Polish cinema was doing something interesting in the interwar period. They were innovating social dramas, creating new forms of animation, and in general presenting an interesting addition to the European cinema network. Then came World War II, which, as you’d expect, caused a halt to any such experimentation. Yet, of all the post-war Warsaw Pact countries, you could argue that Polish cinema most benefited from the implementation of the state-controlled film production system.

The period from the 1950s to the 1980s is often regarded as the golden age of Polish cinema, marked by the emergence of the Polish Film School movement, which focused on making films based on personal experiences rather than grand narratives. The movements filmmakers included Andrzej Wajda, whose works like Ashes and Diamonds and Man of Marble are considered masterpieces, and Roman Polanski, who would find greater success abroad. They’d be followed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, whose Three Colours Trilogy and The Decalogue are among the most acclaimed films ever made. Polish cinema hasn’t stumbled in its transition to capitalism either. It has been a steady participant in film festivals, a regular winner, and something to be proud of. Even if some of the best Polish films, often dark comedy works, never quite leave the domestic scene.