Polish 'Must-See' movies
by Naciak | created - 04 Mar 2013 | updated - 22 Aug 2021 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Kiler (1997)
104 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
An innocent cab driver Jurek Kiler is mistaken for a contract killer and imprisoned. Soon, he is sprung by a mob boss who needs "Killer" for a few more jobs.
Director: Juliusz Machulski | Stars: Cezary Pazura, Malgorzata Kozuchowska, Jerzy Stuhr, Janusz Rewinski
Votes: 7,754
2. Killer 2 (1999)
127 min | Comedy, Crime
Jurek Kiler (see the prequel to this movie, "Kiler") has become a VIP - sponsoring the Polish government, playing tennis with the President, and stuff. He must oversee a transfer of a ... See full summary »
Director: Juliusz Machulski | Stars: Cezary Pazura, Malgorzata Kozuchowska, Janusz Rewinski, Jerzy Stuhr
Votes: 4,588
3. Psy (1992)
104 min | Action, Crime, Drama
In the good old days Franz Maurer and his partners from the secret police used to live like kings. Now, they all must adapt to a new post-communist environment where they are scorned and ... See full summary »
Director: Wladyslaw Pasikowski | Stars: Boguslaw Linda, Marek Kondrat, Cezary Pazura, Janusz Gajos
Votes: 5,472
4. Psy 2. Ostatnia krew (1994)
100 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Franz Maurer, a compromised cop, former officer of the criminal department of the Warsaw's police, is released from prison where he was doing time for his brutality and murders. He is ... See full summary »
Director: Wladyslaw Pasikowski | Stars: Boguslaw Linda, Cezary Pazura, Artur Zmijewski, Magdalena Dandourian
Votes: 2,700
5. Hi, Tereska (2001)
86 min | Drama
A sensitive teenage girl from a poor family befriends a cynical schoolmate, who shows her how to smoke, drink, have sex and steal. Tereska's life heads towards a catastrophe.
Director: Robert Glinski | Stars: Aleksandra Gietner, Karolina Sobczak, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Malgorzata Rozniatowska
Votes: 1,569
6. Teddy Bear (1981)
111 min | Comedy
The main character is the manager of a sport club, nicknamed "Teddy Bear" by his friends and acquaintances. One day he is detained at the border just as his sport team is off to a ... See full summary »
Director: Stanislaw Bareja | Stars: Stanislaw Tym, Barbara Burska, Christine Paul, Krzysztof Kowalewski
Votes: 6,589
7. Plac Zbawiciela (2006)
105 min | Drama
A story of a married couple with two children, whose housing problems, the man's infidelity and the woman's fragility lead the family to destruction.
Directors: Joanna Kos-Krauze, Krzysztof Krauze | Stars: Jowita Budnik, Arkadiusz Janiczek, Ewa Wencel, Dawid Gudejko
Votes: 1,906
8. Knife in the Water (1962)
Not Rated | 94 min | Drama, Thriller
A couple pick up a hitchhiker on the way to their yacht. The husband invites the young man to come along for their day's sailing. As the voyage progresses, the antagonism between the two men grows. A violent confrontation is inevitable.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Leon Niemczyk, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz, Anna Ciepielewska
Votes: 23,476
9. Snow White and Russian Red (2009)
108 min | Comedy, Drama
An aggressive thug has problems with his girlfriend. Over the course of several chaotic days he walks around the hood, takes drugs and confronts himself with other women.
Director: Xawery Zulawski | Stars: Borys Szyc, Roma Gasiorowska, Maria Strzelecka, Sonia Bohosiewicz
Votes: 2,062
10. Chaos (III) (2006)
124 min | Drama
Three brothers - a successful lawyer, a criminal and an anarchist - enter adulthood and each of them seeks a better life for themselves in their own way.
Director: Xawery Zulawski | Stars: Mariusz Bonaszewski, Grzegorz Borek, Marcin Brzozowski, Magdalena Cielecka
Votes: 129
11. What Will You Do When You Catch Me? (1978)
99 min | Comedy
What Will You Do When You Catch Me? is a parody of comunist times in Poland. A state-owned company director is having an afair during his delegation. Later on, his mistress turns out to be ... See full summary »
Director: Stanislaw Bareja | Stars: Krzysztof Kowalewski, Bronislaw Pawlik, Stanislaw Tym, Ewa Wisniewska
Votes: 1,934
12. Brunet wieczorowa pora (1976)
90 min | Comedy, Thriller
Modest editor, has shipped his wife and kids for the weekend, and is trying to relax in his house at the outskirts of Warsaw. His quiet evening is only disturbed by the accidental forecast ... See full summary »
Director: Stanislaw Bareja | Stars: Krzysztof Kowalewski, Wojciech Pokora, Janina Traczykówna, Wieslaw Golas
Votes: 1,614
13. Man - Woman Wanted (1973)
82 min | Comedy
Falsely accused Warsaw art museum assistant goes into hiding as a woman.
