DARK, ALMOST NIGHT (Polish: Ciemno, prawie noc) is a 2019 Polish thriller with elements of psychological horror, directed by Borys Lankosz and based on the bestselling novel by Joanna Bator.

The film tells the story of Alicja Tabor, a journalist who returns to her hometown of Wałbrzych after many years. Officially, she’s there to write a report on a series of mysterious child disappearances that have shaken the local community. But her return quickly becomes a confrontation with her own deeply buried past. Alicja begins to realize that the evil she’s searching for in the outside world also permeates her own story — her childhood, traumas, and forgotten memories.
Dark, Almost Night blends elements of gothic horror with psychological drama and a dark fairy tale, where the boundary between reality and hallucination grows increasingly blurred. The film is not just a faithful adaptation of the novel but also a unique interpretation of collective trauma, inherited violence, and the human need for truth. It is also a haunting portrait of Wałbrzych — a city where history, myth, and daily life intertwine almost organically.

Cast: Magdalena Cielecka, Marcin Dorociński, Dawid Ogrodnik, Jerzy Trela, Piotr Fronczewski

Filming locations: Wałbrzych (Książ Castle – interiors and surroundings, Podgórze and Nowe Miasto districts), Wrocław (streets and underground sites), areas near Jedlina-Zdrój and Walim (tunnels, forests, old industrial buildings)

Awards: Special Jury Prize at the Gdynia Polish Film Festival (2019), nomination for the Golden Lion, and Best Cinematography award for Marcin Koszałka

The film was co-produced by the Lower Silesian Film Center (Dolnośląskie Centrum Filmowe).

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