Poland Welcomes More International Film Shoots, From ‘In the Lost Lands’ to ‘The Girl With the Needle’: ‘We Can Do It’
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Following “The Zone of Interest,” Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” and Berlinale offering “Treasure,” about a Holocaust survivor, the latter starring Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham, Poland might be welcoming more foreign shoots in the future.
“I would always be willing to return and shoot in Poland,” says “Treasure” director Julia von Heinz.
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“Our co-producer Mariusz Włodarski from Lava Films realized that during the tenure of the Law and Justice [PiS] government, there was no chance of obtaining public funding for a story where Polish people are portrayed not just as victims and heroes, but as complex human beings. Now, our film is embraced there.”
General director of the Polish Film Institute, Radosław Śmigulski, was dismissed in April, after parliamentary elections ended the domination of the right-wing party. Kamila Dorbach will be temporarily taking over his duties.
“This restriction limited us to eight days in Poland, but we were fortunate to secure some of the finest Polish cast and crew members. We filmed at the Jewish cemetery in Łódź, the largest in Europe, and at the fence and in the surroundings of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Its staff does an incredible job of preserving this site.”
Hiring locals can translate to “tremendous opportunities,” says Antoni Komasa-Łazarkiewicz, who composed the film’s score alongside wife Mary Komasa.
“When it comes to international cinema, Poland is no longer peripheral: it’s the center. Local creators don’t have to ‘escape’ anymore: people aspire to work with Polish filmmakers and crews,” he says, with Mary Komasa adding: “They want to work with them. My generation certainly thinks about Poland in terms of European cinema.”
Still, despite everything the country has to offer, foreign crews always look at 30% cash rebate first, argues Krzysztof Sołek of Film Poland Productions.
“The first season of ‘The Witcher’ shot here for a few days, but it didn’t change the perception of Poland as a location – cash rebates did. We can have the coolest locations and the best crews, but without such support, no one would shoot in Poland.”
Now, people’s awareness “increases with each success,” including the second season of Netflix’s “Barbarians.”
“Before cash rebates, I worked with Indian producers. Later, whenever I mentioned Poland, they would mention
Sajid Nadiadwala’s ‘Kick.’ It was a massive success. We are still waiting for a big project like that from the U.K. or U.S. They already know us in Europe. It’s time to take a step further.”
Sołek recently worked on Paul W. S. Anderson’s “In the Lost Lands” alongside Tarn Willers. The British sound engineer – now based in Warsaw – won an Oscar for “The Zone of Interest.”
“I’ve had good experiences shooting in Poland, particularly on ‘The Zone of Interest,’ just because of how remarkable that film was. But Poland desperately needs studios,” observes Willers.
“We shot ‘Lost Lands’ at Alvernia Studios. They came to Poland because Budapest was too busy, which is quite telling. One [Polish] company told me they lose half of their films to Hungary, just because they have this infrastructure in place.”
According to Sołek, the cash rebate budget should also be increased.
“This year, hold onto your hat, it ran out in 1 minute and 20 seconds. This needs to be changed. Otherwise, bigger projects will just pass us by.”
“It was New Year’s Eve! I couldn’t kiss my loved ones; I just kept on clicking,” adds Mariusz Włodarski, also behind “The Girl With the Needle,” heading to Cannes’ main competition.
“It’s not just a matter of the PFI, although changes are happening there too. Hopefully, for the better. It’s a matter of our law, which limits such funding.”
According to information shared with Variety by the PFI, the annual incentive budget amounts to approx. $27 million. The scheme is automatic, on a first-come, first-served basis, starting on Jan. 1 each year with maximum $3.75 million per project and $5 million per applicant.
“People ask what kinds of projects can be made in Poland all the time. We made ‘Unmoored,’ where it pretended to be Sweden and England,” Włodarski says. “We finished a new take on ‘Cinderella’ with a Norwegian team, shot entirely in Poland. But we don’t have sizeable soundstages or backlots that could handle really large projects. I would love it if ‘Dune’ could be made in Poland.”
“The Girl With the Needle” director Magnus von Horn, born in Sweden and based in Poland, will keep encouraging foreign colleagues to give it a shot.
“To me, it’s simple: If I can shoot here, others can do it as well. I’ve worked in other countries and it’s just easier. Sure, I live in Poland, I know the system, but I can certainly recommend it to others. On top of that, the locations are amazing. For the same money, we can get more than in Scandinavia, and I just feel safe in my creative process.”
As Poland becomes more popular, also hosting Season 3 of Apple TV+’s series “Foundation,” local industry contemplates possible changes.
“I don’t think Poland will become ‘the next Prague,’ because people aren’t just looking for services here. They are looking for specific people. This was certainly the case with ‘The Zone of Interest,’” says Mary Komasa, with Sołek addressing some widespread fears.
“I’ve heard voices implying we can’t turn into some ‘screw factory’ for foreign productions. I disagree. We will never become another Czech Republic or another Hungary, because we already have a strong cinema tradition. Also, when working on big productions, the qualifications and skills of Polish filmmakers increase.”
Włodarski adds: “You could say that because of the incentives, the fees have gone up. But it’s the case everywhere and if we want to grow, we need to adapt and look for feasible solutions.”
CEO of Alex Stern Robert Golba, who oversaw “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” and “Bridge of Spies,” also mentions possible benefits to “Polish economy, tourism and recognition of shooting locations.”
“It’s not easy to attract large productions. The process takes up to two years and requires a lot of work, but Poles do it with great enthusiasm and professionalism. Lack of large film stages may pose an occasional challenge, but it’s met with superb organizational skills of Polish crews. Great film stages do exist, but may not always be where they are needed.”
In a statement shared with Variety, PFI underlines that Poland is not just about “rich landscapes and architecture.”
“We have what’s most important: people. Skilful, English-speaking crews with a can-do attitude, inventive creators and experienced producers. Nevertheless, we believe we haven’t reached the peak of our capabilities and we still have space and resources for further productions.”
Recalling his experience on “A Real Pain” – produced by Eisenberg, Ali Herting, Jennifer Semler, Dave McCary, Emma Stone and Ewa Puszczyńska – Tarn Willers adds: “I think Polish crews want to do more international films. Being able to attract such filmmakers is a big thing, also to say: ‘We are as good as anyone else. We can do it.’”
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