Director: Stanislaw Bareja | Stars: Wojciech Pokora, Jolanta Bohdal, Mieczyslaw Czechowicz, Maria Chwalibóg
Votes: 2,475
14. Uprowadzenie Agaty (1993)
76 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A parliament member's sixteen year old daughter Agata falls in love and runs away with a convicted young tramp, while her father uses his friends in the government and police to brutally break their happiness.
Director: Marek Piwowski | Stars: Karolina Rosinska, Slawomir Federowicz, Pola Raksa, Jerzy Stuhr
Votes: 499
15. The Dark House (2009)
105 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The story takes place in two parallel time planes. The first plot follows the events of one autumn night in 1978. Edward Srodon, a zootechnician, makes an accidental stopover in a farmhouse... See full summary »
Director: Wojciech Smarzowski | Stars: Arkadiusz Jakubik, Marian Dziedziel, Kinga Preis, Bartlomiej Topa
Votes: 5,091
16. Wesele (2004)
109 min | Comedy, Drama
A wealthy small-town wiseguy organizes the wedding party for his daughter. As the party begins, unexpected events start to occur and disturb the party for the hosts and guests alike.
Director: Wojciech Smarzowski | Stars: Marian Dziedziel, Tamara Arciuch, Iwona Bielska, Maciej Stuhr
Votes: 4,814
17. Boys Don't Cry (2000)
90 min | Comedy, Crime
A satirical look at the gangsters of Poland and some teens who accidentally get involved with them.
Director: Olaf Lubaszenko | Stars: Maciej Stuhr, Cezary Pazura, Michal Milowicz, Miroslaw Zbrojewicz
Votes: 7,192
18. King Size (1988)
105 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
This comedy follows a young scientist in the contemporary world, who actually came from the world of dwarves, thanks to a magic potion, held by the Big Eater, ruler of the dwarves. The ... See full summary »
Director: Juliusz Machulski | Stars: Jacek Chmielnik, Jerzy Stuhr, Katarzyna Figura, Grzegorz Herominski
Votes: 3,365
19. Sexmission (1984)
122 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Two scientists are placed into a 3-year hibernation, but when they wake up, it turns out to have been 50 years, and they are the only two males in a new underground society composed exclusively of women.
Director: Juliusz Machulski | Stars: Wieslaw Michnikowski, Jerzy Stuhr, Olgierd Lukaszewicz, Dorota Stalinska
Votes: 14,338
20. Knights of the Teutonic Order (1960)
166 min | Adventure, Drama, History
In the 15th century the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is facing a hard struggle against the neighboring Teutonic Order.Frequent clashes between the two powers finally culminate in 1410 with the Battle of Grunwald.
Director: Aleksander Ford | Stars: Urszula Modrzynska, Grazyna Staniszewska, Andrzej Szalawski, Henryk Borowski
Votes: 2,172
21. Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
Not Rated | 103 min | Drama, Romance, War
As World War II and the German occupation ends, the Polish resistance and the Soviet forces turn on each other in an attempt to take over leadership in Communist Poland.
Director: Andrzej Wajda | Stars: Zbigniew Cybulski, Ewa Krzyzewska, Waclaw Zastrzezynski, Adam Pawlikowski
Votes: 13,379
22. The Debt (1999)
Not Rated | 106 min | Drama, Crime, Thriller
Two entrepreneurs become tangled in the web of a Russian thug.
Director: Krzysztof Krauze | Stars: Robert Gonera, Jacek Borcuch, Andrzej Chyra, Cezary Kosinski
Votes: 3,921
23. Day of the Wacko (2002)
Not Rated | 93 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
24 hours in the bitter life of a frustrated divorced teacher who stays in the vicious circle of his numerous obsessions.
