For years, there has been an increase in foreigners in major European cities. But do foreign residents have the opportunity to learn about the film culture of the country they are in? We asked ourselves this question at the turn of 2010 and 2011, and the answer was no, also in relation to the capital of Lower Silesia. We started to think about launching a project that would bring a solution to this problem. This is how the idea of a film club was born, where foreigners could get to know Polish cinema.
When Wrocław won the bid to become European Capital of Culture 2016 in June 2011, the city was flooded with a great wave of creative energy. Almost all the cultural animators in the largest city in Lower Silesia began looking for new ideas that could fit into the city’s several-year strategy. The loose idea of a film club for foreigners was developed by Adam Kruk and Lech Moliński into a project of cyclical meetings in the formula of a lecture-show-discussion, where both introductions and discussions after screenings were to be held in English, and films screened with English subtitles. Already in March 2012, the long journey began, which is still ongoing – despite the end of the ECOC celebrations – and does not seem to be ending. In the meantime, a project called “Polish Cinema for Beginners” became part of the programme of the aforementioned celebrations, and in 2016 it brought the Wrocław Film Foundation an award from the Polish Film Institute in the “Film Education” category.
Our team
Hanna Kościukiewicz
project coordinator
Student of the Institute of Cultural Studies at the University of Wrocław. She organizes film and theatrical events, actively contributing to the cultural landscape. In addition she has been involved in creative and documentary photography for several years, focusing on capturing cultural and social events. She is also engaged as a film editor. She completed the School of Neighborhood Walks and began leading local guided tours.
Adam Kruk
originator of the project, event programmer
Polish film critic, journalist and programmer curating various festivals and cultural events. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, as well as in several books on film, art and culture. Speaker and PHD candidate at University of Wroclaw, member of European Film Academy, International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI, Wroclaw Film Foundation, and Dante Alighieri Society. Since 2023 voter for the Golden Globe Awards.
Anastasiia Katan
junior film programmer & host
Event manager by profession, experienced in organizing conferences as well as cultural and professional events. Her involvement in Polish Cinema for Beginners began when she was a participant of the Polish Cinema classes 2024 | 2025.
She has a strong appreciation for Polish cinema and is happy to share it with the international community.
Agnieszka Smutek
social media & PR manager of PCFB
Graduate of Cultural Studies at the University of Wrocław, where she focused on urban space and its cultural transformations. She gained experience working with various cultural institutions and initiatives in Wrocław. For three years, she coordinated the Polish Cinema for Beginners programme. Currently, she works as an exhibition producer at the Museum of Architecture, specializing in international cooperation and exhibition planning.
Pranav Kelkar
technical coordinator & podcast maker
Pranav professionally works as a data scientist, but has been involved in Polish Cinema for Beginners since 2024. He found his love for cinema after moving to Poland from India and has since been attending film festivals and movie screenings. He is also involved in social and cultural spheres in the city through volunteering and hosting workshops, and is now hosting the Polish Cinema for Beginners podcast.
Kuba Żary
wise friend & originator of the project
Publicist, journalist, curator. Head of communication at the Wrocław Institute of Culture, spokesperson for many cultural events. Editor-in-chief of “Wrocław Cultural Guide”, regular contributor to “Contemporary Lynx” magazine. Long-time radio host, author of the “Siódmy Kontynent” show. Curator of artistic projects focusing especially on urban space. Member of the programme boards of MIASTOmovie Festival of City and Architecture Film and the Wrocław Film Foundation.