Polish Film Weeks in Finland – A Cultural Bridge and Celebration of Cinema
Since 1962, Finnish film enthusiasts have been treated to curated selections of Polish contemporary cinema and classics. The modern version of the Polish Film Weeks was first organised in the 1970s. This year, the Polish Film Weeks (Przegląd Filmu Polskiego) brings fresh Polish stories, culture and history to the big screen in Helsinki from 6 to 10 October, with screenings also taking place in many other cities across Finland.
The event is jointly organised by the Federation of Finland–Poland Associations and the Embassy of Poland in Helsinki. Today, the Polish Film Weeks tour more than ten Finnish cities. In 2025, screenings will be held in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Lahti, Hämeenlinna, Joensuu and Teuva, among others.
The programme typically combines the newest Polish films – subtitled in Finnish or English – with one or two classics. In recent decades, Finnish awareness of Poland has somewhat faded. Now, as security issues and Poland’s strong economic growth have revived Finnish interest, it is wise for anyone seeking deeper cooperation to also explore their partner country’s culture. And what could be a more delightful and accessible way to do so than through its cinema? At the same time, such exchanges strengthen bilateral ties through the tools of soft diplomacy.
For Finnish filmmakers, these screenings offer an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the style and talent of a potential future partner country. It may broaden their artistic perspective – and perhaps even lead to new Polish–Finnish film collaborations.
The 2025 Programme
The week’s films present once again a wide range of styles and themes:
| Date | Film | Year / Duration | Director | Themes |
| 6 Oct | Seasons (Sezony) | 2024, 100 min | Michał Grzybowski | A gentle dramedy about a pair of theatre actors whose relationship unfolds on stage and in life. |
| 7 Oct | Minghun | 2024, 90 min | Jan P. Matuszyński | A Chinese posthumous wedding ritual mirrors grief, hope and universal human emotions. |
| 8 Oct | It’s Not My Film | 2024, 99 min | Maria Zbąska | A love crisis on the Baltic coast in winter – a modern, humorous relationship story. |
| 9 Oct | Trains (Junat) | 2024, 80 min | Maciej Drygas | A found-footage documentary about 20th-century Europe – a cycle between hope and destruction. |
| 10 Oct | The Hourglass Sanatorium | 1973, 119 min | Wojciech Jerzy Has | A classic based on the prose of Bruno Schulz – a surreal reflection on time and life. |
The 2025 programme highlights contemporary filmmakers – four of the five films are from 2024. The selection offers a diverse mix of film styles, from drama and documentary to surreal fantasy. Has’s classic represents historical continuity, while Minghun embodies encounters between cultures.
Read More:
- Facebook: Polish Film Weeks (includes the full programme and screenings across the country)
- HS Menokone: Polish Film Weeks 2025 (Helsinki screenings)
- Federation of Finland–Poland Associations: Polish Film Weeks in Finland (event history; past programmes available in the top menu)
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