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Seattle Polish Film Festival (SPFF) is an annual event showcasing the best of Polish cinema since the early 1990’s. The SPFF is produced and presented by the Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association.
SPFF was started in 1992 by prominent Polish community leaders and cinephiles Tom Podl and Dr. Michal Friedrich. Mr. Podl and Dr. Friedrich were inspired by other notable Polish Film festivals in the U.S. and in Poland, and wanted to share this special part of Polish culture with the greater Seattle community.
From 2002 to 2005, local attorney Krys Koper directed the SPFF. Mr. Koper ushered in a new era of procuring high quality films and guests. Under his direction, the SPFF presented such films as Revenge and When the Sun was God, as well as classics, such as The Promised Land and Woman Alone.
From 1992 to 2005 time, the SPFF has hosted distinguished directors such as Jerzy Hoffman, Agnieszka Holland, Juliusz Machulski, Radosław Piwowarski, and Krzysztof Zanussi – just to name a few.
In 2006, local patent attorney, Greg Plichta, took over the reins of the SPFF. Last year SPFF screened a variety of films: commercial successes, such as Lejdis, critically acclaimed films, such as Savior's Square and Warsaw and independent films, such as The Boat. SPFF hosted actors and directors associated with these films, including Tomasz Kot, Dariusz Gajewski, and Michał Szcześniak.
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Beginning in 2005, and continuing annually to the present, judges for the Gdynia Film Festival (the premier showcase event for Polish language films in the world) have given an award for cinematic excellence to the best independent film on behalf of the SPFF. The winning film was featured at our SPFF and the winning filmmaker was invited to attend SPFF’s showing in Seattle.
In addition, the director of the SPFF joins the directors of other Polish film festivals from around the world to select the winner of the Foreign Polish Film Festival Award. The award winning film is selected for what the directors believe is the best film at the Gdynia Film Festival.
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The Seattle Polish Film Festival is produced by the Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association (SGSCA), a membership-based, not-for-profit organization. The Festival is staffed entirely by volunteers of the SGSCA. The SGSCA was established in 1993. The mission of SGSCA is to promote educational, cultural, trade and charitable exchanges between the Polish seaport city of Gdynia and the greater Seattle area.
In addition, SGSCA provides financial and material support for social service programs located in Gdynia. The SPFF is one important way the SGSCA accomplishes its mission. The SPFF allows for sharing of Polish history, culture, and cinematic art with the Seattle community. Proceeds from SPFF support Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association educational exchanges and human service programs in Poland. For more information about SGSCA, please visit www.seattlegdynia.org
