Film Production Guide Poland 2009
Jakkolwiek dołożono wszelkiej staranności, by wszystkie informacje zawarte w tej publikacji były dokładne i aktualne, może się zdarzyć, iż w wyjątkowych przypadkach, w szczególności adresów, numerów telefonów itp. mogą wystąpić nieścisłości. W razie zauważenia takiego przypadku prosimy wszystkich użytkowników tej publikacji, jak również firmy w niej wymieniane, o poinformowanie wydawcy w celu wprowadzenia poprawek do następnych wydań Film Production Guide Poland. katalog@pisf.pl Altough utmost care has been applied to ensure that all information in this publication is correct at time of print, it is possible that in certain cases such as addresses or telephone numbers, a certain inaccuracy could arise. If such should occur, we kindly ask all readers of this publication to notify the publisher in order to introduce necessary corrections in later editions of the Film Production Guide Poland. katalog@pisf.pl Published by
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 Table of Contents Introduction 5 Poland General Information 9 location and Area / topography and landscape / government and administration / population and cities Transportation 14 by road / by rail / by air / crossing the border Currency and Prices 17 Address and Telephone Directory 18 Emergency Numbers 20 Climate 20 temperatures / cloud cover and precipitation / wind Polish Law Business law 25 Obligations of entrepreneurs 26 Film production 26 autonomous production / cooperation with a Polish partner / additional financing of the film production / who can apply? / the amounts Fees and taxes 30 work permits / filming permits / health insurance / film production insurance / state aid Film Industry Polish cinema today 33 funding / production / distribution / exhibition / National Film Archive / film schools / copyright law / film events / guilds and unions Film production in Poland 2005-2008 36 Cinema attendance in Poland 2005-2008 38 Film Funds 43 Pomerania 46 film found / budget / entry conditions / landscape / national parks and nature reserves / cities and historic sites / museums and heritage parks / libraries and archives / local authorities Gdańsk 56 Gdynia 66 Wielkopolska 72 Łódź 84 Lower Silesia 92 Silesia 104 Małopolska 114 Other cities and regions 128 Institutions and companies 139 State and public institutions 141 Offices of European support programmes 141 Television broadcasters 141 Related institutions 146 Organizations and associations 148 Film producers 154 Film services 176 Film stock 176 Studios and soundstages 176 Equipment rental 177 Equipment sales 179 Lighting equipment 181 Set design, costumes, props 182 Stunts and special effects 183 Picture and sound editing services 183 Animation and CGI 187 Scanning, telecine, digital intermediate 188 Stock processing 188 Subtitling, dubbing, voice-over services 189 Film archives 189 Casting 189 Catering 191 Transportation 191 Animal training 191 Film score192 On-set services 193 Special and underwater photography 194 Motion control 194 High-speed photography 194 Aerial photography 184 Steadicam 194 Stills 195 Legal assistance and film production insurance 195 Film distribution 196 Cinemas 202 Schools 206 Festivals 210 Film media 214 Company Index 217 Polish Film Institute New film law 223 Sources of financing for the Polish Film Institute 223 Programmes of Polish Film Institute 223 project development / film production / film education and dissemination of film culture / promotion of Polish film abroad / development of cinema infrastructure and film distribution / vocational training Subsidy application 229 Where to stay? Hotels in Poland 239 How to say? English-Polish dictionary of film terms 245
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 MałgorzaTa SzuMoWSka WITH THe SILver LeoPard awarded To Her 33 SCeneS FroM LIFe at THe InTernaTIonaL FILM FeSTIvaL In LoCarno FIORENzO MAFFI / REUTERS / FORUM
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 Introduction everything you always wanted to know about the Polish film industry but were afraid to ask or could not find the right source of information. until now. Today we are proud to present the latest updated edition of the Film Production guide Poland 2009. This Guide was designed to help you get access to and make good use of the opportunities Poland has to offer in every area of film production. It contains a complete and comprehensive overview of the country and its audiovisual sector, enabling every film professional be it a producer, investor, director, art director, casting director quick and easy access to all necessary practical information on coproduction opportunities, locations, the legal framework of film production, addresses and contacts of companies in all fields of filmmaking, facilities in every part of Poland, data on the market down to the exact hours of sunrise and sunset at every month of the year. Are you looking for dramatic mountain landscape or a serene countryside with horses grazing on lakeside pastures? For coastal cliffs, or perhaps a desert (not as big as the Sahara but located much closer instead)? You ll find it here. Are you looking for a medieval castle or a town street filled with Baroque architecture? Or maybe for a deserted mining town, or a 19 th century textile factory still equipped with working machinery? Are you looking for a modern city landscape spiked with skyscrapers, or rather for the postindustrial slums of the city? You will be amazed to learn that these and many more locations can be found in Poland, along with comfortable hotels and other facilities with easy access from abroad. The part of this Guide devoted to the industry will be useful if you are looking for money for your production or, alternately, thinking about a good place to invest. Here you will learn about the details of the Polish financing system, the legal and financial regulations and find out whom to contact to obtain information and help in order to make your Polish venture a success. Please note that Poland has recently acquired a new source for film funding.
