A Comparative Analysis of the Polish Film Market from the First Years of Independence to 1930

Compared with countries such as Germany, Great Britain or the USA, the cinema market of interbellum Poland was relatively weak; however, it experienced considerable growth. Nevertheless, permanent venues were still located only in towns and cities in this largely agrarian country. In addition, there were considerable differences in cinema dispersion, density, and size between the regions. Thus, Polish citizens from different social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds had unequal access to film consumption. This chapter examines the cinema market from the end of the First World War up to 1930 against the background of the country’s economic and demographic situation, using spatial and statistical data as sources. By applying statistical analysis and mapping with QGIS, the study sheds light on both cinema occurrence in different spatial units and the uneven dynamics of market growth. Finally, the potential participation of national minorities in the cinema market is discussed using the Jewish population as an example.