130 Films Celebrating a Century of Polish Cinema

Farewell to Autumn

1990 • 98 min

The aristocracy's downfall was significantly fueled by indulgence: excessive wealth, rampant infidelity, alcoholism, drug use, and a general embrace of decadent lifestyles.

5.0

6.3

A Short Film About Killing

1988 • 85 min

Crime, Drama

Jacek unexpectedly hires Waldemar for a taxi ride, but the journey quickly turns unsettling. Jacek directs Waldemar off the main roads and towards a remote location. A growing sense of dread builds as Waldemar questions Jacek's strange request. At their…

7.6

7.9

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Legion of the Streets

1932

Józek participates in a cycling race with the goal of winning a bicycle. He needs the bike to deliver newspapers and earn money for his mother's medical treatment.

5.0

—

Jadzia

1936 • 74 min

Two women share the name Jadzia and are linked by a tennis racket: Jędruszewska, a tennis champion, and Maliczówna, the charismatic owner of a sports store. A rivalry exists between two Warsaw companies selling sports equipment. A series of name…

7.3

6.7

Leprosy

1971 • 79 min

Stanisław Czermień is falsely accused of rape and murder. Determined to prove his innocence, he sets out to find the actual perpetrator.

4.5

6.8

Eroica

1958 • 80 min

The film follows two stories during World War II. One centers on a man who appears irresponsible but eventually joins the fight against the Nazis. The other takes place in a prisoner-of-war camp where Polish inmates maintain hope of escaping,…

6.7

7.3

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The War of the Worlds: Next Century

1981 • 94 min

Science Fiction

During Christmas in a Polish town, intelligent but ruthless Martians invade, manipulating humans. Iron Ide, a television newscaster, is forced to deliver propaganda for the aliens. He starts subtly changing the messages to find the truth. This defiance puts him…

6.8

6.9

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What the Sun Saw

2006 • 107 min

In Silesia, three people – a 12-year-old orphan, a gifted musician, and a middle-aged man out of work after being a miner – each desperately need money to achieve a small personal goal.

4.1

6.3

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Street Games

1996

Two employees at a private television station, journalist Janek and cameraman Witek, specialize in controversial stories. While investigating an explosives gang, they receive a mysterious tape. The tape reveals that prominent politician Makowski was a secret agent for the police,…

5.6

6.2

Prussian Culture

1908 • 8 min

This film explores acts of violence fueled by political motivations within the Kingdom of Prussia.

4.9

5.3

Our Folks

1967 • 81 min

Comedy

After the war, two peasant families, locked in a long-standing feud, are assigned neighboring land to start over. Their history of animosity threatens their fresh beginning. As they struggle with new lives and limited resources, their rivalry grows stronger, forcing…

7.8

7.9

Westerplatte Resists

1967 • 91 min

Westerplatte is a small peninsula guarding the entrance to Gdańsk Harbour. In the years before World War II, it served as a Polish ammunition depot in the Free City of Danzig, manned by 182 people: one infantry company and civilians.…

6.8

7.0

14+

Man on the Tracks

1957 • 81 min

In 1950, a passenger train strikes a man who is identified as Władysław Orzechowski, a veteran train engineer known for his traditional methods and serious personality. An inquiry panel investigates why someone like Orzechowski would have jumped in front of…

6.8

7.5

Wojaczek

1999 • 90 min

Rafal Wojaczek, a Polish rebel who wrote poetry, lived a life marked by risk, and took his own life in 1971.

6.4

6.9

Stardust

1982 • 58 min

A pair of elderly people live a quiet life surrounded by nature. The man, a hobby builder, is determined to construct a small dam on the river to generate electricity for his home.

6.5

7.3

Saviour Square

2006 • 105 min

Drama

This is a story about a married couple and their two children. Their housing struggles, the husband's affair, and the wife's emotional vulnerability ultimately lead to the family's downfall.