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 adam WyrWaS and zbigniew ŻMudzkI FroM Se-Ma-For WITH THe oscar For PeTer and THe WoLF SE-MA-FOR ARChIvE For the first time ever, this Guide presents all eight regional film funds and the opportunities they present. Poland s modern cinema law and system of public support not only boost domestic production but also open doors to ideas coming from any part of the world. What the Polish film industry has to offer today is not only its talents, but also a variety of opportunities for successful collaboration: prime, often undiscovered locations, state-ofthe-art technical facilities, skilled teams in every department of production and post-production, and many experienced production companies specializing in international projects. discover Poland as the right place for your next film.
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 Poland
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 PoLand general Information Location and area Poland lies in Central Europe, bordered to the north by the Baltic Sea. The geographic coordinates of Poland are latitudes from 49 00 to 54 50 N and longitudes from 14 07 to 24 08 E. The geometrical centre of Europe lies in the vicinity of Poland s capital, Warsaw. Spanning 649 km northto-south and 689 km east-to-west, Poland is also the site of the geologic division between the eastern and western European continental blocks. The total land area of Poland is 312,685 km 2, with a territorial sea of 8,700 km 2 and another 1,200 km 2 of the inlets of the Oder (Szczecin) Lagoon and Vistula Lagoon. In terms of area, Poland is the 63 rd largest country in the world, and the 9 th largest in Europe. The total length of Poland s borders is 3,582 km, whereof (clockwise from north): 528 km is the coastline, 210 km borders on the Russian Federation, 103 km Lithuania, 416 km Belarus, 529 km Ukraine, 539 km Slovakia, 790 km the Czech Republic and 467 km Germany. Poland is in the Central European Time Zone (GMT+1), along with a number of European countries, including Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. From March to October Poland observes Daylight Saving Time (GMT+2). Topography and Landscape Poland lies in the eastern part of the geomorphological region of the Northern European Lowlands and thus over 90% of Poland s area is of a lowland nature. The average altitude is 173 m, with the highest elevation being the Rysy peak (2,499 m) of the Tatra Mountains and the lowest depression lying in the northern region of Żuławy Wiślane (1.8 m below sea level). There are three key mountain chains in Poland the Carpathian, the Sudeten, and the Świętokrzyskie (sometimes referred to as the Holy Cross Mountains). At 1,037 km, Vistula is Poland s longest river. There are over 9,000 lakes exceeding 1 hectare in size, of which the deepest are Hańcza (108.5 m), Drawsko, Wielki Staw Polski, Czarny Staw and Wigry. The Polish landscape is rather diversified, with a layered structure of geographical regions. The coastline is fairly smooth, whereas the coast itself usually flat, with occasional sand reefs, water inlets, sand dunes, sandy beaches and also some precipitous cliffs. Northern Poland abounds in lakes, with the Vistula river separating them into two regions Pojezierze Mazurskie (the plentiful region often called The Land of the Great Mazurian Lakes ) in the east and Pojezierze Pomorskie in the west. The central part of Poland is dominated by the Central Lowlands, with three distinct regions Nizina Południowowielkopolska in the southwest, the Silesian Lowland (Nizina Śląska) in the south 9
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 and the central Mazovia Lowlands (Nizina Mazowiecka). The southern part of Poland is highly diverse in terms of geology and landscape, consisting of highlands and mountainous areas. This southern band consists of the Sudeten mountains (Sudety) and the according highland (Pogórze Sudeckie), the Silesian highland (Wyżyna Śląska), the highlands surrounding Krakow (Wyżyna Krakowsko-Częstochowska), the wide hollow of the so-called Nida Trough (Niecka Nidziańska) and the Holy Cross (Świętokrzyskie) mountains. At the end of this highland belt are the Carpathian mountains, consisting of the following