The new year opens with considerable momentum for Polish documentaries, marking their presence at the upcoming edition of FIPADOC 2026 – one of the most important international festivals dedicated to documentary film. Held annually in Biarritz, the event traditionally spearheads the global calendar of documentary festivals. This year’s programme includes several Polish productions, presented both in-competition and across industry events.
Selected for the official European Stories competition is the feature-length documentary The Queen and the Smokehouse, directed by Iga Lis, which is going to enjoy its international premiere in Biarritz. The film is a portrait of the charismatic Miecia who has for decades run a legendary fish smokehouse in the seaside town of Łeba. The camera follows her at a moment of personal reckoning, as health issues force her to reflect on the future and on an identity shaped almost entirely by work. Set against the backdrop of a summer coastal landscape, the film becomes a story of resilience, passion, and the need to redefine oneself in the face of passing time. The film is produced by Munk Studio, operating under the Polish Filmmakers Association, and Silver Frame.
Poland’s presence in Biarritz also includes two short music-themed documentaries selected for the festival’s short film competition. The Tuners, directed by Paweł Chorzępa, will receive its world premiere at FIPADOC. The film takes viewers behind the scenes of one of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions, focusing on an elite group of piano tuners whose precision, experience, and sensitivity determine the final sound of the instruments – and, indirectly, the success of the eventual winner. The film is produced by Joanna Chorzępa from Bees Film House.
The second music-related title, presented as an international premiere, is Bacewicz x Bomsori, directed by Jakub Piątek. The creator of the widely acclaimed Pianoforte, recognised by both audiences and international juries, this time offers an intimate record of the creative process of South Korean violinist Bomsori Kim as she prepares to perform Grażyna Bacewicz’s Polish Rhapsody. Observing solo rehearsals, her work with a pianist, and meetings with orchestra and its conductor, the documentary reveals not only the road to a concert performance but also a deeply personal dialogue between the artist and the work of the Polish composer whose music Bomsori Kim has been championing on world stages for years. The film is produced by Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne in collaboration with Telemark.
You can read more about the festival and the selected films and projects here.