November 2009

The Facets Cinémathèque is located at 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. in Chicago. For more information on films playing in the Cinémathèque, please call 773-281-4114. To order advance tickets online, visit the TicketWeb website by clicking here.

The 21st Annual
POLISH FILM FESTIVAL

November 6-12

The 21st Polish Film Festival in America, one of Chicago's premier film events, will have over sixty features and documentary films made by Polish filmmakers. Throughout the Festival, audience members will vote for the most interesting feature and documentary film. The winners will receive the "Golden Teeth" Award, chosen by the audience as the most interesting films of the festival. Tickets to the Opening Night Gala will be available on the PFFA website, www.pffamerica.com. Please call 773.486.9612 for additional information.

---

---

SPLINTERS
(Drzazgi)

Utilizing a fragmented narrative, Maciej Pieprzyca's Splinters attempts to find what is common in all of us. This tale follows the lives of three unrelated people - Robert, Marta, and Bartek - living in a small mining town. Robert is a lower-class, former soccer player who now spends his time getting into trouble and supporting his local team. Marta is a wealthy socialite whose perception of the world is confined to the walls of the gated community she lives in. Bartek is characterized by his shrewd ambition which alienates him from his friends and family. In a disjointed chronology reminiscent of films by Krzysztof Kieslowski, we are taken through one momentous day in these people's lives that will change how they see the world. Splinters is an engaging film that stresses the need for empathy, and recognizes the need to look beyond ones' own context.

Directed by Maciej Pieprzyca, Poland, 2008, 103 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Showtime:
Friday, Nov. 6 at 7pm

---

MIRACLE SELLER
(Handlarz cudów)

Stefan is an alcoholic con-man, who parades as a born again Christian selling personal solace for those willing to pay. Through one of his scam sessions he comes across Hasim and Urika, two homeless Russian children trying to find a way to their father living in Lyon. Offering to pay Stefan to drive them to France, the children and Stefan embark on a trip that challenges their perceptions of each other and of themselves. On the way, Stefan battles his alcoholism while the children learn what it means to trust another human being, bringing the three closer together in the midst. A film about finding compassion in the most unexpected circumstances, Miracle Seller is a testament to how caring about others enriches our own life.

Directed by Bolesław Pawica & Jarosław Szoda, Poland, 2009, 104 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Official site        

Showtime:
Friday, Nov. 6 at 9pm

---

THE FOREST
(Las)

Visually stunning in its black and white photography, The Forest takes a look at the intimate relationship between a father and son living together alone in isolation from society. From the animation film master Piotr Dumala comes a quiet piece that looks at the greater implications of ordinary interactions. Dreamlike in its narrative, The Forest draws its viewers into the lonely universe the old man and his son inhabit. Tremendous cinematography of the Polish countryside and wilderness highlight the men's interaction with mortality and contribute to the surreal flow of the film. Dialogue is sparse and the two actors (Stanislaw Brudny and Mariusz Bonaszewski) tell their story with strong physical performances that provoke empathy from the viewers. This pensive film echoes the stylistic solemnity and emotional strain of family relationships typical of an Ingmar Bergman film. A feature of this year's festival that is not to be overlooked.

Directed by Piotr Dumała, Poland, 2009, 75 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Director bio        

Showtime:
Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 pm

---

THE REBOUND
(Hel)

A confident directorial debut from Kinga Dębska, The Rebound takes us down the bottomless pit of drug addiction through its main character Piotr, a successful psychiatrist with a history of heroin addiction. Years since his last relapse, Piotr now juggles his stressful work at the hospital with maintaining his second marriage and re-connecting to his estranged son. Things seem to be going well on all fronts until one night Piotr has to treat a junkie in withdrawal, and is reminded of his old days. Debska follows the effects of Piotr's downward spiral, showing the inevitable dissolution of his relationships with those closest to him. A heart-wrenching film that shows the tragedy of a good man compelled to do wrong at the cost of everything he holds dear.

Directed by Kinga Dębska, Poland, 2009, 84 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Director Kinga Dębska and producer Zbigniew Domagalsk will be in attendance.
A Q&A will follow the screening.

Showtime:
Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 pm

---

NEVER SAY NEVER
(Nigdy nie mów nigdy)

Ama is a career woman who never lets emotion or men get in the way of what she wants. A highly motivated businesswoman whose past pains have hardened her to relationships, we find Ama secretly plagued by a desire to be a mother and open herself up. The film follows her struggle with adoption and pregnancy, as she tries to redefine herself and her perception of others. Forcing her to reconcile the two lives she wants to live, Never Say Never looks at the modern woman's problems and emphasizes the need to forgive oneself and not stick to rigid social roles.

Directed by Wojciech Pacyna, Poland, 2009, 102 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Director Wojciech Pacyna and starring actress Anna Dereszowska will be in attendance.