Director: Marek Koterski | Stars: Marek Kondrat, Janina Traczykówna, Andrzej Grabowski, Michal Koterski
Votes: 11,703
24. Wszyscy jestesmy Chrystusami (2006)
107 min | Drama
Son's painful memories of his father's lifelong alcohol addiction turn to be traumatic for both of them. These memories make them realise the booze inheritance in their family. Will they get out of this vicious circle?
Director: Marek Koterski | Stars: Marek Kondrat, Andrzej Chyra, Michal Koterski, Janina Traczykówna
Votes: 2,714
25. Vabank (1981)
108 min | Comedy, Crime
The famous safecracker Kwinto, after leaving prison, decided to quit. But the news of the death of a friend abruptly changes his plans. He decides to "take" Kramer's bank. And, of course, he takes. Elegant, fun and twisted.
Director: Juliusz Machulski | Stars: Jan Machulski, Leonard Pietraszak, Witold Pyrkosz, Ewa Szykulska
Votes: 4,936
26. Vinci (2004)
108 min | Crime, Comedy
After several years of serving his sentence, Cuma - a notorious art thief is released from prison due to his poor health. It was all arranged by dealer Gruby who plans a heist of the famous... See full summary »
Director: Juliusz Machulski | Stars: Robert Wieckiewicz, Józef Paleczka, Borys Szyc, Jerzy Gralek
Votes: 3,894
27. Traffic Department (2012)
118 min | Crime, Drama
Comic and tragic scenes from the lives of police officers in the Warsaw Traffic Department.
Director: Wojciech Smarzowski | Stars: Bartlomiej Topa, Arkadiusz Jakubik, Julia Kijowska, Eryk Lubos
Votes: 5,086
28. A Short Film About Killing (1988)
Not Rated | 84 min | Crime, Drama
A soon-to-be lawyer crosses his path with a taxi driver and a young sinister man.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski | Stars: Miroslaw Baka, Krzysztof Globisz, Jan Tesarz, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
Votes: 22,263
29. Big Shar (1983)
96 min | Action, Drama, Romance
Released from prison after five years, con-artist Szu is sent packing by his young wife; he heads for the town of Lutyn where he runs a con and attracts the interest of Jurek, a young cab ... See full summary »
Director: Sylwester Checinski | Stars: Jan Nowicki, Andrzej Pieczynski, Dorota Pomykala, Leon Niemczyk
Votes: 1,112
30. Bad Luck (1960)
92 min | Comedy
The story is an odyssey of a little man through Poland of 1930 to 1950. It shows his attempts to cope with a changing world which seems to have no place for him. He has no consciousness of ... See full summary »
Director: Andrzej Munk | Stars: Bogumil Kobiela, Maria Ciesielska, Helena Dabrowska, Barbara Lass
Votes: 1,348
31. Quo vadis (2001)
165 min | Drama, History, Romance
Marcus Vinicius meets Lygia in Rome and falls in love. But she is Christian and doesn't want anything to do with him. Marcus decides to kidnap her but Ursus, her bodyguard, catches Marcus. ... See full summary »
Director: Jerzy Kawalerowicz | Stars: Pavel Delong, Magdalena Mielcarz, Boguslaw Linda, Michal Bajor
Votes: 2,277
32. Szczesliwego Nowego Jorku (1997)
95 min | Comedy, Drama
The story of six Polish emigrants living in New York City, who try to live their American Dream and cope with the realities of the Big Apple.
Director: Janusz Zaorski | Stars: Boguslaw Linda, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Janusz Gajos, Cezary Pazura
Votes: 812
33. W pustyni i w puszczy (2001)
111 min | Adventure, Family
Two young children, 14-year-old Stas and 8-year-old Nel, are kidnapped for ransom by Muslim leader called Mahdi.
