Proud: the Polish HBO Max drama that won Series Mania and challenges Poland with a gay father

Proud is the Polish drama that HBO Max premiered on June 12, 2026 with a weekly start of eight episodes. The series — registered on IMDb as tt41050785— follows Filip Raczyński (Ignacy Liss), a gay model in his early twenties who lives as if the world is his owes something until the death of his sister forces him to take care of his little niece. Before the streaming debut, the production had already won the Grand Prix of the Series Mania international competition in Lille; Liss also won the statuette for best actor.

What's it about

Filip compensates for his insecurity with arrogance, parties, and the admiration he arouses as a model. He lives in his sister Anka's apartment and doesn't seem willing to grow up. When a family tragedy leaves him as the girl's only reference point, his life of clubs and ephemeral romances collides with diapers, social visits and the prejudices of a society where, as the cast themselves admitted to Variety, the debate on adoption by same-sex couples barely exists in the law. The series is not a pamphlet: it is a portrait of contemporary Warsaw where humor, shame and affection share the scene.

Cast and crew

In addition to Ignacy Liss—known for Idź pod prąd and Światłoczuła—the cast includes Maria Sobocińska, Kamil Studnicki, Maja Ostaszewska, Joanna Kulig, Alicja Lewczuk (niece Tosia), Mateusz Więcławek and Paweł Tomaszewski, according to the file on IMDb and the statements from Filmweb.

Karol Klementewicz directs and co-writes with Monika Pęcikiewicz; the photography is by Weronika Bilska. The production is carried out by TVN Warner Bros. Discovery in collaboration with Magnolia Films. Klementewicz told Variety that the idea was born after a change in his own family: he wanted to tell a believable story in Warsaw, not a sermon about rights, but the real difficulties of a gay man trying to raise a baby in a polarized country.

Series Mania and why it matters

The world premiere took place in March 2026 at the Series Mania festival in Lille, where Proud won the international competition with the Grand Prix. The Polish press —RMF Classic, among others—underlined that it was the first time that A Polish serial attracted so much interest outside the country with an explicitly queer story. For the Spanish-speaking viewer, it works as a window to a European production that HBO Max positions alongside its other international originals.

Episode calendar

HBO Max releases an episode every Friday. With today's date, July 5, 2026, the first four episodes are now available; the fifth arrives on July 10 and the final one on July 31.

Where to see it

• HBO Max / Max: the official file is at hbomax.com/shows/proud. In Poland and in the markets where Max operates with the HBO Original catalogue, the episodes appear according to the region's weekly calendar.
• Spain and Latin America: If your Max subscription includes international HBO productions, search for Proud in the app; Availability by country may vary from the Polish release.
• Language: shot in Polish; in Max it is usually offered with subtitles (and in some territories dubbing).

In summary

Is it worth it? If you are interested in European dramas with an adult tone, uncomfortable humor and an imperfect protagonist, yes: the festival critics and the initial response in Poland point to one of the most talked-about local series of the year. Do we need to know Poland? No: the story is universal (forced adulthood, mourning, improvised parenthood). Where to start? Episode 1 on HBO Max; If in doubt, watch the trailer above first. And check IMDb file to follow cast updates and audience ratings.