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Marshal of the Region Film Award for Grażyna Szapołowska, photo by Andrzej Goiński / UMWKP
Nagroda Filmowa Marszałka Województwa dla Grażyny Szapołowskiej, fot. Andrzej Goiński/UMWKP

Laureates of the Marshal’s Film Award at the KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival in London

The KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival is the most important showcase of Polish cinema in the United Kingdom and one of the key projects promoting Polish culture worldwide. Each year in London, both the latest productions and classics of Polish film are presented. Among the invited guests are the Laureates of the Marshal’s Film Award named after Pola Negri: Wojciech Smarzowski, Daniel Olbrychski and Grażyna Szapołowska.

The festival was initiated by the Polish Cultural Institute in London in 2003 and is organized with the support of the Polish Film Institute. Its mission is to introduce British audiences to the achievements of Polish filmmakers. KINOTEKA is the largest festival of Polish cinema held outside Poland. It is organized in cooperation with prestigious London cinemas and film institutions. The program features premieres of the latest Polish feature films, documentaries and experimental cinema, retrospectives of outstanding filmmakers, and screenings of classics of the Polish Film School. The festival includes meetings with directors and actors, panel discussions, and industry events. For many films, participation in KINOTEKA marks the first step toward international distribution and presence at global festivals. It is also a meeting space for film professionals – producers, distributors, and critics. An important part of the festival is its competitions, judged by British and Polish film industry representatives. Film screenings are complemented by concerts, exhibitions, and educational events.

The 24th edition of the KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival in London began on 4 February at the British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank in London. The opening gala featured a screening of Ashes and Diamonds, directed by Andrzej Wajda, as part of the celebrations of the Year of Andrzej Wajda 2026, established by the Polish Senate to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the director’s birth. This year, KINOTEKA will present an extensive retrospective of Wajda’s films, comprising nearly 30 titles.

In addition to the retrospective of Andrzej Wajda, KINOTEKA presents the best Polish films of the past year, including documentaries, and offers audiences the opportunity to meet outstanding filmmakers. Special guests include the following laureates of the Marshal’s Film Award:

  • Wojciech Smarzowski – 5 March, laureate of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Film Award named after Pola Negri; his latest film The Good House received support from the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund, and his previous film The Wedding was shot in our region.
  • Daniel Olbrychski – 10 March, laureate of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Film Award named after Pola Negri, recipient of the Golden Angel at the TOFIFEST International Film Festival for artistic defiance and the Polityka Award at the “Pola and Others” Film Review in Lipno.
  • Grażyna Szapołowska – 17 March, associated with Toruń and Bydgoszcz, laureate of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Film Award named after Pola Negri and recipient of the Flisak Award of the TOFIFEST International Film Festival, granted to outstanding film personalities.

Other KINOTEKA guests will include:

  • Agnieszka Holland – 3 March, recipient of the Golden Angel at the TOFIFEST International Film Festival in Toruń for artistic defiance,
  • Maciej Drygas – 18 March, co-author of the film Bydgoszcz from Dawn to Dusk,
  • Maciej Sobieszczański – 29 March.

Paweł Jankowski
20 February 2026