Working for an Idea: Documentary Filmmaking and Cultural Production in Contemporary Poland

Iwona Morozow

doi:10.18290/rns2026.0040

Published : 2026-09-25

Vol. 54 No. 3 (2026)

Working for an Idea: Documentary Filmmaking and Cultural Production in Contemporary Poland

Iwona Morozow

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8806-6439

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2026.0040

Abstract

This article examines the contemporary condition of Polish documentary cinema from a socio-cultural perspective, focusing on the tension between social and artistic mission and the demands of the audiovisual market. Drawing on interviews with film industry professionals, observations conducted during film-related events, and institutional data, it is argued that documentary filmmaking operates under conditions of limited commercial potential and strong dependence on mechanisms of public support. Based on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of the social field, the milieu of documentary filmmakers is interpreted as a relatively autonomous field in cultural production, characterized by a shared habitus, symbolic capital, and a similar value system. The analysis demonstrates that success within the Polish documentary sector is more often defined by professional recognition, festival visibility, and social impact than by economic profitability. Consequently, documentary cinema remains an important site of cultural and social value production that cannot be perceived solely in market categories.

Keywords:

documentary film, field of cultural production, production studies

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Morozow, I. (2026). Working for an Idea: Documentary Filmmaking and Cultural Production in Contemporary Poland. Roczniki Nauk Społecznych, 54(3), 103–118. https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2026.0040

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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