Polish Film Awards (Eagles)

Overview

The Polish Film Awards, known as the Eagles (Orly), are Poland's annual national film prizes, presented by the Polish Film Academy and organized by the Independent Film Foundation (Niezalezna Fundacja Filmowa). The 28th ceremony took place on March 9, 2026, at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw, hosted by actor Andrzej Konopka. The ceremony was broadcast on TVP Kultura and TVP1.

The Eagles are awarded in 20 categories. Over 800 Academy members receive ballots each year, overseen by PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), the same firm that supervises Oscar voting. The Academy president is Dariusz Jablonski, a director and film producer.

Home Sweet Home (Dom dobry), directed by Wojciech Smarzowski, dominated the 28th ceremony with 5 awards from 13 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Music. The film deals with domestic violence in contemporary Poland.

Eligibility and Submission Rules

Under the official regulations, a film qualifies for consideration if it meets all of the following criteria:

• It is a Polish or European (non-Polish) film as defined by applicable regulations
• It is a theatrical feature of 70 or more screen minutes, regardless of genre or production technique
• It was first distributed between January 1 and December 31 of the year preceding the ceremony edition, continuously for at least 7 days, with at least 1 screening per day, at publicly accessible paid theatrical screenings in Poland, and was announced in the cinema's program

Documentary films competing only in the Best Documentary category must be Polish productions of 40 or more screen minutes and must have had either a qualifying theatrical run or a first broadcast on a platform available in Poland during the same calendar year.

Polish TV series are eligible if they consist of two or more parts with a finite total of 150 or more screen minutes, present an original fictional self-contained story, were produced using film method (shot by shot), and had their first broadcast covering the majority of parts on a platform available in Poland during the eligibility year.

Qualification is determined by the Independent Film Foundation based on data from a credible market research entity tracking film distribution in Poland, or on application by the film's producer supported by a distributor's statement.

Voting Process

Voting is two-round, confidential, and supervised by PwC. In the first round, all Academy members vote in the following categories: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best European Film, Best TV Series, and propose the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. In the remaining categories (Directing, Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Music, Costumes, Makeup, Editing, Sound, Documentary, Discovery of the Year), voting is restricted to specialists from the respective fields.

In the second round, the same rules apply: all members vote in the general categories, while specialists vote in their craft categories. Results remain sealed until envelopes are opened on stage during the ceremony. The Audience Award is determined by public vote.

Key Categories

The 20 award categories for the Eagles are:

• Best Film
• Best Director
• Best Actor and Best Actress
• Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Best Production Design
• Best Costume Design
• Best Makeup
• Best Music
• Best Sound
• Best Editing
• Best Documentary
• Best European Film (non-Polish)
• Best TV Series (Polish fictional series)
• Discovery of the Year (breakthrough talent)
• Audience Award (public vote)
• Lifetime Achievement Award

History

The Polish Film Awards were established in 1999 by the Independent Film Foundation to provide a peer-voted national ceremony comparable to the Oscars and other Western European national awards. The first ceremony honored films from 1998.

Before the Eagles, Polish cinema had been recognized through state prizes during the communist era and the Gdynia Film Festival awards. The Eagles filled a gap by creating an academy-based, peer-voted system with transparent oversight.

Poland's film industry is supported by the Polish Film Institute (PISF), which provides production funding, distribution support, and international promotion. The Eagles reflect the quality of work this infrastructure produces. Notable past winners include films by Andrzej Wajda, Pawel Pawlikowski (Ida, Cold War), and Agnieszka Holland. The 2025 ceremony (27th edition) was dominated by The Girl with the Needle (Dziewczyna z igla) by Magnus von Horn, which won 11 awards including Best Film.

Business Impact for Filmmakers

For Polish filmmakers, an Eagle is the highest domestic recognition available. The award directly influences future funding applications to the Polish Film Institute, which allocates production grants based on a filmmaker's track record and critical reception. An Eagle win or nomination strengthens a filmmaker's position when seeking European co-production partnerships, particularly through Poland's active participation in the Creative Europe MEDIA programme and its bilateral co-production treaties.

