Voice from Another World

A Voice from the Outer World is a fascinating time capsule, transporting us to the fringes of the Polish Film School – this gem definitely deserves to be rediscovered. In the early 1960s, Poland was home not only to a new generation of directors, but also outstanding cinematographers, including the largely forgotten Władysław Forbert. Boasting an unmistakable funereal/antique cabinet atmosphere, his cinematography complements the ambiguous tale of a pair of Kraków crooks receiving or making home visits to see patients in their pre-war homes. Kazimierz Rudzki, known from the TV series Civil War, creates the creepy but also surprisingly empathetic character of Dr Aksamitowski: a poker-faced fraudster and con artist who seems to come to believe in his own miraculous powers. Women in need  (Danuta Szaflarska, Tatiana Czechowska and Marta Lipińska) seek his help which the doctor offers with the support of a pretend medium played by the award-winning Wanda Łuczycka. At Timeless, we ask: how come a great film with such a stellar cast has never made it into the Polish cinematic canon? Come and see for yourself!

Sebastian Smoliński