Screening of “The Saragossa Manuscript” with live music

The 3rd edition of the Timeless Film Festival Warsaw (17–27 April 2026) will close with a screening of  Wojciech Jerzy Has's film The Saragossa Manuscript accompanied Krzysztof Penderecki's music played live on 27 April 2026 (7 p.m.) at the Polish National Opera. 

This is not the only film in which the music of this outstanding composer can be heard. His works have also been used by renowned directors such as William Friedkin in The Exorcist, Stanley Kubrick in The Shining, and Andrzej Wajda in Katyń. However, Has’s film remains the only feature-length film for which Penderecki, known for keeping a certain distance from film music, composed a complete original score from scratch. Notably, The Saragossa Manuscript is also a film very different in character from the large-scale productions mentioned above.

Has’s film, made in 1964 and based on the novel by Jan Potocki, is a masterpiece of surrealism and a cinematic labyrinth. Rich in fantasy, mystery, and stories within stories, The Saragossa Manuscript intertwines dream, reality, and philosophical reflection on human destiny. For decades it has fascinated audiences around the world and inspired many artists, including Luis Buñuel, Martin Scorsese, and David Lynch. To this day, it remains one of the most extraordinary examples of cinematic imagination.

Jacek Bakalarz (meakultura.pl):
Krzysztof Penderecki’s music for The Saragossa Manuscript is one of the most compelling examples of avant-garde in Polish film music. The composer abandoned traditional illustrative functions, creating a sonic structure that builds tension, unease, and a mystical atmosphere. His score combines experimentation with erudition, innovation with historical references, and sound with silence. It is a work that demands attentiveness and openness from the listener, yet rewards them with a unique aesthetic experience—an aural counterpart to Has’s cinematic labyrinth.

PERFORMERS:

Małe Instrumenty 
The Orchestra of the Polish National Opera in a chamber formation conducted by Katarzyna Tomala‑Jedynak
Michał Honisz and Szymon Witczyński – guitars

Orchestral and guitar arrangements by Tomasz Chmiel

The project was developed as part of the National Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, coordinated by the National Centre for Culture (Poland).

The premiere screening took place during the Krakow Film Music Festival in 2025.

Organised by Timeless Film Foundation
Co-organisers: Polish National Opera, National Centre for Culture (Poland)
Partner: WFDiF Documentary and Feature Film Studio, the rights holder to the film.