The Discovery of the Year category has identified emerging Polish talent consistently. Emi Buchwald won the 2026 Discovery award for directing No Ghosts in the Apartment on Dobra Street, connecting a first-time filmmaker with the industry attention needed to sustain a career in a competitive European landscape.

Polish films that win Eagles frequently go on to international festival circulation and Academy Award submission consideration. The Girl with the Needle, which dominated the 2025 Eagles, subsequently received an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film.

Recent Results (28th Polish Film Awards, March 2026)

• Best Film: Home Sweet Home (Dom dobry) (5 awards total from 13 nominations)
• Best Director: Wojciech Smarzowski, Home Sweet Home
• Best Actor: Tomasz Schuchardt, Home Sweet Home
• Best Actress: Agata Turkot, Home Sweet Home
• Best European Film: Sirat (directed by Oliver Laxe, France/Spain)
• Best Documentary: Trains (Pociagi) (directed by Maciej J. Drygas)
• Discovery of the Year: Emi Buchwald, No Ghosts in the Apartment on Dobra Street
• Audience Award: Altar Boys (Ministranci) (directed by Piotr Domalewski)
• Lifetime Achievement: Krystyna Janda

Eligibility Quirks That Trip People Up

• Mistake: Assuming a film that screened for only 3 days in Polish cinemas qualifies. Correct rule: The film must have been distributed continuously for at least 7 days, with at least 1 screening per day, at publicly accessible paid theatrical screenings in Poland, and announced in the cinema's program.
• Mistake: Entering a film under 70 minutes in the main feature categories. Correct rule: Theatrical features must run 70 or more screen minutes, regardless of genre or production technique. Shorter films do not qualify for the main competition.
• Mistake: Assuming a documentary that premiered on streaming qualifies for Best Documentary. Correct rule: Documentary films must be Polish productions of 40 or more screen minutes and must have had either a qualifying theatrical run or a first broadcast on a platform available in Poland during the eligibility year.
• Mistake: Submitting a TV series with only 1 episode. Correct rule: Polish TV series must consist of 2 or more parts with a finite total of 150 or more screen minutes, present an original fictional self-contained story, and be produced using film method (shot by shot).

Prestige Tier

The Polish Film Awards (Eagles) sit at the top of Poland's film industry, comparable to the Cesars in France, the Goya Awards in Spain, and the Robert Awards in Denmark. The Eagles carry more industry weight than the Gdynia Film Festival awards, which focus on festival premieres rather than academy voting. With over 800 Academy members and PwC oversight (the same firm that supervises Oscar voting), the Eagles maintain a level of procedural credibility that matches Western European national awards. Polish films that dominate the Eagles frequently advance to Oscar consideration, as The Girl with the Needle did in 2025 after winning 11 Eagles. The Eagles rank above the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia for career impact, though both contribute to a filmmaker's domestic standing.

What Filmmakers Should Know

The Eagles reward films that resonate with the 800-member Polish Film Academy, where craft specialists vote in their own categories and all members vote on top prizes. To qualify, your film needs a 7-day theatrical run in Poland with paid screenings announced in cinema programs. The key trade-off: the theatrical run requirement means streaming-only releases cannot compete in the main categories. For documentary filmmakers, a broadcast premiere on a Polish platform also qualifies. An Eagle win directly strengthens your position for Polish Film Institute (PISF) production grants and European co-production partnerships through Creative Europe MEDIA. The Discovery of the Year category has consistently identified emerging talent, making it a valuable target for first-time filmmakers. Budget for a proper theatrical release, as the 7-day minimum is non-negotiable.

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See Also

For understanding how European national film funding and co-production structures work, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue across European territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For evaluating the cost of an awards campaign against projected returns, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.