‘Variola Vera’

Veteran intelligence agent Lucja Winter returns from a secret mission in India just as a smallpox outbreak shakes the city of Wrocław, forcing a complete lockdown to contain a virus believed to be extinct in Europe. While a medical team led by young and ambitious Weronika Przybysz fights against the clock to stem the contagion, journalist Igor Bielik risks everything in search of the truth behind the outbreak.

Blending fiction, archival footage, and a pop-infused documentary aesthetic, the series transcends traditional historical drama under the bold direction of Kuba Czekaj to deliver a tense audiovisual experience. Awarded the Students Award in the International Panorama at Series Mania 2026, the series turns a striking real-life event into a sharp and stylized tale of state paranoia and survival.