ranges (roughly west to east): Beskid Śląski, Beskid Mały, Beskid Makowski, Beskid Wyspowy, Beskid Żywiecki, Beskid Sądecki, Gorce, Pieniny, the Tatra mountains (Tatry), Beskid Niski, and Bieszczady. One of the greatest assets of Poland s nature is its unique authenticity. The exceptional wild forest landscapes of the Białowieża Primeval Forest (Puszcza Białowieska), and various forest reserves in eastern Poland, as well as the lowland deciduous forests can no longer be found anywhere else in Europe. Also quite unique are Poland s semi-natural landscapes such as the valley of the river Biebrza (Kotlina Biebrzańska) or the Narew (Dolina Narwii) as well as other ZACHODNIO- POMORSKIE LUBUSKIE DOLNOŚLĄSKIE POMORSKIE WIELKOPOLSKIE OPOLSKIE KUJAWSKO -POMORSKIE ŁÓDZKIE ŚLĄSKIE WARMIŃSKO -MAZURSKIE MAZOWIECKIE ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE MAŁOPOLSKIE PODLASKIE LUBELSKIE PODKARPACKIE locations, where elements of Poland s traditional agriculture can still be found today. Białowieża is the only remaining part of the primeval forest that covered all of Europe s lowland areas up until 1,000 years ago. Today this region is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. The diversity of Poland s flora and fauna is also unique on the European scale. Poland has over 2,300 species of wild plants, over 600 species of moss, 1,600 species of lichens and about 4,000 species of fungi. Poland s wildlife also consists of approximately 33,000 species of animals. In addition, there are over 1,500 nature preserves, 125 protected parks and 23 national parks in Poland, all serving the purpose of protecting endangered species of plants and animals. government and administration Poland is a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a pluriform multi-party system and a bicameral parliament elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. Internal and foreign affairs are run by the government, known as the Council of Ministers and led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and his cabinet are appointed by the President. The president is elected for a five-year term by general election. As of 1999, Poland is subdivided into sixteen administrative regions called voivodships (Polish: województwo). The lower levels of administrative division are 379 counties (powiat) and 2,478 communes (gmina). The government administration on a regional level is represented by the voivode (wojewoda). Poland is an active member of a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, UNESCO, the World Trade Organization, OECD, the Council of Baltic Sea States, the Council of Europe, the Central European Initiative (CEI) and NATO. In 2004 Poland joined the European Union and thus Polish law is gradually being adapted to comply with requirements set in EU directives. The supreme act of law in Poland is the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Since 2007 Poland is also a member of the Schengen Agreement. The official language is Polish. 0 voivodships of PoLand
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 2009 Calendar PoLand January February March april May June M T W Th F Sa Su 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 July august September october november december M T W Th F Sa Su 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 Population and Cities Poland has a population of approximately 38.5 million. In terms of ethnicity, 95.6% of the population is Polish; ethnic minorities include Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovakian, Jewish, Karaite, Lemko, Roma and Tartar. 95% of Poland s inhabitants are Roman Catholic, 1.5% Orthodox, 1% Protestant (mostly Lutheran). 61% of the population lives in urban areas. There are 891 cities and towns in Poland, including 17 with a population of over 200,000. Poland s largest cities are Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin and Katowice. The capital city and main political, cultural, educational, financial and industrial centre of Poland is Warsaw (population: over 1.7 million) a city with several centuries of history. The oldest cities in Poland are Kalisz (9 th century A.D.), Sandomierz and Poznań, but stunning historical sites are also to be found elsewhere. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes a number locations in Poland, these being the Historic Centre of Krakow, the Historic Centre of Warsaw, the Medieval Town of Toruń, the Old City of Zamość, the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, the Wieliczka Salt Mine, the Wooden Churches of Southern Poland, the Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp and the Centennial Hall in Wrocław. The city of Krakow was also chosen to be one of European Capitals of Culture in the year 2000. Along Poland s frontiers, a number of euroregions have been established. These are areas of transnational cooperation based on agreements between local authorities and meant for encouraging regional economic and cultural bonds, mostly through cultural cooperation and education. 2 view of THe old ToWn In krakow MałoPoLSka region RJ99 / WIkIPEDIA
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 PoLand ST. venceslaus and ST. STanISLauS CaTHedraL In ŚWIdnICa LoWer SILeSIa region DANIEL BARáNEk / WIkIPEDIA
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 Transportation by road Poland has over 381,000 km of public roads, including 5,512 km of international roads and over 4,880 km of Trans- European Networks. Highways are connected with Polish expressways and denoted with a white S followed by a number against a red background. Expressways are identified numerically and preceded by the letter A and set against a red background. Traveling on some expressways requires a toll to be paid. Fuel is priced at approx. 1 EUR per litre for petrol and diesel, and about 0.5 EUR per litre for liquified petroleum gas. Poland observes right-hand traffic. All EU Member States national driving licenses are recognized and valid until their stated expiry date. Anyone driving in Poland must carry the required vehicle registration and insurance documentation. The vehicle must be labeled with a graphic sign stating the country in which it is registered. Seatbelts are required at all times for all passengers. The use of dipped headlights during daytime is compulsory all year round. The use of mobile electronic devices (except hands-free) while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited, as is the use of radar detectors. The blood alcohol content limit is 0.02 percent. Speed limits are as follows: in residential areas (5 am to 11 pm) 50 kph in residential areas (11 pm to 5 am) 60 kph outside urban areas 90 kph single carriageways 110 kph dual carriageways 120 kph expressways 130 kph for cars towing caravans or trailers 70 kph, on expressways 80 kph. sources: International Road Transport Union in Poland 200 Report, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.msz.gov.pl, www.e-petrol.pl great armoury In gdańsk PoMeranIa region MACIEJ SzCzEPAńCzyk / WIkIPEDIA
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 białystok 9 bydgoszcz Cieszyn 9 gdańsk 2 0 9 Hel 9 katowice 0 2 krakow 20 2 9 00 9 2 29 Lublin 22 20 22 0 0 9 220 22 łódź 22 2 20 9 00 0 2 olsztyn 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 Płock 9 29 0 29 90 0 22 2 2 Poznań 2 22 0 2 22 92 0 radom 0 2 2 2 0 0 200 rzeszów 2 0 9 2 0 9 0 99 2 2 Słubice 2 0 2 Szczecin 2 2 02 02 29 Terespol 2 9 2 0 2 0 0 Toruń 2 2 0 22 2 2 0 92 2 9 ustrzyki dolne 2 9 29 29 2 0 0 0 0 92 2 92 209 Warsaw 2 2 22 2 22 99 2 2 20 2 2 2 22 29 Wrocław 0 2 2 00 2 9 29 2 09 9 2 02 zakopane 0 29 2 2 0 9 0 2 0 2 0 9 zielona góra PoLand distances between MaJor CITIeS In PoLand by rail Poland has one of the most extensive railway networks in the world, with a total of over 19,000 km. All major cities and most small towns are connected by rail. The leading operator of rail infrastructure in Poland is the state-run PKP Group, which offers services in passenger and cargo transportation. According to the 2009 timetable, there are 30 international train connections offered by the following services: EuroNight, Eurocity and regular international connections (daytime and nighttime). The following services are available: trains to Berlin, Hannover, Cologne, Munich, Nurnberg, Innsbruck and Frankfurt am Main departing from Warsaw and Poznań (EN and EC); trains to Hamburg departing from Kraków, Katowice and Wrocław (EC); trains to Prague and Vienna departing from Warsaw and Kraków (EC) and from Katowice (international train); trains to Bratislava and Budapest departing from Warsaw and Kraków; trains to Kiev departing from Kraków and Warsaw (nighttime international train); trains to Moscow departing from Warsaw; Intercity bus to Vilnius departing from Warsaw