Director: Gavin Hood | Stars: Adam Fidusiewicz, Karolina Sawka, Krzysztof Kowalewski, Artur Zmijewski
Votes: 982
34. It's a Perfect Night for Suicide (2009)
115 min | Comedy
A comedy about a psychic who pretends to believe that magic exists, a gigolo who pretends to believe the psychic, an illusionist who pretends to be somebody else and a desperate woman who ... See full summary »
Director: Tomasz Szafranski | Stars: Jerzy Bonczak, Robert Czechowski, Katarzyna Glinka, Andrzej Grabowski
Votes: 55
35. Mother Teresa of Cats (2010)
95 min | Drama
Police arrest two brothers, Artur and Martin, at their aunt's provincial motel and escort them to jail in the capital. Unfolding in flashback, the film seeks out the motives for the crime ... See full summary »
Director: Pawel Sala | Stars: Ewa Skibinska, Mateusz Kosciukiewicz, Filip Garbacz, Mariusz Bonaszewski
Votes: 485
36. Wszystko, co kocham (2009)
95 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
Follows four friends in their quest to form a punk band. As workers protests sweep across the country, Janek and Staszek, the sons of a navy man, the rebellious Kazik, and the affluent ... See full summary »
Director: Jacek Borcuch | Stars: Mateusz Kosciukiewicz, Olga Frycz, Jakub Gierszal, Andrzej Chyra
Votes: 1,874
37. Tatarak (2009)
85 min | Drama
In small-town Poland in the late 1950s, an aging woman married to a workaholic doctor meets a young man who makes her feel young again. Framed around this story, lead actress Krystyna Janda discusses the death of her husband from cancer.
Director: Andrzej Wajda | Stars: Krystyna Janda, Pawel Szajda, Jan Englert, Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieslak
Votes: 1,488
38. Black Thursday (2011)
105 min | Drama, History
Antoni Krauze reminds one of the darkest history of the cards with PRL. Spectacular reconstruction of the dramatic events in Gdynia, ended a brutal pacification of demonstrators by troops and militia in 1970.
Director: Antoni Krauze | Stars: Piotr Andruszkiewicz, Justyna Bartoszewicz, Magdalena Bochan, Ryszard Brozek
Votes: 1,290
39. Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease (2000)
Not Rated | 99 min | Drama
A cynical doctor, who is dying of cancer, would like to know the meaning of his life. He has to fight for it or just get ready for death.
Director: Krzysztof Zanussi | Stars: Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Krystyna Janda, Tadeusz Bradecki, Monika Krzywkowska
Votes: 1,422
40. Stan posiadania (1989)
103 min | Drama
Difficulty of human relations in a 3-cornered tale: a neurotic woman, idealistic young man and his mother. Tomek is a clean-cut, high-minded geography student. He lives with his mother ... See full summary »
Director: Krzysztof Zanussi | Stars: Krystyna Janda, Artur Zmijewski, Maja Komorowska, Andrzej Lapicki
Votes: 120
41. Suicide Room (2011)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama, Thriller
After suffering extreme humiliation at school, Dominik holes himself up in his room and begins spending all his time in a virtual reality chat room.
Director: Jan Komasa | Stars: Jakub Gierszal, Roma Gasiorowska, Agata Kulesza, Christoph Pieczynski
Votes: 11,508
42. Life for Life: Maximilian Kolbe (1991)
90 min | Biography, Drama
The story of Catholic saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941), who volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz.
Director: Krzysztof Zanussi | Stars: Edward Zentara, Christoph Waltz, Artur Barcis, Gustaw Lutkiewicz
Votes: 376
43. Poranek kojota (2001)
100 min | Comedy
Kuba, a young cartoon artist who works as a waiter at sophisticated parties, falls in love with beautiful Noemi and accidentally gets involved in gangster affairs.
Director: Olaf Lubaszenko | Stars: Maciej Stuhr, Karolina Rosinska, Michal Milowicz, Magdalena Kumorek
Votes: 4,027
44. Czas surferów (2005)
90 min | Comedy, Crime
Three young guys got work from unlucky gangster... they try to make a great job but everything goes wrong
Director: Jacek Gasiorowski | Stars: Boguslaw Linda, Marian Dziedziel, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Agnieszka Maciag
Votes: 1,336
45. Life Feels Good (2013)
Not Rated | 112 min | Drama
The story of a boy suffering from cerebral palsy and his troubled growing up during Poland's transition in the 1980s and 90s.
Director: Maciej Pieprzyca | Stars: Dawid Ogrodnik, Dorota Kolak, Arkadiusz Jakubik, Helena Sujecka
Votes: 3,173
46. Bogowie (2014)
120 min | Biography, Drama
The early career of cardiac surgeon Zbigniew Religa. Despite the harsh reality of 1980s Poland, he successfully leads a team of doctors to the country's first human heart transplantation.
Director: Lukasz Palkowski | Stars: Tomasz Kot, Piotr Glowacki, Szymon Piotr Warszawski, Magdalena Czerwinska
Votes: 7,663
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