KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival returns to London’s festival scene from 4 - 18 April 2019, bringing with it an exhilarating range of new Polish film and culture as well as highlighting lesser known gems ripe for rediscovery. As well as offering unique insights into Poland’s rich history and culture, the festival represents diverse and universal new works from exciting new filmmakers as well as those which have made a valued contribution and impact to the world filmmaking landscape. Hosted by some of London’s most prestigious and forward-thinking cultural institutions, this year also includes masterclasses, artist film screenings, workshops and musical entertainment.

The festival’s highlights include an immersive musical and dining experience for COLD WAR which closes the Festival; a focus on NEW FEMALE FILMMAKERS; veteran auteur KRZYSZTOF ZANUSSI presenting his new film ETHER; and a night dedicated to ‘90s POLISH RAVE CULTURE.

The festival has worked hand-in-hand with the following prestigious venues to deliver audiences this year’s eclectic and unique programme: Baltic Restaurant, Barbican, BFI Southbank, Close Up Cinema, Frontline Club, ICA, Tate Modern, The Horse Hospital, Regent Street Cinema and Watermans Art Centre.

CLOSING NIGHT GALA – IMMERSE YOURSELF IN PAWEL PAWLIKOWSKI’S ‘COLD WAR’
The festival comes to an end with a special screening of the award-winning COLD WAR, with attendance from directorPaweł Pawlikowski, followed by an immersive dining and musical experience at the Baltic Restaurant & Bar, where participants will be treated to a live concert from musician Zbigniew Namyslowski, former collaborator with legendary film composer Krzysztof Komeda, followed by guest chefs serving a gourmet menu inspired by Polish folk cuisine.

NEW FEMALE FILMMAKERS– BOLD NEW VISIONS FROM POLISH FEMALE FILMMAKERS
Female filmmakers from Poland are celebrated at the BFI Southbank with Jagoda Szelc’s deeply unsettling psychological horror MONUMENT, Olga Chajdas’s award-winning LGBT romance NINA and the disorientating and acclaimed new film from director of THE LURE, Agnieszka Smoczynska’s FUGUE.

RETROSPECTIVES

• STANISŁAW LEM – A must for all sci-fi fans this major retrospective of one of the godfathers of modern sci-fi takes place at the Barbican and includes the rare Russian television film SOLYARIS and the East German space opera SILENT STAR. The Quay Brothers also present their film MASK followed by a panel discussion about Lem’s legacy and the challenges of adapting his work to the screen.
• ON THE SILVER GLOBE – This long lost sci-fi masterpiece from maverick filmmaker Andrzej Żuławski screens at The Horse Hospital alongside an exhibition of costumes and ephemera from the film. Shut down by the Communist party in 1977 after 80% of the footage was shot, the film was luckily saved by the crew who ignored orders, and Żuławski’s fantastical creativity was preserved.
• KRZYSZTOF ZANUSSI- The renowned auteur will attend the festival to present his new masterwork ETHER and introduce his 1971 classic FAMILY LIFE.
• WITOLD SOBOCIŃSKI – The late influential cinematographer is celebrated at Close-Up Cinema with four archive screenings: Zanussi’s FAMILY LIFE, Jerzy Skolimowski’s HANDS UP!, THE HOURGLASS SANATORIUM from director Wojciech Has and Andrzej Żulawski’s THE THIRD PART OF THE NIGHT.

NEW POLISH CINEMA– AWARD-WINNING, ENVELOPE PUSHING NEW FILMS
Taking place at Regent Street Cinema, ICA and Watermans, the New Polish Cinema programme offers a selection of ten films encompassing the exciting breadth of contemporary Polish filmmaking – from the brutal realism of Piotr Domalewski’s SILENT NIGHT to Filip Bajon’s epic costume drama THE BUTLER via the hysterically funny situational humour of PawełMaślona’s PANIC ATTACK.

DOCUMENTARIES – EYE-OPENING DISPATCHES FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
The ICA’s festival documentary strand includes an intimate look at life’s final moments in END OF LIFE and an examination of the provocative work of Walerian Borowczyk in LOVE EXPRESS: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WALERIAN BOROWCZYK.

OPENING NIGHT GALA – REPORTAGE AND ANIMATION COMBINE TO STUNNING EFFECT
As previously announced, the festival kicks off at Regent Street Cinema with the Gala screening of ANOTHER DAY OF LIFE, a beautifully animated adaptation of acclaimed Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuściński’s early book. The screening will be introduced by writer and The Guardian’s former associate foreign editor Victoria Brittain, who has extensive experience in reporting from global conflicts.

KINOTEKA AT BELFAST FILM FESTIVAL
Northern Ireland’s leading film festival plays host to three screenings of contemporary Polish films, alongside a guest appearance from renowned Irish director Lenny Abrahamson, who will introduce his favourite Polish cinema classic. The festival invites all Belfast-based cinephiles to enjoy this showcase of Poland’s diverse film culture.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS & EVENTS

• KINOTEKA X UNIQLO TATE LATES

In collaboration with UNIQLO Tate Lates, the festival presents an exclusive, free, ticketed evening at Tate Modern dedicated to 1990s Polish rave culture.

• KINOTEKA X FRONTLINE CLUB - 53 WARS

Based partly on an autobiographical book by Grażyna Jagielska, 53 WARS was nominated for awards at Torino Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, and Camerimage. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with Grażyna Jagielska and Wojciech Jagielski.

• CHILDREN’S EVENTS

The festival’s family friendly screening of JOURNEY FOR ONE SMILE (1972) at Regent Street Cinema including a Polish Treasure Hunt with discovery trails, map reading and riddles will give you a head start on Duduś and Poldek’s fun-filled adventure from the south to the north of Poland.