Poznań's autumn cinema calendar will once again have a distinctly Asian flavour as the Five Flavours Asian Film Festival returns to Kino Pałacowe at Centrum Kultury ZAMEK from 19th to 22nd November 2026.
Now celebrating its 20th edition, the festival brings 23 films to the city, offering a selection of contemporary Asian cinema, restored classics and retrospectives of influential filmmakers. The Poznań programme is part of the festival's wider tour following its main edition in Warsaw, and marks the second time the event has been hosted at ZAMEK.
Founded as a showcase for Vietnamese cinema, Five Flavours has grown into an annual exploration of filmmaking across East, South-East and South Asia. Its anniversary edition acknowledges those beginnings with a special focus on Vietnam, alongside a programme spanning several countries and cinematic traditions.
A Vietnamese focus for the anniversary edition
Vietnam takes centre stage in one of the festival's key sections, reflecting Five Flavours' origins as a Vietnamese film showcase.
Poznań audiences can see Leon Lê's Ky Nam Inn and Bùi Thạc Chuyên's Tunnel Sun. Both films look towards Vietnam's history and its rapidly changing present, offering different perspectives on the country's social and cultural landscape.
The wider programme includes seven films in the New Asian Cinema section, selected from emerging and less widely known filmmakers. The titles come from Bangladesh, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, India and Cambodia, bringing a range of contemporary perspectives to the screen.
Other sections include Asian Cinerama, which features more popular and genre-driven productions, and Poetics of Spirituality, exploring questions of transcendence through everyday life, relationships and cinematic form.
Retrospectives and restored cinema
Two filmmaker retrospectives are among the highlights of this year's edition.
The retrospective devoted to South Korean director Na Hong-jin brings all four of his feature films to Poznań. The selection includes The Chaser, The Yellow Sea and The Wailing, as well as his latest film, Hope, which surprised audiences at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Hong Kong filmmaker Tsui Hark also receives a retrospective, described by the festival as the first of its kind in Poland. Known for his influential contribution to Hong Kong popular cinema, Tsui is represented by the costume comedy Peking Opera Blues and the martial arts film The Blade.
The restored classics section offers another opportunity to see an important work on the big screen. This year's selection is Pradip Krishen's 1989 Indian film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones.
Filmmaker meetings and events at ZAMEK
The programme extends beyond the cinema screen, with several opportunities to meet filmmakers and take part in accompanying events.
Director Huang Hsin-yao will attend a discussion following the 19th November screening of The Great Buddha+. Han Chang-lok is also scheduled to meet audiences after screenings of Funky Freaky Freaks on 20th and 21st November.
Other activities include a meeting of the ZAMEK Book Club, dedicated to Yu Hua's short story collection I Do Not Have a Name of My Own, workshops on painting Peking opera masks organised with the Confucius Institute, and a Chinese fortune-telling corner run by the UAM Sinology Students' Association.
The weekend will also see a pop-up tea room organised by the Zaparzaj Tea Club.
Accessible screenings and English subtitles
Accessibility is an important part of this year's Poznań programme. All films will be screened with Polish and English subtitles, although the availability of English subtitles varies by individual screening. Some films will only be shown with Polish subtitles or dubbing, so it is worth checking the programme before booking.
With its combination of contemporary discoveries, established directors, restored cinema and accompanying cultural events, the festival offers a chance to explore the breadth of Asian filmmaking without leaving the city.
