th BellaTOFIFEST International Film Festival in Toruń have prepared a special programme section entitled “Andrzej Wajda’s Actresses”, celebrating the remarkable role of female characters and actresses in the master’s body of work. The retrospective is curated by film critic and scholar Łukasz Maciejewski. An accompanying outdoor exhibition featuring unique film stills and portraits of the heroines of Wajda’s films will be presented in front of the Jordanki Cultural and Congress Centre.

Alongside portraits of Wajda himself, the large-format exhibition will feature Agata Buzek, Grażyna Szapołowska, Maja Komorowska, Anna Seniuk, Ewa Ziętek, Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, Emilia Krakowska, and Agnieszka Grochowska. The exhibition will be on display on 2 and 3 July outside CKK Jordanki before moving to Theatre Square, in front of the Marshal’s Office.

Although Andrzej Wajda’s films are most often associated with history, literature and politics, one of their greatest strengths has always been their female characters—complex, compelling and emotionally rich. Wajda created heroines who never remained in the shadow of male protagonists; instead, they frequently became the very centre of his stories. It is through them that his films achieved their extraordinary psychological depth.

Audiences still remember unforgettable characters such as Nina from Landscape After the Battle, Malina from The Birch Wood, Lucy Zucker from The Promised Land, Rachela from The Wedding, and the women of The Maids of Wilko. A special place is also reserved for Agnieszka from Man of Marble, brilliantly portrayed by *Krystyna Janda. Equally significant is Sweet Rush, one of Wajda’s most personal films, also starring Janda, which was filmed in part in Grudziądz and Toruń.

As part of the retrospective, audiences will have the opportunity to revisit some of the director’s most important works through the lens of their female protagonists. The programme includes The Maids of Wilko, Sweet Rush, The Birch Wood, Hunting Flies, Pan Tadeusz, Wałęsa: Man of Hope, and Man of Marble.

One of the highlights of the programme will be a special meeting with distinguished actresses on 2 July at 6:00 p.m. at the Jordanki Cultural and Congress Centre. Emilia Krakowska, Anna Seniuk, Grażyna Szapołowska, Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, and Agata Buzek will share memories of working with Andrzej Wajda and discuss the performances that helped shape the history of Polish cinema.

Promotion Department
Paweł Jankowski

1 July 2026