Polish war narratives surge: 'Miasto 44' draws 1.75 M viewers, Polanski memoir released

The World War II‑era Polish film “Miasto 44” attracted 1.75 million cinema viewers during the weekend of 1‑2 August 2026, making it the most‑watched Polish war film of the 21st century, second only to Andrzej Wajda’s “Katyń”. The film was also shown on TVP at 22:10. At the same time, a new book by director Roman Polanski, titled “Nie biec! Iść!”, was published by the imprint słowo/obraz/terytoria. The memoir includes previously unreleased letters to Polanski’s father and his reflections on wartime experiences. Professor Tadeusz Lubelski, a noted film historian, discussed the book’s significance and the broader relevance of wartime memory in Polish culture, despite ongoing controversies surrounding Polanski.