"Lalka" in cinemas across the UK from 9 October. Cast includes Dorociński and Kondrat

The new adaptation of Bolesław Prus's novel reached cinemas across the UK on 9 October 2026. The film is directed by Maciej Kawalski. In Poland, it premiered on 30 September 2026.

Cast and plot

Stanisław Wokulski is played by Marcin Dorociński, and Izabela Łęcka by Kamila Urzędowska. Marek Kondrat appears as Ignacy Rzecki and, according to the source, returns to the big screen after a 16-year break.

The cast also includes Andrzej Seweryn (Tomasz Łęcki), Agata Kulesza (Mrs Meliton), Krystyna Janda (Countess Karolowa), Maja Komorowska, Maja Ostaszewska and Borys Szyc.

The film tells the story of Wokulski, who made his fortune through business dealings during wartime. He returns to Warsaw at the end of the 19th century and falls in love with the aristocrat Izabela Łęcka. Her family has kept its social standing but is losing its wealth.

Production and reviews

The filmmakers opted for classic costume cinema. Among other things, Wokulski's shop was built for the production. Some of the filming took place in Wrocław, where Plac Uniwersytecki and the interiors of the University of Wrocław were used to recreate 19th-century Paris.

The film runs for 162 minutes. According to Polish Express, the first reviews praise its visual scale, the cast and the classic approach to the novel. They single out Kondrat, Dorociński, Urzędowska and Agata Kulesza's performance. The film is meant to work as a standalone spectacle, so knowing the book is not necessary.

Earlier well-known adaptations include Wojciech Jerzy Has's 1968 film and Ryszard Bér's series starring Jerzy Kamas and Małgorzata Braunek.

What this means for Poles in the UK

The film has a wide release in the UK. According to Polish Express, it is showing in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Leicester, Coventry, Bristol, Nottingham, Peterborough, Cardiff, Swansea, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh, among other places.

Screenings are listed at ODEON, Showcase, Savoy and The Light. Showcase locations include Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Peterborough and Southampton. The Light locations include Cambridge, Bolton and Huddersfield. At ODEON, the film is being shown in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dundee, Edinburgh and Liverpool, among others.

Specific screening times and ticket availability should be checked in the listings of your chosen cinema. Polish Express refers readers to a list on the website ukfilmy.pl.