Seattle Polish Film Festival (SPFF) is an annual event showcasing the best of Polish cinema since the early 1990s. The SPFF is produced and presented by the Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association.
The Seattle Polish Film Festival exists only thanks to our patrons, sponsors and individual donors. We are preparing our 31st Seattle Polish Film Festival with some major new productions like Dangerous Gentlemen or Filip. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to cover the cost of films and to bring the best guests to Seattle. Thank you for your generosity.
Seattle Polish Film Festival is presenting the film “Brigitte Bardot Forever”, directed by Lech Majewski. This is an extra, in-between festivals, presentation of an iconic film based on motifs from Telemachus’ journey in search of his father. The hero, Adam, expects his father, a RAF pilot, to return to Poland after WW2. His imaginary world helps him cope with the realities of communist Poland.
Kirkland Performance Center, April 2, 4:00 PM
Based on a true story, Emi - a young, ambitious girl, dreams about life outside her small town. When a tempting madam offers her a chance to escape, she doesn't hesitate and quickly becomes an exclusive escort. Soon enough she climbs the ranks and starts her own VIP escort service -- recruiting Polish celebrities, actors, singers, and models.
She is an ordinary girl from the neighborhood, he is the best party of the Republic. They say opposites attract, but love can sometimes be unpredictable. Especially when paparazzis are overly interested in their lives. "Love on First Page" is the story of Nina (Olga Bolądź) - a modern-day Cinderella and Robert (Piotr Stramowski) - the son of a presidential couple.
Warsaw, 1968. Students are protesting against the unlawful expulsion of their colleagues from the university and in defense of the "Dziady" (Forefathers' Day) poster, directed by Kazimierz Dejmek, and staged at the National Theater.
After a series of mysterious disappearances in 1950s Kraków, young investigator Karski believes he's on the trail of a vicious serial killer.
When a retired Polish sculptor is diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, his wife and former muse re-inspires him to sculpt her one last time, opening his eyes for the first time to her age-defying beauty.
A perfect couple rents a holiday home on a sunny Italian island. The reality does not live up to their expectations when they find out that the pool in the house is broken. Ignorant of the fact that the island faces water shortage, they ask for someone to fix it.
The peace of mind of a tenement house in Warsaw’s Mokotów district is shattered by the appearance of the alleged legal owner of the building. Using ruthless methods, the man starts forcing more families to move out. Janina Markowska is the most determined in her fight for the right to her apartment.
The story about the colorful live of the queen of the Polish musical scene – Maryla Rodowicz – is a biographical and musical journey that shows the artist’s passions and loves.
Joanna returns to her home village for her father’s funeral. On the night of her arrival, an explosive argument breaks out in the family. Joanna wants to fullfil her father’s wish for a secular funeral, but her mother is categorically opposed to the very idea.
“Ania” is a touching story about the prematurely deceased, at age of 36, Polish actress Anna Przybylska, the unforgettable Marylka from the TV series “Złotopolscy”.
Marta is a romantic and a school loser. She shares a room with her sister Kasia and her grandma who tells her granddaughters stories from the Warsaw Uprising instead of fairy tales.
Political thriller is based on a true story about a young student beaten to death by the police in 1980s Communist Poland.
Daniel, an artist, comes from the countryside and was brought up within the structures of the Catholic Church. His relationship with Olek is evolving in secret. The suicide of a religious queer girl from his village pushes him to fight for tolerance. He tries to unite the community, but everyone turns his back on him. The story is based on real-life events.
When Claude Monet's "Beach in Pourville" disappears from the National Museum in Poznan, and Julka's aunt is falsely accused of theft, Julka and her friend Olek must find the painting.
Orchestra of Exiles explores Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman 4-year odyssey, which culminates in the founding of the orchestra that would become the Israel Philharmonic. Huberman's personal transformation and subsequent heroic struggle to get Jewish musicians out of Europe to found this orchestra will be at the heart of this film.
Adapted from a popular Ukrainian folk melody, the Christmas classic “Carol of the Bells” came to represent the spirit of brotherhood over the world. Set in pre and postwar Ukraine, this ultimately life-affirming film centers on three families - Polish, Ukrainian and Jewish - who share a large house and musical evenings. Their peaceful existence is shattered by the Nazi and Soviet occupations
"25 Years of Innocence” is a moving action drama based on real events that were followed closely by whole Poland. It is a story about the life of Tomasz Komenda, a young man wrongly sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping and murdering a teenage girl. The filmmakers make an attempt to find answers to all the burning questions on everyone's mind. How could this happen? Why did an innocent man have to wait 18 years in a cell to be served justice?
We have the pleasure to announce the 2022 Seattle Spirit of Polish Cinema - Viewers' Choice Award winner: Black Sheep directed by Aleksander Pietrzak.
Congratulations to the winner and a big thank you for all your votes.
The 2022 Certificate of Recognition – for the Best Indie or Short Film goes to On the Frontline. Fleeing Irpin and The Defenders of Kharkiv directed by Michał Przedlacki.
The 2022 Certificate of Recognition – for the Best Indie or Short Film goes to Chopin. I Am Not Afraid of Darkness directed by Joanna Kaczmarek.
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 non-profit Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association.
SPFF was started in 1992 by Polish community leaders 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. They wanted to share this special part of Polish culture with the greater Seattle community. SPFF is the second longest running Polish film festival in the United States. 2017 marked its 25th anniversary.
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, 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 2006, local patent attorney Greg Plichta directed SPFF. Under Mr. Plichta's leadership, the SPFF showcased critically acclaimed films alongside independent films, shorts, animations, and documentaries. During this time, the SPFF hosted a wide variety of guests and luminaries from Polish cinema. In 2010, Dr. Michal Friedrich returned to SPFF as the Artistic Director, with Greg Plichta as Managing Director.
As of 2011, former Solidarity activist and local film fanatic Zbigniew Pietrzyk has run SPFF, and in 2012 was joined by his son Michal, a television industry professional, as the Artistic Director. Since then, every edition of SPFF is scheduled to reach new heights in terms of film quality, diversity, and sophistication – in large part due to the generous support of its patrons, and the selfless contributions of its dedicated staff.
When you sponsor our cultural exhibition of Polish films your financial support helps cover the costs of film royalties, theater rental, airfare and accommodations for our guests, advertising, and printing. You can participate at different levels, all with added benefits! Review the options for Signature Sponsorship.
