A celebration of Polish cinema across North America!
PFFNA
Polish Film Festival North America™ (PFFNA) is an independent cultural initiative dedicated to promoting Polish cinema and creative talent across the United States and Canada.
This year’s program opens with „Lalka”, Maciej Kawalski’s new adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s masterpiece. Also in the program: „Nasza rewolucja” by Piotr Domalewski, the story of Gajka and Jacek Kuroń; the comedy „Jak żyć, żeby nie zwariować”; the Christmas romance „Przepis na Święta”; and „Jan Englert. Spróbuję jeszcze raz pofrunąć”, a documentary portrait directed by Maciej Dancewicz. More titles will be announced soon.
Jan Englert joins us as honorary guest of the festival and guest of our opening night. 2026 is also the Year of Andrzej Wajda, which we mark with a special exhibition at Dwell Studio in Chicago, presented under the patronage and with the support of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago.
Alongside the features, the festival showcases biographical, documentary and short-length films, offering a rich panorama of contemporary Polish cinema — made possible by numerous sponsors and ambassadors of Polish culture who share our mission of building cultural bridges through art and film.
Polish Film Festival North America at a glance
Founded in 2025, PFFNA is the largest showcase of new Polish cinema in the United States, bringing the newest Polish feature films, documentaries and shorts to American audiences, often within months of their release in Poland.
2025 inaugural edition: 7,000+ attendees · 24 films · 8 venues and cities: Los Angeles, Hollywood, New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Sarasota, Hawthorne (NJ) and Rutgers University (NJ).
2026 edition, November 6–22, 2026: Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Long Island, Miami and Sarasota.
Polish Film Festival North America is an independent festival and is not affiliated with the Polish Film Festival in America (Chicago).
Organized by Polonaise.org Ltd, a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, PFFNA™ aims to build a lasting platform for Polish filmmakers, strengthen cultural exchange, and introduce North American audiences to the diversity and excellence of Polish cinema.
Polish Film Festival North America™ is an independent event created to celebrate art, identity, and storytelling that transcends borders
Our Team
MONIKA EKIERT
Festival Director
ŁUKASZ BĘDKOWSKI
EXECUTIVE Director
PATRYCJA CANATAN
Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnership
ANNA DRANIEWICZ
Director of Programming
Festival Director
Polish-born Monika Ekiert brings a rare combination of artistic talent and intellectual depth to her role as Director of the Polish Film Festival North America in Hollywood.
After receiving a Master’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Sorbonne University in Paris, she shifted her focus and trained as an actor at Cours Florent, the most distinguished drama school in Paris, renowned for shaping generations of leading stage and screen performers.
Deeply connected to her cultural roots, she is passionate about sharing the richness of Polish cinema with international audiences and building lasting connections between the Polish and American film industries.
Her creative career spans Europe and the United States, where she has worked as an award-winning actress, director, and producer.
Now based in Los Angeles, Monika leads the festival with a clear mission: to elevate Polish cinema and strengthen its presence in the global film landscape through meaningful exchange and collaboration.
Executive Director
Łukasz Będkowski is a cultural executive, PR strategist and a filmmaker with more than two decades of experience promoting Polish cinema across North America.
Based in Warsaw, he has built long-standing collaborations with filmmakers, film institutions, and festivals, creating meaningful cultural and industry connections between Poland and the United States and Canada.
For many years, he served as the Deputy Director of the Polish Film Festival Los Angeles and as the representative for the Polish American Film Society, working closely with the Hollywood film community. He is also a co-organizer of the Austin Polish Film Festival, Ekran Toronto Polish Film Festival, and LGBT+ Film Festival Poland.
Throughout his career, he has initiated and produced numerous cultural and social projects, strengthening international dialogue through film and the arts. He is a member of the Polish Filmmakers Association.
Director of Marketing and Strategic Festival Partnerships for the Polish Film Festival North America in Hollywood
Patrycia Canatan is an accomplished professional in hospitality, travel, and cultural event management, with a richly diverse background that bridges the performing arts and luxury service industries.
Her career began in the performing arts, having trained at the Janina Jarzynówna-Sobczak Ballet School in Gdańsk and performed with the Opera Bałtycka and Teatr Muzyczny w Gdyni. She later transitioned into hospitality, earning a Master’s in Tourism and Hospitality before moving to New York, where she excelled in sales and special events within the luxury hotel sector.
Now based in Los Angeles, Patrycia has held leadership roles at several luxury hotels and private members clubs. She is the founder of Haus of Nomads Travel, a boutique consultancy offering personalized leisure itineraries and tailored travel solutions for corporate and entertainment clients. She also serves as Director of Marketing and Strategic Festival Partnerships for the Polish Film Festival in Hollywood, blending her artistic roots with hospitality expertise to support meaningful cultural initiatives. With a global perspective and refined creative vision, Patrycia brings warmth, depth, and insight to every project she leads.
Director of Programming for the Polish Film Festival North America in Hollywood
Dr. Anna Draniewicz is an experienced film programmer with a background in media communication and academia.
She holds an MA in Journalism and Media Communication from the University of Warsaw and earned her PhD from the University of Bradford in England. She later pursued independent research during a prestigious fellowship in Washington, DC.
With over two decades of experience in teaching and cultural journalism, she has also directed her own event, the Inspiring Films Festival. Her programming and organizational work spans several notable festivals, including the Bradford International Film Festival (England), Geneva Film Festival (Illinois) and Polish Film Festival in America (Chicago), among others.
Fluent in Polish, English, and French, she is now based in Los Angeles, where she serves as Director of Programming for the Polish Film Festival North America in Hollywood.
PR, Publicist
Phillip Nakov
Born in Flushing, Queens, New York, to a Polish mother and a Bulgarian father, Phillip was raised in Southern California.
He earned a dual B.A. in International Relations and French from the University of Southern California and became fluent in French through his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Passionate about both film and technology, Phillip founded one of the largest fan-driven movie websites, CountingDown.com, and successfully led its acquisition by DreamWorks SKG and Imagine Entertainment.
Over the past two decades, he has worked with digital media agencies, streaming platforms, and television networks, specializing in marketing, publicity, and social media strategy.
Phillip is also a producer and a long-time member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA). He previously served as Events Chair for the Desert Ad Fed, a local chapter of the American Advertising Federation in California’s Coachella Valley.
Every November, the festival becomes a meeting place for creators, critics, artists, and audiences alike.
Select screenings will include:
Q&A
sessions
Meet-the-artist
events
Red carpet appearances
Thanks to this formula, PFFNA is not merely a film showcase, but a platform for the exchange of experiences, inspiration, and ideas—a space where Polish cinema meets the diversity of the American audience.
A particular strength of the festival lies in its collaboration with prestigious universities, including
These partnerships make it possible to engage students, faculty, and scholars in a deeper reflection on Polish cinema and culture, extending the festival’s reach into the academic and educational sphere.
Sponsors
