Cicha noc - Silent night
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Adam - young man, is coming home for Christmas. The first scene in the bus, where he is traveling with his countrymen speaks a lot about style of the movie just from the beginning. At bus stop on the gas station, driver is telling passengers that toilet is due, so people are standing in a row on the roadside, to avoid a fee.
When Adam arrived, first thing he did, was renting a fancy car to make an impression on his family. And the family treats Adam as a moneybags, who thanks to the many earned in Holand, will solve every problem of all members. And need to say, there is a lot of problems to solve - father and grandpa are alcoholics, mother try to manage with running a home, unlce wants to make business with Adam and his younger brother doesn't seems happy because of the return of his brother. And Adam... His visit isn't also motiveless. He want to sell old grandpas house and start own company in Holland.


Silent night has funny scences and moments, but finally it's very bitter.

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Eroica - dir. A.Munk

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Twarz dir. M. Szumowska
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The story about outsider from little town somewhere in Poland, who after the accident has transplanted face. He goes back to his family and friends with different apperance. It's an examin for people, who he loves and who should love him. Unfortunatelly not everyone will pass it out.
The movie was directed by leading polish scandalise director Małgorzata Szumowska, who points out in her movies people"s weakness and smallness. The movie won Silver Bear In Berlin.
I think this movie can put people from small polish towns and villages in the bad light, but I think insular people lives everywhere;) The movie is well made with great cast and left viewer with a lot of thoughts.

Jasminum, dir. Jan Jakub Kolski
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The Big Animal (2000)


The story about a marriage from little town, who became a guardians of the camel. From the beginning residents are curious with the animal, but after some time main characters starts to feel increasing jelous of town habitancy.


Director of The Big Animal Jerzy Stuhr is also cult Polish actor. His whole fertileness belongs to so called moral anxiety cinematography. In films directored by him or with his appearance, thera are stigmatized humans inadequacy, like jelousy, greed or lust of power.

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(1990)


The story about street salesman is the reason to relate the economic situation in Poland after the end of communism. The main character is trying to deal with changing realty, where every citizen has to take care about himself and can't rely on care of the goverment, which only few years ago turned in every domain of life.

I think the idea of the movie is quite good, but it's not as much involving as I wish and I don't know what is the reason. The story has positiv atmosphere - despite many troubles the salesman never give up.

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dir. Paweł Pawlikowski


It's the story about the man and the woman. They met in 50's in communist Poland. She is beginning singer and dancer, he is composer and teacher in music school. The movie portray their wild relationship and style of life in contemporary Poland.
During whole movie I was remainding prevoius movie of Palkowski - Ida, because of very similar aeshetic - landscapes, pictures, the way of playing by the actors. The plot is quite involving, but nothing extra orginal, but thanks to great play of main actors - Tomasz Kot and Joanna Kulig, this movie was really enjoying.
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dir. Wojciech Smarzowski


The movie presents a conflict between Ukrainians, Poles and Jews living in Wołyń - Ukrainian teritories during WW II. Main character is young girl Zofia, who is forced by their parents to marry a much older widower, despite the fact that she loves a boy in her age. When the war breaks out Ukrainian soldiers force people with Polish and Jewish descent to board trains to death camps. Zofia escapes, but when she returns home she has to deal with all horror of war.


Wojciech Smarzowski doesn't do pleasant movies. I wouldn't watch it, if it "Wołyń" shows all awefull things, that happen to simply people who expierence effects of a war. The movie is full of very violent scenes, which show hate between three nations, who have been living next to each othe in peace untill then. The most significant thought in this movie is that the main victims of armed conflicts are ordinary citizens, who can't count on nobody else, but on themselves.
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Double Ironman 2017
dir. Lukasz Palkowski

It's based on true story about the man, who had the best of drug addiction. As a young boy, Jerzy Górski, started to using drugs, he was a thief and a beggar. He lived along with other junks in squote, after mving away from alcoholaddicted parents. Jerzy met with daughter o f policeman Grazyna, who also started pop. When she became pregnant, they both were looking like zombie - prostrated by polish heroin. Thanks to their daughter Jerzy got rid of addiction and became a stortsman. He took part in the Ironman double triathlon in the USA. And he won!


The movie consist of two parts - the frist concerns the fight with addition, the second the training before the Ironman competiton. There were help centres for drud addicted called Monar. Marek Kotański, who started it, was quite cult person in Poland (his character is played by Janusz Gajos). His methods were pretty tough - shaving heads, sitting on the floor during meals, left each addicted substance, even nicotine. And the worst rule, the door has opened permanently. The stay at Monar was absolutely freewill, everyone could leave at any moment.
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Janusz Gajos as Marek Kotański

The second part shows training before triathlon. In this section Palkowski pictures Poland at the end of communism, when it was really difficult to get a passport, but it was not only difficulty. During training Jerzy was hited by a car, after which he needed to learn how to walk again. If I didn't know it's true story, I would though it was just impossible, that he won the triathlon. This movie was a bit surprise for me, very well made and gripping.

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dir. M.Waszyński, 1937


The Dybuk is the Jewish name of the transmigration of souls. Young boy is in love with the girl, who he wants to married, but he suddenly dies. After some time her family force her to marry another guy, but she still can't deal with lost of her true love. The soul of dead lover possess the body of the girl.
I didnt know that Polish cinematography contains old horror movies:) It's very good made. I would say it doesn't depart from world film made that time. The movie shows different Jewish mores and beliefs, like weddings, religion hierachy and those day common life. The whole language used in this movie is Yiddish.

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dir. Leszek Gnoiński i Marek Gajczak 2016


The story of the most famous rock-punk festivals in communistic Poland. In those days it was a voice of rebellion against 'grey reallity' and lack of freedom. For many young (at the times) bands it was an honour to play during this event. As said one of the musicans, who take part in this movie, a band could be completely unknow, but when it's turned out it played in Jarocin it was nobilitation.

Clergy
dir. Wojcieh Smarzowski



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The story of three catholic priests. The movie begins with a bender in which the main characters take part. The evening ends with having a fight between two of them and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The movie is a portrayal of all sins of the Church: sexual abuse of children, child care home running by nuns, where one child mistreats the smallest ones with silent permission of the nuns, bribery and engaging in politics by the head of Polish Church, careerism and greed.

The first of the main characters, Lisowski, was brought up in an orphanage. As an adult, he became a careerist and blackmailer, who'd do anything to be promoted and removed to Watykan.

Second one, Trybus, is a local priest somewhere in a rural parish. He has an affair with a young woman (Joanna Kulig), who getS pregnant and wantS to have an abortion.

The last priest Kukuła, is accused of sexual abuse of one of his acolytes - a boy from the a poor family. He is moved to a house for retired priests.

Smarzowski made a movie, which concerns deadly sins of Polish Church (and Church in general). His movie is very balanced. It's clear that the goal of the director wasn't cheap scandal. He points out different guilts, but he also shows the human face of all main characters.
Smarzowski doesn't make easy movies and this one is also like that, but he moderated the story with A few funny situation, during watching I laughed out loud. That never happened to me before with any Smarzowski movie.

And one thing more, a few scenes were shot in Cracow.

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