The Magic of Film Music – Announcing the programme of the 19th Krakow Film Music Festival! Special Guest – James Newton Howard! [ENGLISH VERSION]

White Lotus, Bridgerton, The Day of the Jackal, The Penguin and Yellowstone – these are just some of the hits featured in the spectacular FMF International TV Series Gala. The diverse programme of the 19th Krakow Film Music Festival features both recent phenomena from the world of film music, as well as the legacy of distinguished composers. The festival will culminate with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone^TM in Concert.

From Wednesday, 13 May to Sunday, 17 May 2026, the magic of film music will be palpable in Krakow. The visitors will enjoy the breathtaking FMF Awards Gala with a swinging big band, monographic concerts with the composers James Newton Howard and Volker Bertelmann “Hauschka”, as well as the FMF International TV Series Gala. And for the first time at the festival, audiences of all ages will experience the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir performing John Williams’ music to the entire Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone^TM film live to picture.

The 19th Krakow Film Music Festival will be the first edition developed and produced by Agata Grabowiecka, an experienced cultural manager who took over the reins of the event last June. ‘The headline of this year’s edition is The Magic of Film Music – because we know very well how powerful emotions arise when sound and image come together,’ claims the FMF Artistic Director. ‘The extraordinary alchemy of cinema captivates us when the sound of the orchestra pulsates in time with the story on the screen. When John Williams seduces us with the sounds of the celesta and strings, we stop wondering what kind of special effects set the magic brooms in motion and simply let ourselves be carried away by the story. During these five days, we will hear film music in many forms: from jazz memories, through the latest series, to Hollywood grandeur. Film music is a new classic today – and it is what attracts visitors from all over the world to Krakow in May,’ adds Agata Grabowiecka.

The classics of cinema

The opening concert of the festival will be the FMF Awards Gala held at one of the most beautiful venues in Poland – the large stage of the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Krakow. On Wednesday (13 May) the audience is going to listen to recent compositions by award-winning artists and the greatest hits by three film music legends: Jerzy ‘Duduś’ Matuszkiewicz (More Than Life at Stake, Janosik), Henryk Kuźniak (Vabank) and Henry Mancini (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Pink Panther). The roster of performing artists features Mikołaj Trzaska, winner of last year’s Polish Soundtrack of the Year Award. ‘The role of the festival is not only to host concerts that delight listeners, but also to take care of the development of the industry and to support the most talented artists. We achieve these goals through educational and networking activities, as well as by presenting prestigious awards: the Polish Soundtrack of the Year, the FMF Young Talent Award, the Jan A.P. Kaczmarek – Finding Neverland Award and the FMF Ambassador Award. This year, for the first time, the winners will receive their statuettes during a special gala with swinging rhythms that will enchant the audience. All thanks to the performance of the Małopolska Big Band led by Jan Stokłosa,’ says Carolina Pietyra, director of the Krakow Festival Office, organising the FMF together with the City of Krakow and RMF Classic.

On Thursday (14 May), the ICE Krakow Congress Center will host the monographic concert called The Magic of James Newton Howard. ‘Born in Los Angeles and growing up right next to the Dream Factory, the composer, conductor and pianist has been working with major film studios since the 1980s. James Newton Howard composed the famous scores for Pretty Woman, The Sixth Sense, Signs, Blood Diamond and Maleficent, as well as major blockbusters – Fantastic Beasts and The Hunger Games series. Over the course of his impressive career, he won multiple Emmy and Grammy Awards, along with nine nominations for the Academy Award. He is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the contemporary world of film music,’ says Magdalena Wojewoda-Mleczko, Music Director at RMF Classic. The concert will showcase the diverse facets of the composer’s work. With the suites composed with the FMF audience in mind, James Newton Howard will also bring up themes from his lesser-known films, all while leading the orchestra himself and playing the roles of the host and narrator.

The latest and the greatest

Some extraordinary sensations await those who will make it to the post-industrial space of the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre on Friday (15 May) just in time for the AlterFMF – Immersive Experience: Hauschka event. Hauschka is the stage name of German composer and pianist Volker Bertelmann, who won an Oscar for his score to All Quiet on the Western Front. During the FMF, the artist will showcase a custom experimental concert, presenting his latest works. Hauschka himself will play a prepared piano, the sound of which will be combined with electronics. With loudspeakers placed around and above the audience, the sound will surround listeners from all sides and – thanks to special software – it will create an intense impression of movement. The event will be an opportunity to open up to a new way of experiencing music.

Popular TV series today feature very interesting soundtracks, so there had to be room for them at the festival. On Saturday (16 May), the organisers invite the audience to Poland’s largest entertainment venue, TAURON Arena Krakow, for the FMF International TV Series Gala. It will feature suites from popular series, including White Lotus, Bridgerton, The Day of the Jackal, The Penguin, Ripley and Yellowstone – all composed especially for the festival. In addition to works by foreign stars, we will also hear new pieces by internationally acclaimed Polish composers: Łukasz Targosz and Wojtek Urbański. Thus, the Gala will be a showcase of the latest trends in TV music, featuring both epic orchestral themes and intimate electronic sounds. Musicians of the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, the Pro Musica Mundi Choir and the Kraków Philharmonic Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs led by Dirk Brossé guarantee a top-of-the-line performance. Add to this the visual materials displayed on the big screen, and you can expect to be fully immersed in the world of the most spectacular tv series.

The Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone^TM anniversary

25 years ago Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™ enchanted our screens and now it is returning, for the first time at the FMF, with the music of a live symphony orchestra. Momentous scenes from the film will play on a giant screen in high-definition while John Williams’ unforgettable score will be performed by the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. The audience can experience the magic with the first instalment of the Harry Potter™ Film Concert Series.

Tickets for the concerts will be available from 5 March, 10:00 a.m. via the KBF Plus app, and from 12:00 p.m. on the same day via the KBF Bilety website. The programme of the Krakow Film Music Festival will also feature the Audiovisual Forum – a series of meetings with masters and experts representing the music and film industries, as well as open-air cinema and events for children. The details of accompanying events will be announced soon.

You can learn more on the FMF website and by listening to RMF Classic.

The Krakow Film Music Festival is organised by the City of Krakow, Krakow Festival Office and RMF Classic.

The Main Partner of the FMF Awards Gala is the ZAiKS Society of Authors.

The Co-organiser of The Magic of James Newton Howard is the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Krakow.

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