13/05/2025 - The country’s main funding body has thrown its weight behind 13 works for a total sum of €10 million

Director Paweł Pawlikowski, who is receiving €1.42 million for Vaterland (© Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV)

The Polish Film Institute (PFI), the country’s main film funding body, has announced support for 13 feature-film projects, allocating a total of nearly €10 million (41.6 million PLN) for them. The announcement comes as the institute awaits the appointment of a new director. The largest grant – €1.42 million (6 million PLN) – was awarded to Vaterland, the upcoming project by Academy Award winner Paweł Pawlikowski (Ida [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pawel Pawlikowski
interview: Pawel Pawlikowski
film profile], Cold War [+see also:
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trailer
Q&A: Pawel Pawlikowski
film profile]), which is being produced by Extreme Emotions Bis. The film’s overall budget is close to €10 million (40 million PLN). The movie is inspired by Colm Toibin’s novel The Magician, a fictionalised biography of Thomas Mann.

Łukasz Ronduda’s Two Souls, produced by Lava Films, received €1.3 million (5.5 million PLN). Two productions from Serce also secured support: Bartosz Kruhlik’s sophomore feature, Święte Prawo (lit. “Holy Law”), and Jacek Filipiak’s debut, Ozon (lit. “Ozone”) – each being granted €700,000 (3 million PLN). Grzegorz Dębowski’s second feature, Cudze Rzeczy (lit. “Things of Other People”), produced by Blue Onion Agnieszka Skalska, also received €700,000. The same amount was awarded to Panie Proszą Panie (lit. “Ladies Ask Ladies”), the debut feature by Aleksandra Kułakowska, produced by Rozbrat Films.

Veteran director Krzysztof Zanussi (Persona Non Grata [+see also:
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film profile], Foreign Body [+see also:
trailer
interview: Krzysztof Zanussi
film profile], Ether [+see also:
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film profile], The Perfect Number) has secured €470,000 (2 million PLN) for Całopalenie (lit. “Burnt Offering”), produced by Documentary and Feature Film Studios. An equal amount was granted to Łukasz Barczyk for Pasażer (lit. “Passenger”), staged by Amondo. Two projects were awarded €420,000 (1.8 million PLN) each: Wyrzutek (lit. “Outcast”) by Igor Priwieziencew, produced by Dynamo, and Robert Talarczyk’s debut feature, Godej do mnie (lit. “Talk to Me”), produced by the Stanisław Wyspiański Silesian Theatre. The list also includes two other movies: Artefakty (lit. “Artefacts”) by Jan Jakub Kolski, staged by Apple Film Production, which received €1 million (4.5 million PLN); and Lacrimosa, the debut feature by Maksymilian Michorczyk, produced by Wonder Films and supported to the tune of €600,000 euros (2.5 million PLN). These grants are dependent on a confirmation of budget allocation.

In April, the PFI also announced the recipients of grants in its minority co-production scheme. Among the supported projects are Santo Subito by Bertrand Bonello (House of Tolerance [+see also:
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interview: Adèle Haenel
film profile], Saint Laurent [+see also:
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Q&A: Bertrand Bonello
film profile], The Beast [+see also:
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interview: Bertrand Bonello
film profile]), with Polish producer Saint on board; All the Boys Are Here by Goran Stolevski (Housekeeping for Beginners [+see also:
film review
interview: Goran Stolevski, Alina Serban
film profile]), staged by Causeway and, on the Polish side, New Europe Productions; and Her Will Be Done by Julia Kowalski (Raging Rose [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), produced by France’s Grande Ourse Films in co-production with French firm Venin Films and with Polish outfit Orka Film also on board (set to screen imminently in the Cannes Directors' Fortnight).