“Songs Written by Film.” Film Song Festival this January
From 6 to 11 January, Kujawsko-Pomorskie region will once again become the capital of film songs. The main partner of the event, organized in Bydgoszcz, is the self-government of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region.
Following the success of the first edition of the Film Song Festival, the organizers decided to expand the program. The second edition will last six days and will take on an international character. The event has also changed its name to Film Song Festival Bydgoszcz.
The festival will open on 6 January at the Chamber Theatre with a concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film “Skazany na bluesa” (Destined for the Blues). Songs by the legendary band Dżem will be performed by Karolina Czarnecka, Dawid Karpiuk and Tymon Tymański. Special guests will include actor Tomasz Kot, who played the lead role of Ryszard Riedel, and the film’s director Jan Kidawa-Błoński.
On 7 January, the festival village will open at Młyny Rothera and will operate until 10 January. “It will be an open space full of attractions for the residents of the city and the region,” the festival organizers announce.
At the same time, preview film screenings are planned at the Municipal Cultural Centre. For talented young creators from the region, the organizers have prepared a special educational program. Master Class workshops will be led by renowned artists: Mieczysław Szcześniak (vocal workshops), Tomasz Kot (acting workshops) and Daniel Jaroszek (music video workshops).
The highlights of the festival will be two weekend concerts broadcast by TVN. The first, titled “Songs Written by Film,” featuring music from the latest Polish films and TV series, will take place on Saturday, 10 January. Performers at the Opera Nova will include Igor Herbut, Czesław Mozil and Ralph Kaminski. The evening will be hosted by Andrzej Konopka and Sebastian Stankiewicz, with special guests — well-known actors Marcin Dorociński and Adam Woronowicz.
The final concert on Sunday, 11 January, will feature hits awarded prestigious Academy Awards. The gala will be hosted by popular TV presenter Grażyna Torbicka, and Opera Nova will resonate with film classics performed by, among others, Natalia Kukulska, Anna Maria Jopek, Grzegorz Turnau and Tomasz Organek. A special appearance will be made by a pop music star — British singer and songwriter Calum Scott. His biggest hit, “You Are The Reason,” has surpassed one billion views on YouTube. In October, the singer released his third studio album “Avenoir,” which received enthusiastic reviews from fans and critics worldwide.
The main partner of the event is the self-government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region, which has provided over PLN 1.2 million in support for the Film Song Festival.
“Since the previous edition demonstrated that this is a valuable event that was very well received by audiences, including television viewers, we decided this year to support the festival even more than last year. The significant investment from the regional budget also stems from the fact that we are heavily investing in building our region’s film brand,” says Zbigniew Ostrowski, Vice-Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. “Every year we organize the music event ‘Island of Cinema’ in Bydgoszcz, but this festival, set against the scenic backdrop of Opera Nova, has a completely different dimension.”
Our region is becoming increasingly recognizable on Poland’s film map. This is due to the active work of the Kujawy Pomorze Film Fund, established on the initiative of the region self-government. The Fund’s mission is to support filmmakers as well as to promote the region’s unique assets and stimulate the local creative industry.
Recent high-profile productions supported by the Fund include Michał Kwieciński’s latest film “Chopin, Chopin!” and Wojciech Smarzowski’s drama “Dom dobry” (The Good House). A romantic comedy with a star-studded cast, “Piernikowe serce” (Gingerbread Heart) by Piotr Wereśniak, filmed in Toruń’s Old Town, is also currently being screened in cinemas.
Since 2022, the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region Film Award named after Pola Negri has been presented. The regional self-government awards it to both debutants and outstanding artists and creators whose work has had a significant impact on Polish cinema. The statuette, designed by Zbigniew Mikielewicz, is presented during film festivals held in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region. The award commemorates Pola Negri, one of the world’s first great film stars, who was born in Lipno. Previous recipients include Jerzy Skolimowski, Jan Holoubek, Jan Jakub Kolski, Stanisław Janicki, Krzysztof Zanussi, Leonard Pietraszak, Magdalena Różczka, Katarzyna Figura, Jan Englert, Daniel Olbrychski, Wojciech Smarzowski, Anna Dymna and Grażyna Szapołowska.
Department of Promotion