By Vlad Zakh · September 15, 2025
Poland Arthouse slow and atmosphericsad
Polish cinema’s reputation leans heavily on Krzysztof Kieslowski, whose Three Colors trilogy and Dekalog are still taught in film schools, but the tradition around him is equally concerned with memory, guilt and what the twentieth century did to the country. In Darkness has a sewer worker hiding Jewish refugees beneath Lwow, Corpus Christi lets an ex-convict pose as a priest, and The Pianist is a harrowing survival story. Ashes and Diamonds, Ida, Cold War, Knife in the Water and Man of Iron round out the list.
01 A sewer worker hides Jewish refugees under Lwow for money, then for something more.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland · 2h 25m · Rated R
Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Rent: Fetch TV · Buy: Apple TV Store, Fetch TV
02 A young ex-convict impersonates a priest in a small town that needs one.
Directed by Jan Komasa · 1h 56m
Stream: Film Movement Plus, Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Rent: Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, YouTube
Stream: Film Movement Plus · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: Stan · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
03 A young resistance fighter questions his orders on the very last day of the war.
Directed by Andrzej Wajda · 1h 43m
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
04 A Jewish pianist fights to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War.
Directed by Roman Polanski · 2h 30m · Rated R
Won 3 Oscars57 wins & 74 nominations
Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: STUDIOCANAL PRESENTS Apple TV Channel, Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Sky Store
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: Stan · Rent: JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video · Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Rent: Amazon Video
05 Roman Polanski's debut, a tense three-hander aboard a small sailboat.
Directed by Roman Polanski · 1h 34m · Rated NR
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Stream: Shudder, Shudder Amazon Channel, AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, Shudder Apple TV channel
06 A journalist sent to discredit the Solidarity movement instead gets pulled into it.
Directed by Andrzej Wajda · 2h 27m
07 A doomed romance stretched across the Iron Curtain over more than a decade.
Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski · 1h 28m · Rated R
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Stream: Curzon Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Curzon Home Cinema, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, YouTube
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent: JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fetch TV · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fetch TV
08 A novice nun learns a family secret just before taking her vows, shot in stark black and white.
Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski · 1h 22m · Rated PG-13
Won 1 Oscar75 wins & 92 nominations
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, MUBI, OVID, Chai Flicks · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: Curzon Amazon Channel, Klassiki · Rent: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Curzon Home Cinema, BFI Player · Buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, YouTube
Stream: Sundance Now Amazon Channel, MUBI, Sundance Now Apple TV channel, MUBI Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent: JustWatch TV
09 A model's chance encounter with a retired judge who eavesdrops on his neighbours.
Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski · 1h 40m · Rated R
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Stream: Curzon Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Curzon Home Cinema, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
10 A widow tries to disappear from her own life after losing her husband and child.
Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski · 1h 38m · Rated R
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Stream: Curzon Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Curzon Home Cinema, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.
