The Polish Institute New Delhi proudly inaugurated the Andrzej Wajda Centenary Retrospective at the Habitat International Film Festival 2026, marking the global “Year of Wajda” with a powerful and moving opening.

The retrospective commenced on 15 March with a special screening of Ashes and Diamonds, one of the most celebrated works of the legendary Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda. Presented at the Stein Auditorium of the India Habitat Centre, the screening drew a full house and an attentive, deeply engaged audience.

The opening ceremony began with remarks by Małgorzata Wejsis-Gołębiak, Director of the Polish Institute New Delhi, who emphasised the significance of revisiting Wajda’s work during the centenary year of his birth.

The retrospective was formally inaugurated by Poland’s Head of Mission, Dr. Piotr Antoni Świtalski. In his address, he reflected on Wajda’s extraordinary artistic legacy and highlighted the timeless themes explored in Ashes and Diamonds—history, identity, and moral choice. He noted the strong resonance of these themes with Indian audiences.

Organised as part of the Habitat International Film Festival, the retrospective offers audiences in New Delhi a rare opportunity to experience a curated selection of Wajda’s landmark films on the big screen. The programme, running from 15 to 20 March 2026, includes:

1. Ashes and Diamonds (Poland/Polish/1958/103 mins)  

   Sunday, March 15, 2:00 PM, Stein Auditorium (opening of the retrospective). 

2. The Promised Land (Ziemia Obiecana, Poland/Polish/1975/170 mins)  

   Monday, March 16, 2:00 PM, The Theatre.

3. Man of Marble (Człowiek z marmuru, Poland/Polish/1977/165 mins)  

   Tuesday, March 17, 2:00 PM, The Theatre. 

4. The Maids of Wilko (Panny z Wilka, Poland/Polish/1979/118 mins)  

   Wednesday, March 18, 2:00 PM, The Theatre. 

5. Sweet Rush (Tatarak, Poland/Polish/2009/85 mins)  

   Thursday, March 19, 2:00 PM, The Theatre.

6. Afterimage (Powidoki, Poland/Polish/2016/98 mins)  

   Friday, March 20, 2:00 PM, The Theatre

A towering figure in global cinema, Andrzej Wajda was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 2000 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in recognition of over five decades of outstanding filmmaking. His work remains a vital lens through which to understand not only Polish history and society, but also universal human dilemmas.

The retrospective stands as a tribute to Wajda’s enduring legacy and as an invitation to rediscover his films in a communal cinematic setting. Through this initiative, the Polish Institute in New Delhi continues its mission of fostering cultural exchange and bringing the richness of Polish art and cinema to audiences in India.

To cap off the festival in grand style, the closing film of HIFF 2026 is the acclaimed recent Polish biopic on Fryderyk Chopin titled Chopin, a Sonata in Paris (Chopin, Chopin!, 2025), directed by Michał Kwieciński. The film will be screened on Sunday, March 22 at 6:30 PM in the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre.