19/09/2025 - The 41st edition of the gathering will mark a new chapter, with an expanded programme that takes in eight venues in the Polish capital between 10 and 19 October

The Warsaw International Film Festival (WIFF) is returning in full force for its 41st edition, set to run from 10-19 October across eight venues in the Polish capital. With a refreshed visual identity, a new leadership team and a more ambitious programme, WIFF is positioning itself as one of Europe’s most dynamic film events.

The festival will showcase 112 features and 56 shorts, including over 80 world, international, European and regional premieres. Its core competitions remain intact: the international competition, with 15 world premieres, including Mike van Diem’s Our Girls and Jan Komasa’s highly anticipated Anniversary (the opening film), alongside new works by Tereza Nvotová (Father [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tereza Nvotová
film profile]), Maciej Sobieszczański (Brother) and Wojciech Smarzowski (Home Sweet Home); the 1-2 Competition, dedicated to debuts and sophomore films; and the documentary competition, featuring no fewer than eight world premieres. The short-film contest will once again act as an Oscar qualifier.

This year marks the return of the Encounters section, a showcase of standout films from Cannes, Venice, Locarno and Toronto, with audience voting determining the winner of the PLN 40,000 (€9,400) prize, awarded to the film’s Polish distributor. Among the contenders are Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jafar Panahi
film profile], Benny Safdie’s Smashing Machine (Silver Lion at Venice), Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Paolo Strippoli’s The Holy Boy.

Out-of-competition highlights include Anders Thomas Jensen’s The Last Viking [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anders Thomas Jensen
film profile] and Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (both shown as part of the new special screenings), as well as a refreshed Free Spirit section, showcasing independent and rebellious cinema. A brand-new initiative, Animus. Cinema of Values, will explore films that address social responsibility and moral courage.

Audiences can also look forward to unique experiences such as Cinema in the Clouds on the 46th floor of Varso Tower, the senior-friendly Boom Generation screenings, the Family Film Weekend, and a special film-music concert dedicated to Polish composer Michał Lorenc, performed by ensemble DesOrient. The closing film will be Kaouther Ben Hania’s Venice Grand Jury Prize winner The Voice of Hind Rajab [+see also:
film review
interview: Kaouther Ben Hania
film profile].

For industry professionals, WIFF will introduce the Warsaw Industry Days (13-18 October – see the news), designed to foster connections between Central and Eastern European creators and the international film industry. The programme will include co-production forums, workshops and networking events aimed at building regional collaboration and co-production opportunities.