6.7

7.4

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Slave of Her Senses

1914 • 40 min

Pola, a beautiful but impoverished young woman and the daughter of a locksmith, unexpectedly finds success as a stage dancer. Following this newfound fame, she breaks off her engagement and becomes the lover of a wealthy admirer. However, her former…

—

The Welts

2004 • 91 min

In 1980s Poland, 12-year-old Wojciech becomes the target of his father's anger following his mother's death, often punished with a belt. His father attempts connection, but quickly reverts to his volatile temper. Isolated except for his friend Bartek, Wojciech faces…

6.8

7.1

The Cruise

1970 • 65 min

Comedy, Drama

This funny comedy follows a clever stowaway who pretends to be a Communist Party cultural coordinator on a ship traveling down the Vistula River. The captain happily welcomes Tym, unaware of the chaos he'll cause among the passengers and crew.…

7.0

7.5

The Hours of Hope

1955 • 89 min

During the final months of World War II, individuals from diverse backgrounds find themselves together in a Polish military hospital located in a small German town. Meanwhile, a Nazi SS division is concealed in the surrounding forests, attempting to advance…

5.8

How Far, How Near

1972 • 95 min

A middle-aged man undertakes a journey spanning his past, present, and future. He seeks to understand why a close friend took his own life, ultimately discovering profound truths about himself.

6.0

7.1

Forbidden Songs

1947 • 97 min

During the German occupation of Warsaw in World War II, this musical follows the lives of several people who live in the same apartment building.

7.4

7.0

Postcard from a Journey

1984 • 78 min

This is the story of Jacob Rosenberg, a middle-aged Jewish man calmly preparing for deportation to a concentration camp. Formerly an industrial counselor, he is now forced into the menial labor of street cleaning. Knowing his impending fate, he faces…

5.5

5.7

The Wedding

2004 • 109 min

Comedy, Drama

In a small Polish town, wealthy Wojnar arranges his daughter Kasia's wedding. Kasia is pregnant, and the groom was persuaded with a luxury car as a bribe. After the ceremony, the car arrives with a gangster who immediately demands payment…

7.1

7.7

Little Moscow

2008 • 114 min

Set during the Cold War, a Polish officer and a young woman married to a Soviet officer find themselves connected through their shared love of music.

5.4

6.6

The Saragossa Manuscript

1966 • 183 min • Box office $13K

Fantasy, Mystery, History

During the Napoleonic Wars, two men on opposite sides of the conflict form an unlikely connection when they discover a family heirloom: a book written by one man's grandfather. The Spanish officer's exploration of his family history leads him to…

7.8

7.7

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The Beads of One Rosary

1980 • 106 min

Drama

Habryka, a retired miner with a distinguished career, lives a peaceful life with his youngest son's family in their small home. As the city rapidly modernizes, old buildings are replaced by new apartments, displacing long-time residents. Habryka strongly opposes this…

6.1

7.3

Antos in Warsaw For the First Time

1908 • 7 min

This is a lost Polish comedy short film from 1908. It is distinct from the 1916 remake, of which only a fragment remains.

5.0

6.3

Tricks

2007 • 95 min

Comedy, Drama

A determined six-year-old, Stefek, tries to find his absent father by believing he can influence events. With his sister's help, he attempts to appease fate through small acts of sacrifice. However, his plans unravel, leading him to a dangerous gamble.

6.7

7.0

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Love Stories

1997 • 87 min

Jerzy Stuhr wrote, directed, and stars in four roles in this Polish comedy. The film follows four men – an army officer, a college instructor, a priest, and a drug dealer – and their relationships with four women. An attractive…

6.7

7.0

Aria for an Athlete

1979 • 108 min

At the dawn of the 20th century, the film follows Zbyszko Cyganiewicz, a rising Polish athlete. It begins in his hometown where a traveling circus recruits a timid boy for a staged wrestling match to entertain audiences. The young man,…

6.3

6.7

Sequence of Feelings

1993 • 105 min

Famous actor Rafal Nawrot takes on the lead role in a "Romeo and Juliet" production in a quiet town. He quickly regrets accepting the part and begins to prepare to leave when Julia, a striking young woman from a local…

5.0

5.3

Warszawa

2003 • 104 min

On a typical winter day, strangers from outside Warsaw arrive in the city, each with their own concerns. Their lives begin to connect in unexpected ways.

5.1

6.1

Bad Luck

1960 • 108 min

A middle-aged Polish man, seeking to remain incarcerated, details a life he frames as relentlessly unlucky, hoping to sway the prison warden's decision against his release.