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 by air There are eleven civilian airports in Poland catering for domestic and international passenger flights. The largest and most important of these is the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (formerly known as Okęcie International Airport). The other airports are located in Krakow, Gdańsk, Katowice, Poznań, Wrocław, Szczecin, Łódź, Bydgoszcz, Zielona Góra and Rzeszów. The Warsaw airport has over 80 regular connections to major cities in Poland and abroad. In 2007 three national and 39 foreign air carriers had regular flights to and from Warsaw, including British Airways, Lufthansa, SAS, Air France, Alitalia and KLM. However, the largest air carrier in Poland is LOT Polish Airlines. Polish air transport is one of the fastest developing markets in the world. The growth rate was greatly increased after Poland s entry into the EU and the introduction of lowcost airline carriers, such as Centralwings, Wizz Air, Sky Europe, easyjet and Ryanair. Poland s central location in Europe is also a key factor any major city in Europe is a maximum 2-3 hour flight from Warsaw, Krakow or Gdańsk. sources: www.business.gov.pl, Civil Aviation Office, www.mojeprzeloty.pl Warsaw Frederic Chopin airport 00-90 Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury Information tel. + 22 0 2 20 www.lotnisko-chopina.pl gdańsk-rębiechowo airport 0-29 Rębiechowo, ul. Słowackiego 200 tel. +, fax + 22 Information tel. + www.airport.gdansk.pl Poznań-ławica airport 0-9 Poznań, ul. Bukowska 2 tel. + 9 20 00, fax + 9 09 Information tel. + 9 2 www.airport-poznan.com.pl Wrocław airport -0 Wrocław, ul. Skarżyńskiego tel. + 00, fax + 9 Information tel. + www.airport.wroclaw.pl International airport bydgoszcz-szwederowo - Bydgoszcz, ul. Jana Pawla II tel./fax + 2 0 biuroplb@plb.pl www.plb.pl łódź-lublinek airport 9-2 Łódz, ul. gen. S. Maczka tel. + 2, www.airport.lodz.pl International airport kraków-balice 2-0 Balice, ul. kpt. M. Medweckiego tel. + 2 9 00 00, Information tel. + 2 29 00 www.lotnisko-balice.pl rzeszów-jasionka airport -002 Jasionka 92 tel. + 2 00, fax + 2 0 09 rzeszowairport@polish-airports.com www.lotnisko-rzeszow.pl Gdańsk (Rębiechowo) Szczecin (Goleniów) Bydgoszcz (Szwederowo) Poznań (Ławica) Warsaw (Okęcie) Zielona Góra (Babimost) Łódź (Lublinek) Wrocław (Strachowice) Katowice (Pyrzowice) Rzeszów (Jasionka) Krakow (Balice) Szczecin-goleniów airport 2-00 Glewice, Goleniów tel. + 9 00, fax + 9 info@airport.com.pl www.airport.com.pl International airport katowice in Pyrzowice -90 Ożarowice, ul. Wolności 90 tel. + 2 92 2 00, fax + 2 92 Information tel. + 2 92, + 2 92 2 www.gtl.com.pl zielona góra-babimost airport -0 Babimost tel. + 2 00 fax + 2 29 lotnisko@airport.zgora.pl www.lotnisko.zielonagora.pl MaJor airports In PoLand
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 Crossing the border in Poland who have permanent residence in another EU country where they return at least once a week. PoLand Poland s accession to the European Union and, more recently, to the Schengen Agreement, resulted in new entry conditions for foreigners. When crossing the Polish border, citizens of the EU, EEA and Schengen Agreement member states should hold a valid ID stating their identity and citizenship. Citizens of the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine are required to hold ID documents as well as visas issued by Polish consular offices. The Category C uniform visa (Schengen visa) allows travel throughout all Schengen area countries. It is valid for 3 months within 6 months from the date of issue. Category D are national visas, which entitle the holder to enter only the Schengen state which issued the visa. All visas are subject to fees and charges. Only a few categories of persons are exempt from the visa requirement when crossing the border. Entry into the Schengen area also requires the final destination to be stated. At the request of immigration officers, a foreigner entering Poland should