Trailer (in Polish)        

Showtime:
Saturday, Nov. 7 at 9 pm

---

POPIELUSZKO, FREEDOM IS WITHIN US
(Popiełuszko. Wolność jest w nas)

Popieluszko, Freedom Is Within Us, a biopic about the heroic priest, Jerzy Popiełuszko, whose anti-communist rhetoric during his career led to his eventual assassination in 1984. A look at the man beyond the politics, the film tracks Popiełuszko's life from his childhood to his rise in popularity and conflict with the Communist authorities. His public criticism of the government made him a spiritual voice of the people, leading to his central role in mass protests. As his persona grew, those in power fired back, doing everything in their means to discredit and ruin him. Popieluszko forged ahead with his agenda while evading plots that threaten his life. Played magnetically by Adam Woronowicz, the viewer is given the picture of a man whose charisma and integrity inspired the general will in Poland for a better country and life.

Directed by Rafal Wieczynski, Poland, 2009, 149 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Director Rafal Wieczynski, producer Julita Świercz-Wieczyńska and cinematographer Grzegorz Kędzierski will be in attendance.
A Q&A will follow the screening.

Trailer     Wikipedia: Popiełuszko        

Showtime:
Sunday, Nov. 8 at 3 pm

---

REVISITED
(Rewizyta)

Master filmmaker Krzysztof Zanussi returns behind the camera with Revisited, a pastiche of sorts that connects four of his earlier works filmed at different points throughout his career. A fake documentary filmed within the world of Zanussi's characters, it looks at where they have all gone since the endings of their own movies. Stefan (from A Heart in the Palm) interviews other past Zanussi characters (all played by their original actors), trying to make sense of his own story. This pseudo-sequel acts as a directorial self-reflection, while managing to also create a new dialogue between Zanussi and his audience. Incorporating actual footage from the films, this piece convinces us that his characters have lived alongside us all these years, and continues the philosophically poignant discussions that were then introduced. Zanussi has seemingly set his characters free and has now allowed us to view them in the wild. Truly a picture that plays with the form of cinema and asks what it means to bring a character to life on film.

Directed by Krzysztof Zanussi, Poland, 2009, 90 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Trailer        

Showtime:
Sunday, Nov. 8 at 6 pm

---

SNOW WHITE RUSSIAN RED
(Wojna Polsko-Ruska)

A high energy examination of a man coping with relationships and mortality, Snow White and Russian Red follows Yoddo Wormski, a low level criminal who slides through Warsaw's underbelly, finding himself in various Kafkaesque situations. Adapted from Dorota Maslowska's post-modern novel, the film voices the problems and confusion of youth in an urban environment. As we follow Yoddo through Dorota's in-film narration, director Xavery Źuławski challenges narrative convention with highly stylized visuals and special effects. Borys Szyc is enthralling as the crass yet overly thoughtful and often comedic Yoddo, moving aimlessly around Warsaw as he worries about his recent break-up with the beautiful Magda. The picture has already polarized audiences, and whatever one's verdict may be, this is undoubtedly a film with clearly articulated vision of the world.

Directed by Xawery Źuławski, Poland, 2009, 108 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Producer Jacek Samojłowicz will be in attendance for a Q&A following both screenings.

Official site     Trailer (in Polish)        

Showtimes:
Sunday, Nov. 8 at 8 pm
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 9 pm

---

HAPPY AFONIA
(Afonia i pszczoły)

Jan Jakub Kolski transports us back to 1953 in his Happy Afonia, the story of a woman and her husband, whose quiet lives in the Polish countryside are interrupted by the arrival of a Russian soldier stationed nearby. Afonia is a sturdy young woman who takes care of her invalid husband, enjoying only the few moments she has to escape with her 9mm camera. Her husband Rafal, a former wrestler who now sits in his wheelchair, barely able to speak, draws pictures of himself in his former glory. The two continue on until an unnamed Russian soldier comes and disturbs this pattern, falling in love with Afonia and seducing her right under her husband's eye. A film about fidelity and sacrifice, Kolski's eye for detail immerses the viewer into a setting that defines a time and place where the desire for love outweighs all else.

Directed by Jan Jakub Kolski, Poland, 2009, 108 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Trailer (in Polish)        

Showtime:
Monday, Nov. 8 at 7 pm

---

LITTLE MOSCOW
(Mała Moskwa)

In the late 1960s, the military moves Russian pilot Yuri and his beautiful wife Vera to the town of Legnica, headquarters for the Soviet Army in Poland. While fraternizing between Russian occupiers and local Poles is strictly controlled, Vera's enchanting performance in a singing contest ignites a deep passion in Polish lieutenant Michal, and the two must choose between loyalty and love. Their love story has a tragic ending, and Yuri and his daughter return to Legnica 30 years later seeking truth and redemption in the past.

Directed by Waldemar Krzystek, Poland, 2008, 113 min. In Russian and Polish with English subtitles.

Trailer     Director bio     Variety        

Showtime:
Monday, Nov. 8 at 9 pm

---

EARTHLY PARADISE
(Droga do raju)

Earthly Paradise is a film about finding happiness within oneself rather than seeking it out. Ela is a single mother making minimum wage at a slaughterhouse, faced with obstacles that prevent her from living a normal life. She loses the people who support her and has to takes on a second job, yet Ela won't allow that to sway her optimism towards life. As she gets into a variety of situations and relationships, her positive nature helps everyone she meets, even causing some to consider her a miracle healer. Filmmaker Gerwazy Reguła endorses the necessity for idealism in a world that is always challenging life. A look at how enduring hopefulness and faith can pay off for those truly deserving it.