6.7

7.4

Siegfried

1987 • 91 min

Zygfryd is a young, isolated circus acrobat. Professor Drawicz is deeply impressed by Zygfryd's performance and attempts to introduce him to the world of art, but this decision leads to a devastating outcome.

4.9

6.2

How to Be Loved

1963 • 97 min

A Warsaw actress journeys to Paris, and the trip prompts her to revisit recent years. Her memories drift back to the German occupation, specifically to hiding a fellow actor who is believed to have killed a collaborator.

7.5

7.3

Matthew's Days

1968 • 76 min

Living with his sister in a remote farmhouse, a socially awkward man relies on her for support while scraping by with odd jobs. When he introduces her to a woodcutter he found in the forest, she and the newcomer fall…

6.0

7.1

Blind Chance

1987 • 117 min

Drama

The film follows Witek as he makes a sudden decision to chase a train, an action that triggers a chain of unforeseen events and dramatically alters his life. The story is told from three different viewpoints, each offering a different…

7.5

7.7

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The Hourglass Sanatorium

1973 • 124 min

Drama, Fantasy, Horror

Josef visits his father at a decaying sanatorium, and his simple trip becomes a strange journey. Exploring the building's rooms, he enters worlds shaped by his own memories, dreams, and fears. Reality and imagination become indistinguishable as Josef journeys inward,…

7.5

7.4

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Edi

2002 • 97 min

Drama

The film follows Edi, a scrap metal collector, and his friend Jureczek. Edi is falsely accused of raping a woman whose brothers control a local area. He is harshly punished, but chooses to accept his situation by caring for the…

6.7

7.4

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The Big Race

1981 • 99 min

In 1952, the film centers on the "Peace Run," a three-day event designed as a propaganda exercise promoting peace. The winner will receive a motorcycle from the president. The race's chief organizer is a ruthless figure determined to ensure the…

5.6

7.4

History of Cinema in Popielawy

1998 • 100 min

5.8

6.8

Pigs

1992 • 104 min

Action, Crime, Thriller

Franz Maurer enjoyed a life of privilege and influence as part of the secret police during the communist era. The fall of communism changes everything, leaving Franz and his former colleagues isolated and without power. Now working as regular police…

7.1

7.6

Strachy

1938 • 94 min

This film follows cabaret dancers Teresa and Linka as they navigate the world of show business. When their theater closes, they relocate to a small town. There, one of them discovers she is pregnant, and the baby's father is her…

5.8

5.7

Through and Through

1973 • 70 min

In 1930s Kraków, Jan and Maria fall in love. Jan's aspirations of becoming an architect are repeatedly thwarted by his inability to find work. The couple faces crushing poverty and deeply humiliating circumstances. Driven to desperation by their struggle for…

6.0

6.7

Hi, Tereska

2001 • 86 min

Tereska, a teenager from a poor family, navigates a harsh world filled with unkind people.

6.5

7.1

In Heaven As It Is on Earth

1998 • 100 min

Comedy

Near the Russian border in a remote Polish village, a woman fleeing a robbery crosses into a new country. She hopes the local authorities will help her, promising to find the thieves and protect her. But the priest, the community's…

6.2

6.9

Wahadełko

1981 • 55 min

Michal Szmańda struggles with epilepsy, depression, and other health issues, relying on his sister Aniela for care. Aniela finds solace in a small garden they've created in their kitchen. They live without their mother, who, during the Stalinist era, prioritized…

5.3

6.4

Teddy Bear

1981 • 110 min

Comedy

Bear, a hardworking manager for a competitive sports team, faces a sudden problem as he tries to get his athletes to a major tournament in London. At the border, Bear discovers his passport is missing key pages. This could derail…

7.8

8.2

The Scream

1983 • 88 min

Recently released from prison, a woman seeks a fresh start by taking a job at a nursing home. Her efforts to rebuild her life, however, are consistently undermined.