present means of covering the costs of entering and leaving the country, as well as the entire duration of one s stay at an approximate cost of 27 EUR (100 PLN) per day. This can be presented in the form of cash (Polish zloty or convertible currencies), valid credit cards or traveler s cheques. When crossing the border, EU citizens are entitled to carry goods intended for personal use without additional taxes or excise duties. If a traveler can t present a sensible reason for possessing large amounts of goods, and customs officers have reason to believe that the merchandise is intended for sale, it is possible that the goods will be confiscated, along with the vehicle carrying them. The following indicative quantities are generally recognized as intended for personal use: 800 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 1 kg of tobacco, 10 litres of spirits, 20 litres of apéritifs or intermediate products (e.g. sherry, port wine), or 110 litres of beer. Travelers under 17 years of age are not allowed to carry alcohol or tobacco products. When the duration of one s stay in Poland is to exceed 90 days, it is necessary to obtain a temporary residence permit. This requirement does not apply to persons working Currency and Prices The official currency in Poland is the Polish zloty (PLN) divided into 100 groszy. The currency comes in banknotes of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 PLN and coins of 1, 2 and 5 PLN as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy. Since the times of political transition in Poland, the exchange rates have become stable. There are however some natural fluctuations in exchange rates. The values presented below should therefore be treated as approximates. Currency name Currency code average exchange rate US dollar USD 2.9 Canadian dollar CAD 2.0 Euro EUR.2 hungarian forint 00 huf. Swiss franc ChF 2.0 Pound sterling GBP.29 Ukrainian hryvnia UAh 0. Czech crown Czk 0. Danish crown Dkk 0.99 Estonian crown EEk 0.2 Norwegian crown NOk 0.2 Swedish crown SEk 0.2 Lithuanian lita LTL.20 Latvian lat LvL.90 Russian ruble RUB 0.00 Chinese juan hkd 0.2 SDR (IMF) XDR.0 Exchange rates dated December 200, source: National Bank of Poland, www.nbp.pl
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 The most secure way of exchanging currency are banks, although they offer slightly lower exchange rates and some charge a 2-3% commission. Banks in Poland are open Monday to Friday, usually from 9 am to 5 pm, some also on Saturdays until 1 pm. Every bank in Poland has a network of its own ATMs, although access to these may be limited in rural areas. All major debit and credit cards are accepted in Poland Access/MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, JCB and Visa. Most banks in Poland allow cash withdrawals from credit cards. Poland is a relatively inexpensive country food, public transportation, admission tickets, even accommodation are considerably cheaper than in Western European countries. Naturally, prices in major cities are higher than in rural areas. It is safe to assume some average prices for Poland: a large pizza will cost about 5 euros; a three-course middle-class restaurant dinner will be about 15-20 euros; a cross-country train ticket about 35 euros; a room in a 5-star hotel 250 euros. address and Telephone directory embassy of the republic of austria embassy of the republic of bulgaria embassy of the Czech republic embassy of the republic of Finland 00- Warsaw, ul. Gagarina 00-0 Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie / 00- Warsaw, ul. koszykowa 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Chopina / tel. + 22 00 -, tel. + 22 29 0 -, tel. + 22 2 0, tel. + 22 9 9 00, fax + 22 00 fax + 22 2 22 fax + 22 2 9 fax + 22 2 2 www.ambasadaaustrii.pl office@bgemb.com.pl, warsaw@embassy.mzv.cz, sanomat.var@formin.fi, polityka@bgemb.com.pl www.mfa.cz/warsaw www.finland.pl embassy of the republic of belarus embassy of Canada embassy of the kingdom of denmark embassy of the republic of France 02-92 Warsaw, ul. Wiertnicza 00- Warsaw, ul. Matejki / 02- Warsaw, ul. Rakowiecka 9 00- Warsaw, ul. Piękna tel. + 22 2 09 90, tel. + 22 00, tel. + 22 29 00, tel. + 22 29 0 00, fax + 22 2 09 0 fax + 22 92 fax + 22 29 0 fax + 22 29 0 0 