She graduated in Film Directing from FAMU in Prague (2007), the Camerimage Film School in Toruń (2001), and Japanese Studies at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw (1996).
Kinga began her career making documentary films. Together with Maria Konwicka, she co-directed the feature documentary Actress, based on Konwicka’s screenplay, portraying the life of legendary actress Elżbieta Czyżewska. They received the Polish Film Award (Eagle).
Her breakthrough came with the critically acclaimed and commercially successful feature These Daughters of Mine (Moje córki krowy, 2015). The film won the Audience Award, the Journalists’ Award, and the Studio and Local Cinema Networks Award at the Gdynia Film Festival, as well as two Polish Film Awards (Eagles) for Best Screenplay and the Audience Award. It was also recognized internationally, receiving awards at festivals in Chicago, Moscow, and China.
Her next feature, Playing Hard (Zabawa Zabawa, 2018), was both a box-office success and a festival favorite, winning the Grand Prix at the National Film Festival „Prowincjonalia” and the Audience Award at Mastercard Off Camera in Kraków. Her following film, Back Then (Zupa Nic, 2021), premiered in the Main Competition of the Gdynia Film Festival.
Alongside her feature films, Kinga has directed more than 100 episodes of some of Poland’s most popular television series, including Na Dobre i Na Złe, M jak Miłość, Barwy Szczęścia, and Szóstka. She has also directed three productions for Polish Television Theatre: Oscar for Emily (2019), Summer in Nohant (2021), and Lulu (2022).
Her latest feature film, Fire Celebration (Święto Ognia, 2023), is an uplifting, humorous, and deeply moving story which Kinga describes as her most tender and delicate film”somewhere between Amélie and The Intouchables.” The film earned her the Golden Kangaroo Award in the Main Competition at the Gdynia Polish Film Festival, while the cast also received awards for Best Supporting Actress (Kinga Preis) and Best Acting Debut (Paulina Pytlak).
Most recently, Kinga directed the hit historical thriller series Gra z cieniem (Playing with Shadow), a noir-inspired espionage drama set during the Stalinist era of the 1950s. The series became a major success in Poland and received the Golden Award for Best Fiction Series at the 5th International Heart of Europe Festival. She is currently working on its second season.
Kinga Dębska is also the author of several bestselling books, including Moje córki krowy, Porozmawiaj ze mną, and Czułe miejsca. Reżyserka o sobie.
