Polish Female Documentary Filmmakers: A Set of Short Films
For years, Polish cinema, including documentary filmmaking, was predominantly male-dominated. In the days of the People’s Republic of Poland, very few female directors were known to a broader audience (and only those interested in documentary filmmaking, anyway). Thanks to the digitization of the Warsaw Documentary Film Studio archives, we can now reintroduce the most significant achievements of directors like Maria Kwiatkowska, Irena Kamieńska, Danuta Halladin, and Krystyna Gryczełowska (their works can be seen in the collection of films dedicated to women’s work). Their perspective on reality was distinct, characterized by empathy, insight, and an awareness of the needs of marginalized, forgotten, or overlooked individuals. Just as the achievements of the women behind the camera were most often overlooked.
Jakub Demiańczuk
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partner of the screening
partner of the screening
DATE
April 10, 2024
TIME
3:30 PM
VENUE
Kino Atlantic A
COPY / OTHERS
Q’n’A
Intro
Live music
Debate
DATE
April 15, 2024
TIME
5:00 PM
VENUE
Kino Atlantic A
COPY / OTHERS
- Intro
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– ???
We Build New Villages
ENGLISH TITLE
We Build New Villages
ORIGINAL TITLE
Budujemy nowe wsie
LANGUAGE
Polish
SUBTITLES
English
DIRECTOR
Wanda Jakubowska
DURATION
11 min
YEAR
1946
COUNTRY
Poland
The only documentary directed by Wanda Jakubowska after the war. Suburban Piaseczno serves as a model example of village reconstruction. Propaganda presented in visually captivating film frames.
Jakub Demiańczuk
Us Women
ENGLISH TITLE
Us Women
ORIGINAL TITLE
My, kobiety
LANGUAGE
Polish
SUBTITLES
English
DIRECTOR
Maria Kwiatkowska
DURATION
17 min
YEAR
1965
COUNTRY
Poland
Recollections of women involved in warfare, often on the front lines. A tale of trauma, regained balance, and lost youth.
Jakub Demiańczuk
I Am a Man
ENGLISH TITLE
I Am a Man
ORIGINAL TITLE
Jestem mężczyzną
LANGUAGE
Polish
SUBTITLES
English
DIRECTOR
Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz
DURATION
16 min
YEAR
1985
COUNTRY
Poland
Can a man lead the Women’s League? Only if he is greedy for power like the documentary’s protagonist. An unconventional portrait of a tin-pot dictator.
Jakub Demiańczuk
The Coal Mine
ENGLISH TITLE
The Coal Mine
ORIGINAL TITLE
Kopalnia
LANGUAGE
Polish
SUBTITLES
English
DIRECTOR
Natalia Brzozowska
DURATION
10 min
YEAR
1947
COUNTRY
Poland
A wordless, impressionistic portrayal of mining labor. Initially criticized for formalism, today it captivates with its imagery, lighting, and the musical accompaniment by Kazimierz Serocki[1].
[1] Kazimierz Serocki was a Polish composer and one of the founders of the Warsaw Autumn contemporary music festival.
Jakub Demiańczuk
The Motif
ENGLISH TITLE
The Motif
ORIGINAL TITLE
Motyw
LANGUAGE
Polish
SUBTITLES
English
DIRECTOR
Irena Kamieńska
DURATION
11 min
YEAR
1975
COUNTRY
Poland
A young couple’s move from the city to the countryside, depicting their longing for peace and a better life. Part of a broader trend of provincial documentaries from the 1970s.
Jakub Demiańczuk
Polish Feminists
ENGLISH TITLE
Polish Feminists
ORIGINAL TITLE
Feministki polskie
LANGUAGE
Polish
SUBTITLES
English
DIRECTOR
Grażyna Bryżuk
DURATION
20 min
YEAR
1990
COUNTRY
Poland
The first Polish documentary about the post-transition feminist movement. Reflecting on it today serves as a painful reminder that, for three decades, the situation of women in Poland has changed less than one might think.
Jakub Demiańczuk
