Documentaries2020

THE NEUROSURGEON/NEUROCHIRURG

Virtual Screening Available: Nov. 7 - 13

80 min | 2020 | APFF@AJFF

Director: Magdalena Zagała
Screenplay: Magdalena Zagała

Synopsis:
Doctor Zabek is a famous Polish neurosurgeon working in one of Warsaw’s hospitals. At the other end of the world, in San Francisco, another neurosurgeon of Polish origins, doctor Bankiewicz, invented a breakthrough technology for placing genes and hormones directly in human’s brain. The new technology has been used so far to successfully cure Parkinson’s disease and brain tumors. Now the doctors discover that it seems the technique may cure the very rare disease, AACD DEFICIT, which stops the human body’s physical and mental development in infancy.

Community partner:

BRIDGING URBAN AMERICA: THE STORY OF RALPH MODJESKI

Virtual Screening Available: Nov. 7 - 13

95 min | 2016 | APFF@AJFF

Director: Basia Myszyński
Screenplay: Basia Myszyński
Cinematography: Leonard Myszyński
Music: Tomasz Opalka

Synopsis:
A celebration of the life of Ralph Modjeski, one of America’s greatest bridge designers. He was behind some of the 20th century’s most significant bridges which transformed America: the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge, the Huey P. Long Bridge in New Orleans, and Quebec Bridge in Canada, among others. The film takes a deeper look at the scientific mind and artistic soul of a Polish-born, Paris-trained immigrant; a virtuoso pianist who contributed to the building of modern America.

Community partner:

HOUSE OF WRITERS / DOM LITERATÓW

Virtual Streaming Available: Nov. 8 - 15

60 min | 2019

Director: Marek Gajczak
Screenplay: Jan Polewka
Cinematography: Marek Gajczak, Dariusz Jarzyna
Music: Zygmunt Konieczny

Synopsis:
A documentary about the legendary House of Writers, located in the center of Krakow, in an inconspicuous tenement house at Krupnicza Street nr 22. It was where after The World War II, outstanding Polish writers and intellectuals lived under one roof. This house was a sensation on a global scale, because for half a century, from 1945 to 1996, 101 writers lived there, including: Andrzejewski, Dygat, Gałczyński, Kisielewski, Szaniawski, Mrożek, Różewicz, Szymborska, Flaszen. This is where the “The Card Index” by Różewicz, “Police” by Mrożek, Kruczkowski's “The Germans”, “Ash and Diamond “ by Andrzejewski were created.
Thousands of poems were written in the house at Krupnicza Street, hundreds of pieces in prose and dozens of dramas. Songs which, being the fruit of their authors' talents, were at the same time a testimony to Polish fate, Polish reality and the struggle with a difficult history.
The documentary "House of Writers” directed by Marek Gajczak attempts to make the history of the inhabitants of one literary yard allegorical, a testimony of the era. It attempts to save this world of "fountain pens" from oblivion.

Virtual Streaming Available: Nov. 14 - 20

41 min | 2019

Director: Maciej Kuciel
Screenplay: Maciej Kuciel
Cinematography: Piotr Wacowski, Witold Nogieć
Music: Wojciech Borek, Bartosz Gwóźdź, Grzegorz Zmarz

Synopsis:

The last 30 years of history of Poland as seen through the eyes of Polish musicians: Kazik, Liroy and Muniek. Based on their life experiences and examination of the political scene, three decades later, they show the successes and failures of a country liberated from communism. Music videos, unique archives of the Institute of National Remembrance, agency and private photos reflect the atmosphere of the old days. The opposition's talks with the communists in Magdalenka and at the round table which still arouse heated political debates, the first non-communist prime minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Polish capitalism born on market stalls, the Jedwabne crime in combination with the documentary protagonists’ uncompromising lyrics form the structure of the film. From the breakthrough of 1989, as seen by Muniek from the perspective of an economic migrant, through the emerging capitalism as seen from a Kielce housing estate by rapper Liroy, to the break-up of the opposition side into two feuding tribes Kazik sings about.

Virtual Screening Available: Nov. 14 - 20

58 min | 2019

Director: Ewa Ewart
Screenplay: Jacek Stawiski
Cinematography: Mateusz Kruszelnicki, Maciej Grubiak
Music: Szymon Nidzworski

Synopsis:

This 60-minute documentary explores the Western perspective on the last 30 years of Polish history since the momentous partially free parliamentary elections and examines the role that the United States played in the transformation process in Poland. The elections on 4 June 1989 not only caused the collapse of communism in Poland but also triggered a chain reaction of events throughout the region - from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the collapse of the Soviet Union. In November 1989 Lech Wałęsa, whose vital role in this process is unquestionable and who later went on to become the first president in post-communist Poland, gave a historic speech to the American Congress. He is the only Pole and the third person in American history to give such an address as a private citizen. The film includes unknown facts of Lech Wałęsa's famous speech to the US Congress in 1989, as well as never shown archive.

MODJESKA WOMAN TRIUMPHANT

Virtual Screening Available: Nov. 21 - 28

57 min | 2009

Director: Basia Myszyński
Screenplay: Basia Myszyński
Cinematography: Leonard Myszyński
Music: Mikolai Stroinski

Synopsis:

The American journey of the nineteenth century iconic Polish actress Helena Modjeska as she builds her own persona to become an icon on the American stage. The movie talks about her earliest impressions, influences, conflicts and desires as she leaves her war-torn Poland to become the voice of Poland and the voice of women. Modjeska was a muse for world-class artists, who admired for her beauty and nobility. The documentary presents Modjeska’s commitment to herself, to her Shakespeare, to her family, to her “countries” and to humanity through her art.

TONY HALIK

Virtual Screening Available: Nov. 28 - Dec. 6

90 min | 2020

Director: Marcin Borchardt
Screenplay: Marcin Borchardt
Cinematography: Tony Halik
Music: Stefan Wesołowski

Synopsis:
Tony Halik - traveler, journalist, filmmaker. His life adventures seem as improbable as the adventures of Indiana Jones. In the last decade of the Cold War, extremely popular television programs were for millions of Poles - "the only window to the world". Practically unknown outside of Poland in the 60-80s Tony seemed to appear in some strange ways everywhere in the world, where something important was happening. He knew everyone, he filmed everyone.
The film attempts to unravel the phenomenon of a traveler who, thanks to his natural charisma, fantasy and passion, has consistently created his persona through his stories for many years. It is a story of cultivating his legend by others and a great secret hidden under a fabricated identity.

THE DEFENDERS OF THE POLISH POST OFFICE (OBROŃCY POCZTY)

Virtual Screening Available: Dec. 13 - 20

79 min | 2019

Director: Damian Lu Wenta
Screenplay: Damian Lu Wenta
Cinematography: Kacper Gajewski
Music: Juliusz Kłos

Synopsis:
On September 1, 1939, the Second World War begins and several dozen postmen defend the Polish Post Office in the Free City of Gdańsk, for them it is a bastion of Polish culture and identity. This exciting documentary film utilizes animated film techniques in a unique way that presents this story. The film includes archival interviews with four surviving postmen, German chronicles, animated 3D pictures, interviews with the children of postal workers, and contemporary animation.

Festivals/Awards
2020 Polish Film Festival in Los Angeles – official selections
2020 International and Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival – 3rd Award in the educational film category
2020 Zamość Film Festival „Meetings with History” - Audience Award, distinction in the documentary film category, distinction in the film editing category
2019 Polish Film Festival in America – official selection