poland@belembassy.org, wsaw@international.gc.ca, wawamb@um.dk, presse@ambafrance-pl, www.belembassy.org/poland www.canada.pl www.danishembassy.pl www.ambafrance-pl.org embassy of the kingdom of belgium embassy of the republic of Croatia embassy of the republic of estonia embassy of the Federal republic 00-09 Warsaw, ul. Senatorska 02- Warsaw, 02-9 Warsaw, ul. karwińska of germany tel. + 22 2 00, ul. Ignacego krasickiego 2 tel. + 22 0, 00- Warsaw, ul. Jazdów 2 fax + 22 2 tel. + 22 2 9, fax + 22 2 tel. + 22 00, warsaw@diplobel.org fax + 22 9 9 embassy@estemb.pl, fax + 22 29 www.diplomatie.be/warsaw croemb.warszawa@mvpei.hr www.estemb.pl zreg@wars.auswaertiges-amt.de, www.ambasadaniemiec.pl
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 PoLand embassy of the united kingdom embassy of the republic of Latvia embassy of the russian Federation embassy of the kingdom of Sweden of great britain and northern Ireland 0-92 Warsaw, ul. królowej Aldony 9 00- Warsaw, ul. Belwederska 2c 00- Warsaw, ul. Bagatela 00- Warsaw, Al. Róż tel. + 22 9, tel. + 22 9 tel. + 22 0 9 00, tel. + 22 00 00, fax + 22 2 9 fax + 22 9 0 fax + 22 0 9 fax + 22 0 embassy.poland@mfa.gov.lv, korfwaw@mail.ru ambassaden.warszawa@foreign.ministry.se, ukinpoland.fco.gov.uk www.mfa.gov.lv www.swedish-embassy.pl embassy of the republic of greece embassy of the republic of Lithuania embassy of the repubic of Slovakia embassy of the Confederation of 00-2 Warsaw, ul. Górnośląska 00- Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 00- Warsaw, ul. Litewska Switzerland tel. + 22 22 9 0, tel. + 22 2, tel. + 22 2 0, 00-0 Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 2 fax + 22 22 9 fax + 22 2 0 fax + 22 2 22 tel. + 22 2 0-2, fax + 22 2 0 gremb.war@mfa.gr, ambasada@lietuva.pl, emb.warsaw@mzv.sk, vertretung@var.rep.adm.ch, www.greece.pl www.poland.ambasada.lt www.ambasada-slowacji.pl www.eda.admin.ch/warsaw embassy of the republic of Hungary embassy of the kingdom of norway embassy of the republic of Slovenia embassy of ukraine 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Chopina 2 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Chopina 2a 02- Warsaw, 00-0 Warsaw, al. J.Ch. Szucha tel. + 22 2 -, tel. + 22 9 0 0, ul. Starościńska lok.2-2 tel. + 22 29, fax + 22 2 fax + 22 2 09 tel. + 22 9 2 2, fax + 22 29 0 varsnk@2a.pl emb.warsaw@mfa.no, fax + 22 0 90 emb_pl@mfa.gov.ua, www.amb-norwegia.pl vvr@gov.si www.ukraine-emb.pl embassy of Ireland embassy of the People s republic embassy of the kingdom of Spain emabassy of the united States of america 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Mysia of China 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Myśliwiecka 00-0 Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 29/ tel. + 22 9, 00-20 Warsaw, ul. Bonifraterska tel. + 22 22 2 0, tel. + 22 0 20 00, fax + 22 9 tel. + 22, fax + 22 22 0 fax + 22 0 2 warsawembassy@dfa.ie, fax + 22 2 emb.esppl@mail.mae.es http://poland.usembassy.gov www.irlandia.pl www.chinaembassy.org.pl embassy of the repubic of Italy embassy of romania 00-0 Warsaw, pl. Dąbrowskiego 00-9 Warsaw, ul. Chopina 0 tel. + 22 2, tel. + 22 2, fax + 22 2 0 fax + 22 2 2 Ministry of Foreign affairs ambasciata.varsavia@esteri.it, embassy@roembassy.com.pl of the republic of Poland www.ambvarsavia.esteri.it 00-0 Warsaw, al. J.Ch. Szucha 2 tel. + 22 2 90 00 www.msz.gov.pl source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, www.msz.gov.pl 9
FILM PRODUCTION GUIDE POLAND 2009 emergency numbers 112 international emergency telephone number 997 police 998 fire department 999 ambulance 981 road assistance 9287 Crisis Management Centre 118 913 information (domestic directory) 118 912 information (international directory) Climate Poland enjoys a temperate climate of transitional nature between the continental and maritime. Weather patterns are rather unstable, especially during seasonal changes and wintertime. Winters in Poland are usually of the oceanic type with high precipitation; less common are fair weather continental winters. Northern and western Poland has a mostly maritime temperate climate, with mild winters and cool summers and high precipitation. Severe winters and hot, dry summers are more common in eastern parts of the country. 20 TaTra MounTaInS MałoPoLSka region MAGDA P