This unique event was organised by the Mazovia Warsaw Film Commission and the Mazovia Institute for Culture (Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury), with the support of the Mazovia Region and the City of Warsaw. Creative Europe Desk Poland served as a co-organiser, while important industry organisations such as the National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers, the Polish Filmmakers Association, and StoryLab.pro, partnered to make the event possible.
A Day Filled with Storytelling and Industry Insights
Under the guidance of hosts Justyna Sobolewska and Błażej Hrapkowicz, the day opened with a panel discussion on the challenges of adapting biographies for the screen. The panel Biography Center Stage: The Difficult Art of True Stories featured notable guests including Ewa Bolińska-Gostkowska (Wydawnictwo Znak), Krzysztof Czyżewski (Czyżewscy Kancelaria Adwokacka), Anna Gutowska (WFDiF), writer/screenwriter Bartosz Janiszewski, as well as producers from Balapolis - Magda Kamińska and Agata Szymańska, Next Film - Robert Kijak, Telemark - Maciej Kubicki, and. Katarzyna Krzyżan-Perek (Wydawnictwo Literackie).
Later, a special session hosted by Netflix, From Book to Netflix: Secrets of Adaptation, provided rare behind-the-scenes insights into what makes a story "streamable." Industry experts Łukasz Kłuskiewicz and Adam Malczak shared their experiences about adapting books into popular Netflix productions.
Adding to the excitement, the event also brought the news that Telemark is currently working on a TV series based on Urban by Dorota Karaś and Marek Sterlingow, which is one of the most revealing biographies in recent years. The book paints a multi-faceted portrait of Jerzy Urban: a controversial figure, from dissident journalist to the spokesman of a brutal regime, editor-in-chief of the scandalous Nie weekly, and finally an internet meme phenomenon. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews and thousands of archival documents from Poland, Israel, and the U.S., the biography sheds light on the political games of the late Polish People’s Republic and the birth of modern Poland.
But the heart of Film the Book lay in the pitching sessions, where publishers and authors present selected literary works ready for adaptation. Over two sessions, a diverse range of books were introduced to attending filmmakers, from dark thrillers to emotional biographies and imaginative children's adventures.
Stories Ready for the Screen
The lineup of books presented to filmmakers reflected the richness and variety of Polish contemporary literature. Among the titles showcased were:
- Black Portrait / Czarny portret by Julia Łapińska, a gripping crime novel spanning post-war Poland and modern times
- Red Shirt by Julia Popiel, a hit New Adult romance set against the backdrop of American college life
- We, the Extremely Obese / My, skrajnie otyli by Magdalena Gajda, a powerful non-fiction report about the lives of people suffering from extreme obesity
- Baldur. Isles of the Midnight Sun / Baldur. Wyspy białego słońca by Berenika Lenard and Piotr Mikołajczak, a Nordic noir story exploring hidden traumas
- Disorientations. Biography of Maria Konopnicka / Dezorientacje. Biografia Marii Konopnickiej by Magdalena Grzebałkowska, a daring biographical portrait of the iconic poet
- Erroneous Meadows / Błędne łąki by Jarosław Szczyżowski, a paranormal mystery woven into the enigmatic landscape of the Izera Mountains
... and many more titles that could soon find new lives on the big or small screen.
From crime comedies like The King of Spas / Król uzdrowiska by Marek Stelar to historical dramas like I’ll Never Give Up / Nigdy się nie poddam by Barbara Wysoczańska and thought-provoking children’s fantasy like Byte Verses / Bajtowe wersety by Marcin Szczygielski, the selection proved how vast and ready Polish literature is for cinematic interpretation.
Mazowiecki Instytut Kultury at the Heart of the Initiative
A key driving force behind Film the Book is the Mazovia Institute for Culture. Situated in the heart of Warsaw, the institute is not only hosting the event but actively fosters connections between cultural sectors. By supporting initiatives like Film the Book, the Mazovia Institute for Culture fulfills its mission of promoting artistic collaboration, innovation, and the international reach of Polish culture.
The team behind the event, including Anna Spisz, Ada Bogdziewicz - Spanevello, and Michał Kosmala, with graphic design by Agnieszka Prus, worked under the leadership of Magdalena Ulejczyk, the Director of the Institute, who said: “Film the Book is the only space in Poland that connects publishers with filmmakers. Over the course of eight years, we’ve seen contracts that have been concluded. The same first edition brought us two titles, The Snake Pit / Żmijowisko (Aurum Film) and Grzesiuk. Król życia (Wydawnictwo Prószyński, Film Studio Kalejdoskop), followed by subsequent adaptation films and series being created. It is clear that the event organised by us is considered to be not only an industry market, but also a forum to exchange ideas and best practices”.
A Promising Future for Book Adaptations
With the growing appetite for literary adaptations across streaming platforms and cinema, Film the Book plays a crucial role in bringing Polish narratives into new media. The 8th edition once again proved that Polish books are rich with stories ready to captivate global audiences. They only need the right filmmaker to bring them to life.
As the event wrapped up with one-on-one meetings and bustling networking sessions, one thing became clear: the future of book adaptations in Poland looks bright, and events like Film the Book are lighting the way.
