Live Score Screening of THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT Will Close Timeless Film Festival Warsaw

The third edition of the Timeless Film Festival Warsaw will conclude with a special screening of The Saragossa Manuscript, directed by Wojciech Jerzy Has, accompanied by a live performance of its score by Krzysztof Penderecki. The festival runs from April 17 to 27, 2026, in Warsaw.

While Penderecki’s music has appeared in numerous landmark films—used by directors such as William Friedkin in The Exorcist, Stanley Kubrick in The Shining, and Andrzej Wajda in Katyń—The Saragossa Manuscript remains the only full-length feature for which the composer created an entirely original score from scratch. Known for his distance from film music, Penderecki’s work on this film stands as a rare and significant contribution to cinema.

Based on the novel by Jan Potocki, Has’s 1964 film is widely regarded as a surrealist masterpiece and a cinematic labyrinth. Rich with fantasy, mystery, and layered storytelling, it intertwines dream and reality while exploring philosophical questions about fate and human existence. The film has captivated audiences for decades and influenced artists including Luis Buñuel, Martin Scorsese, and David Lynch.

Critics have long praised Penderecki’s score for its avant-garde approach. Rather than serving a traditional illustrative function, the music builds tension and atmosphere through experimental textures, blending innovation with historical references and striking contrasts between sound and silence. The result is a sonic counterpart to the film’s intricate narrative structure.

The live performance will feature ensemble Małe Instrumenty alongside a chamber formation of the Orchestra of the Grand Theatre – National Opera, conducted by Katarzyna Tomala-Jedynak. Guitar parts will be performed by Michał Honisz and Szymon Witczyński, with orchestral and guitar arrangements by Tomasz Chmiel.

The project was developed as part of the cultural program of Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, coordinated by the National Centre for Culture. Its premiere took place at the Kraków Film Music Festival in 2025.

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