A thrilling journey back in time to the turbulent 1990s. A compelling story of people torn between their dreams and the need to survive, of honesty being a luxury, and of hope pushing forward. And all this set in the spectacular world of horse racing. The film ‘Wielka Warszawska’, which will debut on cinema screens on 23 January, is the last part of the shouter trilogy by Jan Purzycki, author of ‘Wielki Szu’ and ‘Piłkarski pokera’. Bartłomiej Ignaciuk is responsible for directing and adapting the script. Today we present a teaser of the film.

“Wielka Warszawska” is the story of a young jockey dreaming of a sporting career. The culmination of these dreams is the participation in the most important race in Poland – the Great Warsaw Race. The main character – Krzysiek – enters the horse racing environment with the naivety of a novice and an enthusiast. Only after some time does he realise that racing is a network of dependencies, powerful interests and manipulation of results. The boy believes he can change this, especially as the country stands on the brink of great change. The fall of communism offers hope that the future will only get better and the rules brighter. However, in a world of corruption and foul play, it is hard to remain flawless. Will Krzysiek manage to resist big money and a fast career? How much is he willing to sacrifice to shatter the prevailing system?

“The Great Warsaw” is a story full of twists and turns about sport, the mafia and complicated interpersonal relationships.

– I was convinced that this would be a kind of challenge for me, at the level of personal development,” says Tomasz Ziętek about his participation in the project. – If only because of the horses, which, I won’t say, I didn’t trust much before the film. I am not talking about fear, but certainly about apprehension. On my own, I wouldn’t choose to ride a horse. But my work helps me to transcend my own fears. And that was the case here. So I am very happy that I had the chance to experience all this. I was given the chance to enter a world that I didn’t know existed before and with which I had no contact.

In ‘Wielka Warszawska’, apart from Tomasz Ziętek, we will see Marcin Bosak, Tomasz Kot, Mirosław Kropielnicki, Tomasz Sapryk, Agnieszka Żulewska , Ireneusz Czop, Andrzej Konopka, Piotr Trojan, Adam Bobik and Mary Pawłowska, for whom this is her debut on the big screen.

The screenplay for the film back in the 1980s came from the hand of Jan Purzycki. The author of the classics “Wielki Szu” and “Piłkarski poker”. “Wielka Warszawska” is a return to the world of gambling and scams already familiar to viewers from these cult titles. Bartłomiej Ignaciuk is responsible for directing and adapting the script. The producer is Alicja Grawon-Jaksik of MTL Maxfilm, the distributor is NEXT FILM.

‘The Great Warsaw’ on cinema screens from 23 January.

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GREAT WARSAW

Premiere: 23 January 2026

Cast: Tomasz Ziętek, Marcin Bosak, Tomasz Kot, Mirosław Kropielnicki, Tomasz Sapryk, Agnieszka Żulewska, Ireneusz Czop, Andrzej Konopka, Piotr Trojan, Adam Bobik, Mary Pawłowska

Directed by: Bartłomiej Ignaciuk

Screenplay: Jan Purzycki

Adaptation: Bartłomiej Ignaciuk

Photos: Klaudiusz Dwulit

Set design: Janusz Mazurczak

Editing: Andrzej Kowalski

Costumes: Małgorzata Gwiazdecka, Joanna Pamuła

Characterisation: Marcin Rodak

Music: Jan Komar, Bartłomiej Tycinski

Sound: Teresa Baginska, Michal Baginski, Milosz Jaroszek

Producer: Alicja Grawon-Jaksik
Production: MTL Maxfilm

Co-production: ARTRAMA, Mazovia Cultural Institute, Mazovia and Warsaw Film Fund

Co-financed by: Mazovia Province, City of Warsaw, Polish Film Institute

Partners: Totalizator Sportowy, Służewiec Race Track, Sopot Race Track (Hippodrome)

Distribution: NEXT FILM

FILM PRODUCED IN POLAND WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT UNDER THE ACT ON FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION, GRANTED BY THE POLISH INSTITUTE OF FILM ART FROM THE FUNDS OF THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE.