Goa : The 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), scheduled to take place in Goa from November 20 to 28, will feature a significant Polish presence, showcasing the country’s cinematic achievements and strengthening cultural ties between India and Poland. The programme will bring together contemporary Polish cinema, a special retrospective celebrating the birth centenary of legendary filmmaker Andrzej Wajda, and the world premiere of a documentary exploring Polish-American architect Maciej Nowicki’s contribution to Chandigarh’s original vision.
A still from Fatherland
Poland’s official entry for the Academy Awards, Fatherland, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski, has been selected as the opening film of the festival. Its producer, Ewa Puszczyńska, is expected to attend IFFI. Her participation will provide an opportunity for Indian audiences and film professionals to engage with one of the leading figures in contemporary European film production.
The international programme at IFFI 2026 will feature several other notable highlights. Spain will participate as the Country of Honour, presenting four films, including Pedro Almodóvar’s Bitter Christmas, alongside The Bad Son, Trinidad and Persegiuiendo a Michael. A special BRICS cinema showcase will feature films from all 11 member countries and partner nations, with India’s Ramayana opening the section.
The Indian Panorama will present 76 films across 18 languages. Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar will open the feature-film section, while Becoming, a Ladakhi-language non-feature film, will inaugurate the non-feature category. Other highlights include two new segments dedicated to Animation and Films About Films, each featuring five titles, a special screening marking 25 years of Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan, and Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers as the closing film.
A major highlight of the Polish programme will be a special retrospective commemorating the birth centenary of Andrzej Wajda (1926–2016), one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of world cinema. A recipient of an Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement, Wajda’s extraordinary body of work explored the complexities of Polish history, political upheaval, individual conscience and national identity.
The retrospective will feature five of his celebrated films: Ashes and Diamonds, Kanal, Man of Marble, The Promised Land and After Image. Artur Zaborski, Vice-Rector for International Relations at the Warsaw Film School, will participate in a roundtable discussion on film education and join Poland’s Head of Mission, Dr. Piotr Antoni Świtalski, in inaugurating the retrospective on November 23. His participation will also provide an opportunity to highlight Poland’s distinguished tradition of film education and its continuing contribution to international cinema.
Another significant feature of the Polish programme will be the world premiere of Nirmanjali: The Chandigarh of Maciej Nowicki, a 36-minute documentary directed by Suraj Kumar and produced by Dr. Garima Singh. Selected for the Best of Indian Panorama section, the documentary revisits the relatively unexplored contribution of Polish-American architect Maciej Nowicki to the original architectural vision for Chandigarh.
Nowicki’s distinctive leaf-shaped master plan envisioned a city shaped around people, nature and everyday life. His untimely death in a plane crash in 1950 left much of his architectural vision unrealised. Nevertheless, his ideas remain an important part of Chandigarh’s early planning history and represent a significant historical connection between Poland and modern India. The documentary is supported and jointly produced by Johnsons-Suraj Films International and the Polish Institute, New Delhi. It will be screened on November 22, with Poland’s Head of Mission, Dr. Piotr Antoni Świtalski, addressing the audience on Nowicki’s legacy.
Speaking about the film, director Suraj Kumar said: “I wanted to bring attention to the early ideas that helped shape Chandigarh and to Maciej Nowicki’s human-centred vision. The film invites viewers to look at the city with fresh eyes and consider how its present form carries traces of that original imagination. I hope it also encourages people to explore the history behind the city’s streets, neighbourhoods and public spaces.”
The Polish showcase will also include Silver, directed by Natalia Koniarz, in the Best of MIFF section on November 26. The documentary, which won the prestigious Golden Conch at the Mumbai International Film Festival, further highlights the international recognition of contemporary Polish documentary filmmaking.
Commenting on Poland’s participation at IFFI 2026, Małgorzata Wejsis-Gołębiak, Director of the Polish Institute in New Delhi, said: “We are delighted that Polish cinema will occupy such a prominent place at the 57th International Film Festival of India in Goa. The selection of Fatherland, Poland’s official entry for the Academy Awards, as the opening film is a moment of great pride for Poland and a wonderful opportunity to bring the richness and contemporary vitality of Polish filmmaking to Indian audiences.”
Beyond its film screenings, IFFI 2026 will continue to strengthen its industry-facing initiatives. The sixth edition of Creative Minds of Tomorrow will bring together 100 emerging talents across 13 filmmaking disciplines through workshops, masterclasses and a 48-hour filmmaking challenge. WAVES Film Bazaar will provide a platform for international collaboration, co-production and distribution, bringing together 150 invited industry guests. Netflix will participate as the Knowledge Series partner, supporting capacity-building initiatives and highlighting India’s visual effects ecosystem.
The Polish programme at IFFI 2026 reflects the growing depth of cultural engagement between India and Poland. Through contemporary cinema, the enduring legacy of Andrzej Wajda and the rediscovery of Maciej Nowicki’s contribution to Chandigarh, the festival will offer Indian audiences an opportunity to explore the many dimensions of Polish artistic and cultural heritage.
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