About us Polish Film Festival in Gdynia
The history of the Polish Film Festival dates back to 1974. Until 1986, it was held in Gdańsk – and it was from that city’s coat of arms that its main awards took their name. Subsequently, the event was moved to Gdynia. Since then, the Danuta Baduszkowa Musical Theatre has served as the festival’s main venue. Since 2015, the festival’s administrative headquarters has been located at the Gdynia Film Centre (bearing the name of Leszek Kopeć since 2025).
The most compelling Polish films – ranging from works by established filmmakers to directorial debuts – compete in Gdynia for the Golden, Silver, and Sapphire Lions, as well as numerous individual awards. The festival currently features three competitions: the Main Competition, the Perspectives Competition, and the Short Film Competition. The programme is rounded out by non-competitive sections, including Polonica, The Big Five, Special Screenings, and Gdynia for Children. Gdynia Industry, an event dedicated to film industry professionals, is a significant nationwide undertaking.
Since 2005, the Platinum Lions award has been presented in Gdynia for the lifetime achievement and outstanding artistic accomplishments of Polish filmmakers.
The Polish Film Festival in Gdynia is one of the oldest film events in Europe, promoting Polish cinema on such a large scale.
-
Photo gallery
-
The Polish Film Festival in Gdynia provides an opportunity for an open dialogue between the film industry and the audience, those involved in the film world, and journalists.
photo Mateusz Ochocki
photo Kinga PlichtPolish and international guests and visitors from the film industry – filmmakers, actors and actresses, producers, and programmers from other festivals – are arriving in Gdynia. A large proportion of the festival’s accompanying events, including conferences, networking sessions and workshops, are aimed at them.
Every year, film buffs – lovers of Polish cinema, whose numbers are constantly growing – also flock to Gdynia. Audiences in Gdynia are often the first in Poland to see the latest Polish films.