7.9

6.7

Camera Buff

1979 • 112 min

Drama

Filip, seeking artistic fulfillment after the birth of his first child, buys an 8mm movie camera. This seemingly simple choice unexpectedly changes his life and the lives of those around him. Becoming the first person in town with such a…

7.5

7.8

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Interrogation

1989 • 118 min

In Stalinist Poland, cabaret singer Tonia enjoys a night of drinking with friends. The next morning, she inexplicably wakes up imprisoned as a political prisoner. Facing interrogation, torture, and humiliation from prison officials, she struggles to survive and maintain her…

7.0

7.9

17+

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Index

1977 • 94 min

In March 1968, amidst student protests, a passionate student objects to the Dean's expulsion of a classmate based on false accusations, choosing to leave university rather than yield. He loses his girlfriend and housing, becoming a coal deliveryman. While working,…

6.5

6.7

Camouflage

1977 • 96 min

Drama, Comedy

A young university assistant faces a moral challenge while participating in a linguistics camp. An associate professor, a leading figure in the field, shares ideas that question the assistant’s understanding of language. Over the course of the intensive week, their…

6.6

7.3

The Moth

1980 • 100 min

Drama

Tomasz Zygadlo’s psychological drama centers on Jan, a radio talk show host who passionately helps listeners navigate their emotional difficulties. However, his work is often overlooked by his colleagues and superiors. This disconnect between his professional dedication and personal life…

6.2

7.0

The Third Part of the Night

1972 • 107 min

War, Drama, Horror

In Nazi-occupied Poland, Michał's life is destroyed when his family is brutally murdered, plunging him into a disorienting reality where the impossible occurs. Trapdoors appear, doppelgängers appear, and space-time warps. The story also recounts a true story from a vaccine…

6.9

7.3

A Time for Witches

1994 • 110 min

Jola, a twenty-year-old prostitute and drug addict, unexpectedly connects with Andrzej, a gay man who works at a railway station. They struggle to maintain their relationship amidst many hardships, both carrying the HIV virus. Their journey leads them to the…

3.0

5.7

God's Finger

1973 • 88 min

A young man from a rural background overcomes considerable obstacles to pursue his ambition of becoming an actor.

5.3

5.8

Fever

1981 • 122 min

In 1905, as Poland is divided between empires, a bomb makes its way through the city's anarchist network. Revolutionaries are poised to attack the Tsarist government.

5.7

6.7

Sexmission

1984 • 117 min

Science Fiction, Adventure, Comedy

Two scientists enter a three-year hibernation experiment, unaware that a global nuclear war has wiped out all human life on Earth. Upon awakening, they find that fifty years have passed and women are the only survivors, living in an underground…

7.2

7.5

Match of the Day

1977 • 153 min

Drama

A filmmaker becomes fascinated by Mateusz Birkut, a former bricklayer who rose to prominence in post-war Poland only to fade from public view. In the 1950s, Birkut was a celebrated propaganda figure, but his disappearance marks a darker chapter. The…

7.0

7.6

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Girls of Nowolipki

1937 • 97 min

In a poor district of Warsaw, Bronka, Franka, Amelka, and Kwiryna are four schoolmates striving for a brighter future. However, their aspirations are frequently met with disappointment, and sometimes, even tragedy.

5.7

6.0

Personnel

1976 • 72 min

Romek, a 19-year-old idealist, starts working as a tailor in the costume department of a Warsaw theater. There, his new coworker, Sowa, is tasked with creating a costume for a demanding lead performer.

6.5

6.7

The Maids of Wilko

1979 • 116 min

In the late 1920s, a man in his thirties who runs a small factory collapses at his close friend's funeral. He returns to his aunt and uncle's home for a break and finds himself drawn into the lives of five…

6.5

7.3

Kanal

1957 • 96 min

War, Drama

Following World War II, a close group of Polish Resistance fighters faces a desperate fight during the final days of the Warsaw Uprising. Led by Zadra, they take shelter in the city's sewers, trying to evade capture by their enemies.…

7.7

7.9

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Knife in the Water

1962 • 94 min

Drama, Thriller

A peaceful lake trip takes a disturbing turn when Andrzej and Krystyna pick up a mysterious young hitchhiker. Andrzej's initial unease grows into harassment as the hitchhiker subtly manipulates Krystyna. The situation intensifies when the hitchhiker falls into the water,…

7.3

7.4

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Day of the Wacko

2002 • 93 min

Comedy, Drama

This is a bleak story about Adam Miauczynski, a 44-year-old teacher who despises his life and everyone around him. Known from director Marek Koterski's earlier films, Adam reads poetry to his students but then returns home to rage and insult…

