Łódź, as you’ll learn rattling through this guide, is a city of the cinema, a star of the silver screen. It’s here that some of the finest directors and producers in the world have cut their teeth, and it’s here that some of Poland’s top actors have learned their craft. But one name you’re probably not familiar with is that of Karl Dominik. In fact, most locals won’t be familiar with him either. Why so? Principally because this Łódź born lad chose China in which to make his name. Born locally in 1980 Dominik moved to foreign shores the moment he could, earning Canadian citizenship while studying Film and Television at the Toronto Television Actors Academy.

A move to Los Angeles didn’t bring the celebrity breakthrough he yearned, and Dominik found himself working as an IT Consultant along with dozens of other wannabe actors. He moved to Shanghai where he continued to work in white collar employment, though his presence on the PR circuit soon opened doors for walk-on parts in Chinese shows. His big break came with a lead role in American/Chinese film Milk & Fashion, and he soon became a household name after landing a part in the sitcom Wangfujing Adventures. Quite probably the only Chinese-speaking Polish actor in the world, Dominik has since gone on to earn A-List status in China, as well as shaking the industry up by forming the Shanghai Actors Association. Not at all bad for a chap born in Łódź.