The best Polish films of all time
The top 3 according to 3 votes from people: Ashes and Diamonds · Man of Marble · The Promised Land. (Updated Jun 30, 2026.)
The top of the survey by the Łódź Film Museum and the University of Łódź for cinema's 130th anniversary (287 people from film culture), plus the classics critics and audiences mention most.
Automatically translated (original in Polski). See the original
Top 20
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1
Ashes and Diamonds
Andrzej Wajda, 1958. Zbigniew Cybulski as Maciek Chełmicki on the last day of the war.
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2
Man of Marble
Andrzej Wajda, 1977. A film student uncovers the truth about a model worker.
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3
The Promised Land
Andrzej Wajda, 1974. Three partners build a factory in 19th-century Łódź; first place in the Film Museum survey.
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4
The Saragossa Manuscript
Wojciech Jerzy Has, 1964. A nested tale from Jan Potocki; a favourite of Scorsese and Coppola.
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5
Night Train
Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1959. A night train to the coast and a hunted murderer; the critics' choice for best Polish film in the survey.
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6
Day of the Wacko
Marek Koterski, 2002. Marek Kondrat as the neurotic teacher Adaś Miauczyński.
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7
Knife in the Water
Roman Polański, 1962. A couple and a hitchhiker on a yacht; Oscar-nominated.
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8
The Hourglass Sanatorium
Wojciech Jerzy Has, 1973. A dreamlike journey from Bruno Schulz; Jury Prize at Cannes.
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9
Ida
Paweł Pawlikowski, 2013. A novice nun discovers her Jewish origins; Poland's first Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
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10
Blind Chance
Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1981. Three versions of a life depending on whether the hero catches a train.
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11
Camera Buff
Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1979. A worker buys a camera and discovers the power of filming; Golden Prize in Moscow.
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12
Camouflage
Krzysztof Zanussi, 1976. A linguistics summer camp and a cynical lecturer.
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13
Teddy Bear
Stanisław Bareja, 1980. A satire of communist Poland with club president Ochódzki; cult dialogue.
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14
Sexmission
Juliusz Machulski, 1984. Two men wake up in an underground world without men.
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15
A Short Film About Killing
Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1988. The murder of a taxi driver and an execution; Jury Prize at Cannes.
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16
Mother Joan of the Angels
Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1961. Possessed nuns and an exorcist priest; Jury Prize at Cannes.
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17
Cold War
Paweł Pawlikowski, 2018. A musician and a singer's love across the Iron Curtain; Best Director at Cannes.
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18
The Pianist
Roman Polański, 2002. Władysław Szpilman survives occupied Warsaw; Palme d'Or and three Oscars.
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19
The Wedding
Andrzej Wajda, 1972. The adaptation of Wyspiański's play about a wedding in Bronowice.
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20
Dekalog
Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1989. Ten films about the Ten Commandments on a Warsaw housing estate.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 20… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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21
The Cruise
Marek Piwowski, 1970. An absurd river cruise on the Vistula; a source of countless quotes.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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