7.6

8.1

Vabank

1981 • 104 min

Crime, Comedy, History

Poland, autumn 1934. Renowned thief Kwinto tries to leave his criminal life behind after a friend dies. But he changes his mind and plans a daring heist: to rob the heavily protected bank owned by Kramer, his former partner who…

7.6

7.8

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Identification Marks: None

1965 • 71 min

Drama

The film explores the aimlessness of Poland's post-war generation through Andrzej, a man who embodies a pre-existing sense of being adrift. After a heated argument with his wife, Andrzej embarks on a journey involving various encounters with women. This loosely…

6.4

6.6

The Mother of the Kings

1987 • 127 min

This story, originally written in 1982 and previously unpublished, begins with the death of Lucja Krol's husband under a tram. Shortly after, she gives birth to her fourth son in their new apartment. They befriend their neighbor Wiktor, a communist…

6.2

7.3

Cudzoziemka

1986

Róża, a young girl with aspirations of becoming a violinist, journeys to Warsaw to pursue her musical studies. There, she meets Michał and falls deeply in love. She follows him to St. Petersburg, but he now refuses to see her.…

7.0

5.8

The Deluge

1974 • 287 min

History, Adventure, War

In 1629, as Sweden invades Poland, Andrzej Kmicic, a celebrated warrior, is wrongly accused of treason. He journeys across war-torn Poland to clear his name, defend his country from invaders, and find love. Facing danger on the battlefield, Andrzej's resolve…

7.2

7.7

Hands Up!

1985 • 76 min

When a group of former medical students reunite, old resentments and painful memories resurface.

5.8

6.5

All That Really Matters

1992 • 98 min

World War II divides the marriage of Ola and Aleksander Wat.

2.7

6.7

Nights and Days

1975 • 245 min

This film tells the story of Barbara Ostrzeńska-Niechcic and Bogumił Niechcic, set against the historical backdrop of the January Uprising of 1863 and World War I. It's a direct adaptation of Maria Dąbrowska's novel of the same name. The story…

7.2

7.4

Farewells

1958 • 97 min

Set in the years before World War II, the story follows Pawel, a man from a traditional middle-class family, and his love for Lidka, a taxi dancer. Social expectations make it impossible for Pawel and Lidka to be together. But…

5.5

7.3

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Time to Die

2007 • 104 min

This black-and-white film portrays the final days of Aniela, a nonagenarian woman living in a large, aging wooden house filled with memories. Starring Danuta Szaflarska, Aniela faces conflict with her neighbor, who wants to buy her property and demolish it,…

7.1

7.5

Good Bye, Till Tomorrow

1960 • 88 min

Drama, Romance

Jacek, a gifted and lighthearted actor in a Gdansk theater company, has his life changed when he meets Marguerite, a captivating French woman. Their paths cross in Gdansk, and Jacek is instantly drawn to her charm. Marguerite is unconventional and…

6.5

7.0

The Dybbuk

1937 • 125 min

In a Polish shtetl, two childhood friends promise their future children to each other, disregarding warnings about the weight of such a commitment. Tragedy strikes when one friend dies, followed by the death of the other's wife during childbirth. The…

6.3

6.5

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Ewa Wants to Sleep

1958 • 95 min

Comedy

Ewa Bonecka, a young and determined student, faces challenges as she starts at a new school. She finds the town's only women's hotel fully booked. Ewa asks for help from Piotr, a compassionate police officer, to find safe housing in…

6.8

7.2

The Collector

2005 • 93 min

Drama

In a bleak, post-industrial town in Silesia, Lucjan Bohme is a relentless debt collector. He navigates a landscape of unemployment and hardship with unwavering ruthlessness. His life is defined by work and a complete lack of compassion, until an unforeseen…

6.4

6.9

Katyn

2007 • 122 min • Budget $5M • Box office $14M

Drama, History, War

In September 1939, Nazi Germany invades Poland, starting World War II. The Soviet Red Army follows suit on September 17th. Unable to defend against attacks from both sides, the Polish army is defeated. Thousands of Polish soldiers and officials are…

6.7

7.0

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Mother Joan of the Angels

1961 • 106 min

Drama, Horror

A young Polish priest journeys to a secluded convent, convinced he can deliver its suffering Mother Superior from demonic possession. The nun is plagued by eight evil entities, testing her faith and pushing her to the brink. Driven by his…

7.6

7.5

The Last Stage

1948 • 107 min

Poland, World War II. Martha Weiss, a Jewish woman, arrives at the Auschwitz extermination camp with her family. She is assigned as an interpreter, while her loved ones face a far different fate.

