Polish films featured at weekend festival
The Polish Student Association presents three days of films by Polish filmmakers Friday–Sunday, Nov. 19–21.
Cinematheque screens “Lullaby (Kolysanka),” directed by Juliusz Machulsk Lullaby, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, as part of the 20th anniversary of the Polish Film Festival.
Poland’s recent hit film “War of Love” screens at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19.
The Polish Film Festival is one of the oldest student-run annual film events at UW–Madison. The event is dedicated to the promotion of the newest films made by Polish filmmakers, with a selection of the five best contemporary Polish films screened with English subtitles, providing a representation of the current spectrum of the Polish cinematographic scene.
This year, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the festival, the student association is hosting the renowned Polish director of “War of Love (Sluby Panienskie),” Filip Bajon. “War of Love” is the largest Polish film production of 2010, and this film is the opener. A half-hour speech on the developments in Polish cinematography as well as the film will precede film screening. The film will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Bajon.
“The Swing,” a look at modern morals, screens at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20.
Other events include:
Friday, Nov. 19
6:30 p.m.
Opening night greetings by Jim Healy, Cinematheque director of programming, and Sebastian Jankowski, Polish Student Association.
Special guest Filip Bajon, director of “War of Love (Sluby Panienskie),” will talk about his film, the biggest Polish film production of the year 2010 and a box office hit in Poland.
7 p.m.
“War of Love (Sluby Panienskie),” director Filip Bajon in person
Poland, 2010, 35mm, color, 100 min
Directed by Filip Bajon
With Anna Cielak (Aniela), Marta Zmuda-Trzebiatowska (Klara), Edyta Olszówka (Dobrójska), Borys Szyc (Albin), Maciej Stuhr (Gustaw)
Radost and Mrs. Dobrojska are planning to arrange a marriage between Gustav — Radost’s nephew — and Mrs. D’s daughter, Aniela. Their aim is clearly materialistic, but Radost also wishes for the party boy Gustav to settle, while Mrs. D. wants a good marrying material for her daughter. The problem is that Gustav is not very eager to get hitched, and Aniela is heavily influenced by her cousin, Klara, a fierce opponent of men, who constantly mocks infatuated in her Albin, Mrs. D’s neighbor. Soon a revelation surfaces about the promise the girls made to each other that they will never get married. They do not trust men; do not want to be their marionettes, nor a subject of any transaction. Excited by the challenge Gustav decides to prove that no girl can resist him. He cunningly plots… and everything ends happily. Simultaneously, the film intriguingly shows relations between the actors portraying main characters.
9 p.m.
“Zero”
Poland, 2009, 35mm, color, 110 min.
Directed by Pawel Borowski
With Robert Wieckiewicz (Company President), Bogdan Koca (Detective), Zbigniew Konopka, Andrzej Masztalerz
Love and hate, cheaters and the cheated, violence and sex, topped with surprising secrets discovered during a bizarre 24 hours. Nameless characters go about their everyday routines in a stream of seemingly detached events. But when every decision has its observable consequences, strangers become connected and their lives changed irreversibly. And all of this starts with a simple phone call.
Saturday, Nov. 20
7 p.m.
“Lullaby (Kolysanka)”
Poland, 2010, 35mm, color, 90 min.
Directed by Juliusz Machulski
With Robert Wieckiewicz (Michal), Krzysztof Kiersznowski (Roman), Malgorzata Buczkowska (Bozena)
“Lullaby” is a menacing story full of humor and suspense from the master of the genre, Juliusz Machulski. Two policemen investigate mysterious disappearances in a small scenic town. People keep disappearing, but the investigation brings no results. The tension grows and step by step a dark mystery unravels.
8:45 p.m.
“The Swing (Hustawka)”
Poland, 2010, 35mm, color, 94 min.
Directed by Tomasz Lewkowicz
With Wojciech Zielinski (Michal), Joanna Pierzak-Orleanska (Anna, Michal’s wife), Karolina Gorczyca (Karolina, Michal’s lover)
Thirty-five-year-old Michal has a beautiful wife, lovely daughter and a passionate lover. When one of the women gives him an ultimatum, Michal must choose between desire and loyalty. His situation further complicates itself once he finds out that his wife is pregnant. Will Michal choose a lifetime with his loving wife, or opt for a fairytale with a mistress who’s not really wife material? “The Swing” addresses the issue of moral integrity in light of our own desires and the sacrifices we are willing to make to fulfill them.
Sunday, Nov. 21
4 p.m.
“Animated History of Poland (Animowana Historia Polski)”
Poland, 2010, DVD, color, 8 min., Directed by Tomasz Baginski
“Little Rose (Rozyczka)”
Poland, 2010, 35mm, color, 118 min.
Directed by Jan Kidawa-Blonski
With Andrzej Seweryn (Adam Warczewski), Magdalena Boczarska (Kamila Sakowicz “Little Rose”), Robert Wieckiewicz (Roman Rozek), Jan Frycz (Lieutenant Wasiak)
Warsaw, 1967. Kamila is in love with Roman, a Secret Service Agent for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Roman asks her to get involved with a writer, Adam Warczewski, and deliver reports about his views and activities. SB suspects Adam of an antisocialist agenda and is looking for proof. Under the pseudonym “Little Rose,” Kamila begins her cooperation with the Secret Service. Soon her relationship with Warczewski grows stronger, her reports get more interesting, but also true emotions start to develop. Trapped in a love triangle, Kamila tries to escape the binds of political interests and move on with her life. But Roman won’t let her go so easily.