FINA Presents: Genre Fantasies

Polish genre cinema, though rich and remarkably diverse, has rarely aligned itself with dominant genre traditions. Instead, it has developed its own distinctive narrative and stylistic strategies. From the dreamlike lightness of Ewa Wants to Sleep, through the layered, story-within-a-story structure of The Saragossa Manuscript and the auteur-driven science fiction vision of O-bi, O-ba: The End of Civilization, to the haunting atmosphere of Medium and the magical realism of Escape from the “Liberty” Cinema – this section presents five films selected from the Polish Film Heritage List and invites audiences on a journey through the imaginative landscapes of Polish cinema. These works reveal filmmakers who combined grotesque elements with genre conventions, treating them as tools for critical reflection and creative engagement with reality.

Launched by the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute (FINA) in 2025, the Polish Film Heritage List is a unique initiative dedicated to identifying, preserving, and promoting works essential to the history and development of Polish cinema and audiovisual art.

Alicja Nowacka

Section Curator: Alicja Nowacka (FINA)