Murder. Adultery. Theft. Those are three of the themes explored in the first half of the 2016 Polish Film Festival. Organized by the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies, it begins Thursday, September 29.
Part One of the festival features The Decalogue, a series of one-hour films, each based on one of the Ten Commandments. The event commemorates the 20th anniversary of the death of director Krzysztof Kieślowski, who also helped write the screenplays. Shown at the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum over a period of five weeks, the films explore timeless moral themes without trying to provide ultimate solutions.
“Everyone seems to accept the Ten Commandments as a kind of moral basis,” Kieslowski once said, “and everyone breaks them daily. Just the attempt to respect them is already a major achievement.”
The festival, now in its ninth year, presents classic Polish cinema, as well as contemporary works produced by the newest generation of the country’s filmmakers.
“The festival showcases Polish culture, not only for people with Polish roots, but for the entire Rochester community, as well as Upstate New York,” says organizer Bozena Sobolewska, an administrative assistant at the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies.
Part Two of the festival begins November 2 at the Dryden with a thriller about interlocking events in the lives of a Warsaw hot dog vendor, a sleazy film director, and a drug runner. 11 Minutes takes place during 11 tense minutes, ending with an explosive climax.
The remainder of the festival’s films, to be shown at The Little Theatre, involve stories of history, drama, and romance.
The Innocents (November 3, 7 p.m.) set during World War II, deals with the struggle to keep one’s faith in the most difficult of situations.
The Eccentrics: The Sunny Side of the Street (tentatively scheduled for November 4, 7pm). It tells the story of Fabian, a jazz musician who returns to Poland and starts a wildly successful swing big-band. It’s a story of freedom, fun, and distraction from gray daily life in the shadows of secret police and corrupt officials.
Generations (November 5, 3 p.m.), a docudrama, takes filmgoers from the Nazi occupation of Poland, through the period of Stalinist terror, martial law in Poland, and finally, the elections of 1989.
Siberian Exile (November 5, 7 p.m.) is an epic tale of Poles, Ukrainians, and Jews who are deported to Siberia during World War II. The story is told from the perspective of a young boy who is forced to reevaluate his life and grow up more quickly.
History in Moving Pictures: The Introduction of Christianity A.D. 965 (November 6, 3 p.m.) takes people inside Jan Matejko’s painting to witness an event usually considered the beginning of Polish history.
The documentary 303 (November 6, 3 p.m.) showcases three pilots who recount the participation of Poles in the Battle of Britain’s air battle between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force.
Karski & the Lords of Humanity (November 6, 7 p.m.) makes use of archival materials and animated sequences in telling story of a man who travels to Great Britain and the United States to report on the disastrous situation of Jews under German occupation.
The festival closes with Planet Single, a romantic comedy that tells (November 7, 7 p.m.) the story of a not-very-confident teacher who turns to online dating sites to find the perfect man.
Among the guests at this year’s festival will be Janusz Zaorski, a screenwriter, director and film producer; and Sławomir Grϋnberg, an Emmy Award-winning documentary producer, director, cameraman, and cinematographer.
About the Festival
The Polish Film Festival is sponsored and supported by the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies, the Polish Film Institute, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York, the Polish Filmmakers Association, and the Polish Heritage Society of Rochester. Tickets can be purchased at the Dryden Theatre before the screenings: $8 for general admission, $6 for members, and $4 for students. Tickets can also be purchased at the Little Theatre box office beginning October 3: $9 for regular admission and $7 for students and seniors. For details, contact the Skalny Center at 585.275.9898. All films are shown with English subtitles.
The full schedule can be found on the Polish Film Festival 2016 website.
