13/10/2025 - With the launch of Warsaw Industry Days, the Polish festival is reasserting its role as a key platform for national cinema while strengthening ties with European and international partners

(© Ksawery Zamoyski)

Just as the Warsaw Film Festival (WFF), which is running from 10-19 October, introduces its new industry-focused platform, Warsaw Industry Days (13-18 October), head of Industry Eliza Subotowicz shares her vision for the event, which aims to position the festival as a hub for international co-productions and regional collaboration. She reflects on the gaps in the Central and Eastern European film ecosystem, and explains how the Co-Production Forum and other industry initiatives are designed to provide practical support to producers and filmmakers.

Cineuropa: This is your first year as head of Industry. What motivated the launch of Warsaw Industry Days, and what gaps in the regional ecosystem does it aim to fill?
Eliza Subotowicz: The WFF has long been a platform for discovering new talent from Central and Eastern Europe. For many years, the CentEast Market served as the go-to place for regional productions seeking visibility among international sales agents, festivals and distributors. While its significance has waned in recent years, owing to financial challenges, structural changes and shifts in the market, the need for such an event remains strong.

The Polish film industry is concentrated in Warsaw, where most production companies, post-production houses, studios, streaming platforms, TV broadcasters and the Polish Film Institute have their headquarters. This makes the city a natural meeting place, and since starting work on this project, I’ve often heard how much our industry needs this kind of event. Also, Poland currently lacks a dedicated event to facilitate international co-productions. Thanks to the minority co-production fund and cash-rebate programmes, there are incentives to collaborate with Poland.

The country offers resources, diverse locations, skilled creatives, top-tier post-production facilities and increasingly experienced producers familiar with the complexities of international co-productions. It’s only natural that Polish producers should have a homegrown platform to connect with international partners, rather than have everyone go to, say, Berlin. Lastly, the festival itself, with a refreshed vision and programming led by the new director, Bartek Pulcyn [see the interview], provides an ideal setting for filmmakers and industry professionals to come together.

The Co-Production Forum [see the news] is central to the programme. How will Warsaw stand out among existing pitching platforms, and bring value to local and international participants?
We were surprised by the enthusiastic response from filmmakers and producers to our call for projects. The number of submissions we received this first year clearly shows that producers in the region are eager to explore co-production opportunities in Poland, and that Polish producers are keen to receive feedback from international experts and decision makers, and to find partners abroad. For me, that says it all. Of course, this year is just a testing ground; we’ll assess the reaction to this inaugural edition and use it to shape future editions. Beyond providing project visibility and networking opportunities, our aim is to offer participants constructive feedback: that’s why we’ve included script consultations for projects in development, and designed the works-in-progress section to function both as a showcase and as a feedback session. Looking forward, I’d also consider introducing rough-cut consultations for works in progress.

This year’s Industry Talks [see the news] cover topics from script development to AI. Which do you expect will have the most impact, and how will they translate into practical outcomes for professionals?
We designed the programme to tackle real challenges, spotlight current trends and keep the focus on practical matters. For instance, there will be a panel on the use of social media in film marketing, bringing together influencers, a producer and a distributor to highlight the inevitable shift in how awareness about a film reaches audiences today. Another discussion will delve into the overlaps between writing for video games, film and television, reflecting how writers now navigate these worlds seamlessly and exploring the impact on storytelling in both industries. Finally, in our panel on “Catching the Wave”, a sales agent, festival programmer and film critic will share what it takes for a film – or a national film industry as a whole – to break through on today’s international film and festival circuit.

Strengthening ties between the Polish industry and Europe is a key goal. How are you fostering these connections, and what challenges do you face?
At its core, the Co-Production Forum is all about bringing Polish and European producers together. We’ve also invited foreign sales agents, and representatives of festivals and industry platforms, and worked to generate some buzz among local film professionals for exactly this reason. Our goal is to create opportunities for participants to connect, and exchange ideas, experiences and, hopefully, their contacts. In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing landscape, even a couple of years of inactivity can mean disappearing from people’s radar, so it’s important to remind everyone that Warsaw remains a vital hub for film professionals.

Looking ahead, how will you measure the success of this first edition, and what role do you want Warsaw Industry Days to play in shaping the regional film landscape?
Firstly, we’re hoping for a strong turnout this year and for participants to have productive meetings. Looking ahead, we’ll be following the progress of projects presented in Warsaw, hoping they gain momentum, get produced, and enjoy success both locally and internationally. Naturally, I hope to see even more co-productions involving Poland and our regional partners, resulting in films that do well internationally – also as part of the WFF’s line-up. Perhaps most importantly, it’s about the relationships that will be forged – I look forward to a time when Warsaw becomes a mandatory stop on producers’ autumn festival tour.