The history of the Warsaw Ghetto (1940-43) as seen from both sides of the wall, its legacy and its memory: new light on a tragic era of division, destruction and mass murder thanks to the testimony of survivors and the discovery of a ten-minute film shot by Polish amateur filmmaker Alfons Ziółkowski in 1941.
Fleeing from despair after losing those dearest to him, the hero hides in a safe land of memories, where time stands still and all those dear to him are alive.
The film was inspired by one of the most important documentaries shot by Krzysztof Kieślowski, Talking Heads (1980). The director asked his interlocutors seemingly simple questions, such as “Who are you?” and “What do you want?”.
A man journeys by rail to a nameless sanatorium where his father has recently died. Once there, time loses its linearity and he finds himself in a world that appears both strange and strangely familiar.
"Maska" is the latest animated film of Quay brothers, directors and puppet animators, with the music composed by Krzysztof Penderecki. The film is an adaptation of Stanisław Lem’s short story of the same title. The action of “Maska” is set in a technologically developed but, at the same time, feudal world. Beautiful Duenna was created in order to carry out certain mission. However, she will be forced to choose between accomplishing the task she was created for and love.
A short music film, a feature illustration of Vivaldi’s opera Stabat Mater performed by Jakub Józef Orliński and Capella Cracoviensis. The music here accompanies events in which the theme of the Sorrowful Mother is originally interpreted by the director and set in an undefined contemporary time. Atmospheric, strangely wandering, emotional narrative with a surprising finale, starring Jakub Józef Orliński himself, not only as a countertenor but also as a stirring actor.
A gallery owner is opening an unusual exhibition: An artist who is terminally ill wishes to die in front of an audience.
A railway officer tries to learn about the lifestyle and language of a tribe that lives on the brink of a civilisation. Unfortunately, he creates problems for them.
A documentary celebrating the work of Walerian Borowczyk, a director of unparalleled sensitivity, revered in the 1970s, who was later labeled as a maker of erotic movies.
Polish Jews, who were forced to leave their country in 1968, meet every year in Ashkelon. After nearly 40 years, they share their memories of exile, loss and regret, and still consider themselves Polish.
The documentary film Art of Freedom answers the most poignant questions on the phenomenon of Polish expeditions to the Himalayas. Poles have reigned the highest mountaintops of the world for more than 20 years. They not only set down new trails, but new rules of behavior. They set themselves apart with an original style of climbing, endurance, conscientiousness about the overall well-being of the team - and solidarity.
"The Nixie", is a dark folk tale, based on an old Polish legend, immortalized by Adam Mickiewicz in a poem of the same name. It tells the story of a water nymph who takes on a human form to seduce a young man she encounters in the forest. Mesmerized, he makes a vow of love towards her, and the woman transforms back into the nymph to test his love. The young man, who does not know the nymph and woman are the same, succumbs to her mystical beauty and breaks his vow. The nymph then takes her revenge by swallowing him into the lake, where he will eternally remain as his punishment. The film begins in a life-like world and slowly morphs into the fantastical as the line between the real and the mystical blur. A coming-of-age fairy-tale, "The Fairy of Switez Lake" is a modern, seductive, filmic poem with a catchy new wave soundtrack for this timeless cautionary tale.
Get an inside look into the Polish national soccer team as it competes in the EURO 2012, which was hosted by Poland for the first time in history.
A documentary tale about sport and politics under martial law. All of Poland saw the great goals of Boniek and Smolarek during the Espana '82 championships. For a moment, it was forgotten that the background of the sporting performance was martial law, censorship, an army on the streets, prisons filled with oppositionists. The performance of the players was so successful that it was called "the most beautiful series of martial law". The game is watched by interned activists of "Solidarity", sports journalists and censors, cutting out all manifestations of the opposition from television broadcasts. We also get to know the performance in Spain from the perspective of the players, trying to meet not only their ambitions but also to bear the burden of fans' expectations and regime propaganda.
Costumes can be a tool of rebellion, a way of manifesting views or belonging to a specific group. Whether we like it or not, they always say something about us. "Political Dress" presents the history of clothes in Poland: how difficult it was to get them, how fashionable people were treated and how Polish women dressed at that time.
An unknown real story of a Haitian vodou priest, Amon Frémon, who visited the People’s Republic of Poland in 1980. A metaphysical view on time of socialism through the eyes of a stranger form a different culture.
