Our Must-See Picks and Insider Notes
There’s something electric about TIFF season in Toronto. The streets hum with conversations in every language, the air smells faintly of popcorn and fresh print programs, and the city becomes one giant love letter to cinema. This year, my heart is beating especially fast—because six films in TIFF’s official selection feature Poland as a co-production partner.
For those of us who live and breathe Polish cinema year-round, this is more than a coincidence—it’s a celebration. It’s proof that Polish storytellers and producers are not just participating in the global conversation; they’re shaping it. And I have to tell you, the lineup is extraordinary.
A Pale View of Hills – Kei Ishikawa
Adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s debut novel, this meditative drama drifts between post-war Nagasaki and 1980s England. Co-produced by Poland’s Lava Films, it is tender, deliberate, and full of emotional silences.
🎬 Our Note: Ishikawa’s visual language is so meticulous that every frame feels like a painting. Watch how he uses stillness—it’s not emptiness, it’s charged with unspoken memory. And if you’re a fan of Ishiguro’s writing, bring tissues.
Good Boy – Jan Komasa
When Komasa has a new film, I always circle it in red ink. This time, he gives us a tightly wound psychological thriller about a 19-year-old criminal sent into the care of a married couple. It’s unsettling, beautifully acted, and brimming with moral ambiguity.
🎬 Our Note: Komasa (Corpus Christi, The Hater) has a gift for making you question your own boundaries of empathy. See it late in the evening—you’ll want to walk home through quiet streets, still unpacking what you’ve just experienced.
Erupcja – Pete Ohs, Lena Góra & Charli XCX
Yes, you read that right—Charli XCX in a Polish co-production! This bold love story between a Polish florist and a British tourist is raw, luminous, and pulsing with music and color. Lena Góra’s performance is magnetic.
🎬 Our Note: It’s rare to see a film that feels like a midnight concert and a summer romance at the same time. This is it. If you’re going to one “date night” screening during TIFF, make it this one.
Winter of the Crow – Kasia Adamik
Adapted from Olga Tokarczuk’s short story Professor Andrews Goes to Warsaw, this Cold War thriller drops you into the frozen winter of 1981, when martial law gripped Poland. Adamik captures both the paranoia of the era and the strange intimacy that can grow in dark times.
🎬 Our Note: If you love political cinema with atmosphere so thick you can almost feel the frost on your skin, this is your ticket. And seeing Tokarczuk’s work on screen is always a gift.
Franz – Agnieszka Holland
Set in a surreal Prague, Franz is a poetic homage to Kafka—equal parts dream and nightmare.
🎬 Our Note: Go into this one without reading too much. Let it wash over you. It’s the kind of film that lives somewhere between your conscious and subconscious mind for weeks.
Mama – Details Coming Soon
Little is known yet, but its presence in the official selection tells me to trust it’s worth the wait.
🎬 Our note: Sometimes the films you know the least about surprise you the most. Keep an open spot in your schedule for this one—you might discover your festival favorite.
Who’s Who: Rising Voices & Icons in the City
This year, I’m particularly excited about Kei Ishikawa, whose quiet precision makes me think he’s just at the start of a very long and celebrated career. Of course, Jan Komasa and Kasia Adamik are returning powerhouses, and their presence feels like a reunion with old friends.
And there’s a strong possibility we’ll see Kazuo Ishiguro himself in Toronto—imagine the conversations about adaptation and memory!
EKRAN’s TIFF Survival Tips for Polish Cinema Lovers
- Book early, but stay flexible. Rush lines at TIFF can be magical—you’ll meet fellow film lovers and sometimes get last-minute tickets to sold-out gems.
- Mix your moods. Pair a heavy drama like Winter of the Crow with something playful and romantic like Erupcja in the same day—it keeps your festival energy fresh.
- Talk to strangers. TIFF is the one time of year you can stand in line and have a 30-minute discussion about cinematography with someone you’ve never met.
- Support co-productions. These films are proof of Poland’s deepening role in world cinema—your ticket helps fuel the next one.
I can’t wait to see Toronto’s Polish film community (and the newly curious!) in the theatres this September. These films deserve to be watched with an open mind, a full heart, and maybe a notebook in your lap.
See you in the dark—
Marta