7.2

Cross of Valor

1959 • 80 min

This film explores the lasting effects of war through three interconnected stories. A soldier, honored with the Cross of Valor and granted a home leave, returns to find his village completely destroyed. He encounters a stray dog who reveals a…

6.4

6.9

Pearl in the Crown

1972 • 111 min

When the Zygmunt mine in Upper Silesia is declared unprofitable and slated for closure by flooding, the miners strike. This leads to a violent demonstration.

6.5

7.3

The Wedding

1973 • 102 min

In early 1900s Kraków, a Polish poet chooses to marry a peasant woman. Their wedding brings together a diverse gathering of Poles from all walks of life, who celebrate with music, drink, and sorrowful reflections on Poland's century of division.…

7.3

6.9

The Taste of the Black Earth

1970 • 98 min

In the 1920s, during the Silesian Uprising, seven brothers fight alongside Poles against German forces to ensure the region remains part of Poland.

6.8

7.0

Birth Certificate

1961 • 104 min

The film explores the difficult realities of life under occupation through the eyes of three children. "On the Road" follows a young boy and a soldier struggling amidst the turmoil of September. "Letter from the Concentration Camp" tells the story…

7.3

7.4

Salto

1965 • 100 min

A man jumps from a moving train and arrives in a secluded town. The residents appear strangely familiar, yet unsettlingly off.

6.3

7.1

Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease

2000 • 97 min

Tomasz, a doctor and atheist, receives a cancer diagnosis. His ex-wife offers him funds for treatment in Paris, but his lung cancer is too advanced for surgery. With his death approaching, he begins to re-evaluate his lifelong beliefs and starts…

6.9

7.0

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The Case of Bronek Pekosinski

1993 • 86 min

Bronek Pekosinski, likely 83, lives in Zamosc, Poland, with no family and a hazy sense of his own identity. His entire life story is fabricated: he was born on the day World War II began, his name is an acronym…

3.6

6.6

Nobody's Calling

1960 • 86 min

In the aftermath of World War II, a young man arrives in the newly reclaimed territories and begins a relationship with a young woman. He finds himself trying to outrun the memories of his past.

6.9

6.6

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Passenger

1963 • 62 min

Drama, War

A German woman on a ship bound for Europe is haunted by memories of World War II. A chance encounter with another woman on board triggers a cascade of recollections. The other woman, who has concealed a dark secret for…

7.2

7.4

The Faithful River

1987 • 137 min

In 1863, amidst the conflict of the rebellion, a heartbreaking love story unfolds between a woman of modest means and a noble fighting with the rebels. Following a devastating battle that decimates his unit, leaving him severely wounded as the…

5.4

6.8

Lost Feelings

1957 • 75 min

The film follows a struggling factory worker and single mother of four. Her life is upended when one of her sons, feeling ostracized, leaves home and finds himself in serious trouble.

5.0

6.3

Top Dog

1978 • 104 min

This is a darkly comedic story about a climber desperate for a career upgrade. He'll go to any lengths to land a job he believes will finally put him on the path to success.

6.6

7.6

Treasure

1949 • 102 min

Witek and Krysia, a married couple, relocate to Warsaw with no place to live. They rent a room in a crowded house with many other people. Witek sketches their dream house, marking his wife's sleeping area with the word "treasure."…

6.7

7.1

Keep Away from the Window

2000 • 104 min

Drama

In a quiet village, a couple struggles with infertility. Their lives take an unexpected turn when the man secretly brings home a Jewish woman, a survivor of a family massacre.

6.1

6.6

100

Paweł & Gaweł

1938 • 82 min

Paweł and Gaweł, two neighbors with nearly identical names, encounter Violetta, a violinist who presents herself as a child. When Paweł discovers her true age, he falls in love with her, and she reciprocates his feelings.

7.7

6.9

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