On March 22, 2026 the jury of the 3rd KF Washington DC Polish Film Festival—led by Chair Liliana Komorowska and including Sławomir Grünberg, Michał Oleszczyk, Marek Probosz, and Robert Tutak—awarded seven main festival prizes, along with a special award for cinematography.

Best Picture was awarded to Altar Boys, directed by Piotr Domalewski.

The jury shared: “This is a film about a moment when something shifts inside a young person — when faith, doubt, and courage begin to take shape.

The film speaks a visual language — superhero energy, youth rebellion, black humor — that crosses every border. And it achieves something rare.

What stayed with us is the clarity of that transformation. The film moves with quiet strength, never forcing its message, yet never stepping away from the truth it carries.

It holds together innocence and rebellion, discipline and imagination, in a way that feels both precise and deeply felt.

For its honesty, its inner tension, and its courage to stay close to what truly matters, we award Best Picture to Altar Boysby Piotr Domalewski.”

Best Director was unanimously awarded to Agnieszka Holland for Franz.

“This is a fearless piece of filmmaking — an unconventional, stylized biopic that does not explain Kafka but enters his mind.

Agnieszka Holland embraces risk with full conviction. The film is bold, imaginative, at times disorienting — and precisely because of that, it feels alive. It does not seek comfort or approval; it demands engagement. What could divide becomes its strength. The scale of its vision, the intensity of its form, and the courage of its choices mark a director fully in command of her language.

For artistic bravery, originality, and a vision that refuses compromise, we award Best Director to Agnieszka Holland for Franz.”

Best Actress went to Agata Turkot for Home Sweet Home, directed by Wojciech Smarzowski.

“This is a searing, socially urgent portrayal of domestic violence — a performance that carries immediate weight and truth.

Agata Turkot gives something more than a role. She creates space for recognition — of pain, of silence, of strength. There is no distance here, no protection. Only presence.

Actors have the power to reveal worlds we might never otherwise face. Through this role, something shifts — not only within the story, but beyond it. It gives voice, and it gives strength.

For a performance that is fearless, necessary, and deeply human, we award Best Actress to Agata Turkot.”

Best Actor (ex aequo) was awarded to Filip Wiłkomirski for Brother and Tobiasz Wajda for Altar Boys.

“Both performances reveal something rare — a moment when youth meets responsibility too early, and truth cannot be avoided.

Filip Wiłkomirski, in a remarkable debut, brings quiet strength and emotional precision. Nothing is overstated, yet everything is present.

Tobiasz Wajda delivers a striking portrayal driven by intelligence, sensitivity, and rebellion. There is fire in this performance, but also vulnerability and clarity.

Both actors bring authenticity without compromise. They do not imitate — they inhabit.

For two performances that are fearless, precise, and unforgettable, we award Best Actor ex aequo to Filip Wiłkomirski and Tobiasz Wajda.”

Best Short Film was awarded to I Gaze at the Sky, directed by Alexandra Strunin.

“Set in the early days of the war in Ukraine, the film opens on a stark reality: displaced children arrive already marked by conflict.

It tells the story of how easily childhood can be overtaken by power, and how identity can be rewritten inside the machinery of propaganda. At its center is an awakening — personal, moral, unavoidable. And from that awakening comes action.

For its urgency, its humanity, and its unwavering anti-war voice, we award Best Short Film to I Gaze at the Sky by Alexandra Strunin.”

This year's Special Award for Best Cinematography was given to Michał Sobociński for Chopin, Chopion!.

“for crafting a visual language that transcends biography and becomes pure emotion. Through a masterful interplay of shadow and light, Sobociński paints Paris not merely as a setting, but as a state of mind—intimate, fragile.

Every frame feels composed like a musical phrase—restrained, melancholic, yet charged with intensity. The camera does not observe; it breathes with the character, turning solitude, illness, and longing into something profoundly cinematic.

This is cinematography that does not illustrate the story—it interprets it. And in doing so, it elevates the film into a deeply immersive, poetic experience worthy of recognition.”

The Festival Audience Award for Best Feature Film went to "The Altar Boys", while the Audience Award for short film went to "I Gaze at the Sky".

Congratulations to all the winners and artists whose work moved, challenged, and inspired us.