Directed by Gerwazy Reguła, Poland, 2008, 90 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Producer Marta Plucińska will be in attendance.
A Q&A will follow the screening.

Trailer (in Polish)        

Showtime:
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7 pm

---

EGO

How far will some men go for a feeling of retribution? Krzysztof Jankowski asks this question in his directorial debut Ego, a tough psychological examination of two men's escalating feud started by a rather innocuous interaction. Karol, a young and shrewd businessman, is bumped on his way into a bus by Marcin, a rough street kid trying to turn his life around. Karol counterattacks by snatching a taxi from Marcin, causing Marcin to be late to work and getting fired. Through a twist of fate Marcin ends up working for Karol, and their mutual vendettas overtake them, to the point of involving their girlfriends and family. Both men become so obsessed with revenge, they lose sight of everything they're sacrificing along the way. An observation of a traditionally male sense of honor, the film looks at how class division and other elements factor into a man's insecurities.

Directed by Krzysztof Jankowski, Poland, 2008, 83 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

Director Krzysztof Jankowski will be in attendance.
A Q&A will follow the screening.

Official site (in Polish)        

Showtime:
Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 pm

---

33 SCENES FROM LIFE
(33 sceny z źycia)

A family of artists is gripped by the sadness of watching its matriarch Basia being eaten away by an untreatable form of cancer. Seeking a more honest depiction of a character in grief, director Małgorzata Szumowska follows one daughter Julia who uses her photography and friends to cope with her family's disintegration, revealing Julia's greater struggle with mortality, and her problematic issues with her husband and family. Her husband puts his work in front of their relationship, her father is always on the verge of an alcoholic relapse, and her siblings don't seem to understand her. The only solace Julia receives is from her friend, the quiet and compassionate artist Adrian. With his help, Julia tries to keep the pieces of her life together. An intimate portrait of familial relations, 33 Scenes from Life is sure to remind everyone of their own emotional complexities.

Directed by Małgorzata Szumowska, German/Poland, 2008, 100 min. In German and Polish with English subtitles.

A moderated Q&A will follow the screening

Official site     Trailer     FIPRESCI        

Showtime:
Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 9 pm

---

CASE UNKNOWN
(Enen)

Borys Szyc portrays psychiatrist Dr. Konstaty Grot, leading the investigation of the past of a disturbed amnesiac in Feliks Falk's new thriller Case Unknown. In the process of trying to clean up the aftermath of the 1996 Wroclaw flooding, Konstaty comes across a patient, Pawel Płocki, with no history and no memory of where he came from. As the idealistic doctor works with Pawel an unlikely friendship develops. Problems arise when this quest interferes with Konstaty's family and position at the hospital. The closer they get to the truth the more Konstaty realizes Pawel has been hidden purposefully and that certain forces would like to keep him that way. An exciting thriller whose protagonist shows the importance of compassion and a sense for human dignity.

Directed by Feliks Falk, Poland, 2009, 95 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

A moderated Q&A will follow the screening

Trailer (in Polish)     Youtube: director interview (in Polish)     Director bio     Variety        

Showtime:
Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 pm

---

I AM YOURS
(Jestem twój)

In times of pain and weakness, people sometimes give in to basic desires which have irreversible consequences. Marta (played wonderfully by Małgorzata Buczkowska-Szlenkier), a thirty year-old doctor, learns this the hard way in Mariusz Grzegorzek's I Am Yours. In the middle of an ugly separation, Marta - in a moment of desperation - falls into the hands of the new groundskeeper Artur. Unbeknownst to Marta, Artur is an ex-con with dangerously obsessive tendencies that become worse when he finds out Marta is pregnant with his child. In a battle over the child's custody, the film introduces a variety of characters all with their own intricacies and neuroses that further complicate Marta's life. A film about unresolved jealousy, resentment and perversion, Grzegorzek never hesitates to pierce into the ugliest corners of the human mind. A stylistically tight and well crafted movie manufactures strong emotion throughout.

Directed by Mariusz Grzegorzek, Poland, 2009, 105 min. In Polish with English subtitles.

A moderated Q&A will follow the screening

Trailer        

Showtime:
Thursday, Nov. 12 at 9 pm

---

Facets Multimedia
1517 W. Fullerton Ave.
Chicago IL 60614
800.331.6197

Sales hours:
    9am-5pm, Mon.-Fri.

Rental hours:
    10am-10pm, Mon.-Sat.,
    12pm-10pm, Sun. & holidays

• Current Schedule
• Films Coming in March
• Films Coming in April

    Archives:

• 2012
  • January 2012
• 2011
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
• 2010
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
• 2009
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
• 2008
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
• 2007
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
• 2006
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
• 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005

CHARLES COLEMAN
Film Programmer for Facets Cinémathèque

Read his feature in the Chicago Reader