FIPADOC 2024: Film Festival Highlights & Biarritz Travel Diary

Three Polish documentaries – “The Tuners” by Paweł Chorzępa, “The Queen and the Smokehouse” by Iga Lis and “Bacewicz x Bomsori” by Jakub Piątek – have been selected for screening at the FIPADOC International Documentary Film Festival in Biarritz, France, according to a press release from KFF Sales & Promotion on January 25, 2026.

“The Tuners” will have its world premiere at the festival, while “The Queen and the Smokehouse” and “Bacewicz x Bomsori” will both be screened internationally for the first time. FIPADOC, held annually in Biarritz, is considered a leading international festival dedicated to documentary film and traditionally kicks off the global documentary festival calendar.

“The Queen and the Smokehouse,” directed by Iga Lis, is a portrait of Miecia, a woman who has run a fish smokehouse in the coastal town of Łeba for decades. The film follows Miecia as health issues force her to consider the future of her business and her own identity, set against the backdrop of a summer coastal landscape. The film is produced by Munk Studio and Silver Frame. A trailer for the film was unveiled on January 23, 2026, according to Cineuropa, and depicts Miecia as a charismatic figure at the heart of her community.

The festival began on Saturday, January 24th, with an international premiere screening of “The Queen and the Smokehouse.” An attendee at the festival noted the audience questions following the screening focused on the protagonist, Miecia, rather than the filmmaking process itself, indicating a strong emotional connection to the subject of the film. The film is part of the European Stories competition.

Paweł Chorzępa’s “The Tuners” will receive its world premiere at FIPADOC, and is part of the festival’s short film competition. Jakub Piątek’s “Bacewicz x Bomsori” will also be screened for international audiences for the first time. KFF Sales & Promotion is handling international sales and festival distribution for all three documentaries.

FIPADOC 2026 runs from January 23-31 in Biarritz.