During WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.
Roman Polanski’s harrowing true story of a Jewish pianist surviving the Warsaw Ghetto was filmed in Poland itself – recreating the wartime city in Warsaw’s Praga district and at a German studio – by a director who lived through the Holocaust himself.
Where was The Pianist filmed?
The Pianist was filmed in Warsaw, Poland and at the Babelsberg Studios near Berlin.
Every Pianist location, explained
1
The Warsaw Ghetto – Praga
The wartime ghetto was recreated in the Praga district of Warsaw, which retained period buildings.
2
Warsaw’s old streets
The film used surviving old streets and buildings across Warsaw.
3
Babelsberg Studios
Larger sets, including ruined cityscapes, were built at Babelsberg near Berlin.
4
The ruined city
The devastated Warsaw was recreated with sets and locations across Poland and Germany.
Planning a visit
Warsaw‘s Praga district, on the east bank of the Vistula, retains the period atmosphere the film captured – a moving, accessible piece of the city’s wartime history.
The Pianist Fun Facts
1
Filmed in Warsaw itself The ghetto was recreated in Warsaw’s Praga district, which kept its period buildings.
2
Polanski's own history Director Roman Polanski survived the Holocaust as a child, lending the film deep personal weight.
3
Brody won an Oscar Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his transformation as the pianist.
4
Based on a memoir It adapts the memoir of pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman.
5
A Palme d'Or winner The film won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was The Pianist filmed?
In Warsaw, Poland, and at the Babelsberg Studios near Berlin.
Where was the ghetto recreated?
In the Praga district of Warsaw, which retained period buildings.
Can you visit the locations?
Yes – Warsaw’s Praga district is accessible and retains its period atmosphere.
Is it a true story?
Yes – it adapts the memoir of pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman.
