Polonica section: from Poland to America (and back again)
The ties between Polish and American cinema are as long as the history of North American film itself – so let’s go back to 1890... or maybe not. Instead of taking a historical journey this time, we invite you to look at the present: the latest and most intriguing intersections of creative thought from Poland and across the Atlantic. The result of this dialogue is the Polonica section, which features five remarkable films.
Experience Polish-American cinema at the 16th TAURON American Film Festival, taking place November 6–11 at the New Horizons Cinema in Wrocław. On Tuesday, October 21, at 12:00 p.m., we reveal the full festival program, and on Thursday, also at noon, tickets and online access will go on sale.
Family is our strength (or our weakness)
This year’s cinematic “package from my aunt in Chicago” is wonderfully diverse. Among its highlights is the latest film by Jan Komasa – his first Hollywood production, Anniversary, featuring a stellar cast (Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O’Brien). At first glance, the family it portrays seems perfect, but the calm soon unravels when the daughter-in-law begins to uncover long-buried secrets and tensions. Ideological rifts also run through Matylda Kawka’s My Sunnyside. For seven years, the director accompanied a transgender couple, Allie and Joe, in their daily struggles and attempts to build their little oasis in the unfavorable waters of American society and a family that did not fully accept their identity.
Family themes continue in Weronika Mliczewska’s Child of Dust. For Sang, the image of his father forms the cultural foundation of his identity – yet he must face his absence. He is far from alone: after the war, Vietnam became home to thousands of children fathered by American soldiers. What, for them, is the cornerstone of their sense of self, remains for their fathers a painful reminder of the war’s trauma. Can these two perspectives ever meet? Or is reconciliation just an impossible dream?
And speaking of dreamers – Eleni, the protagonist of Agnieszka Świercz’s Rocket Girl, truly aims high. You could say the sky’s the limit, but for this sixteen-year-old space enthusiast, her ambitions soar far beyond. After moving to a new city and changing schools, she becomes president of the school’s rocket club. Yet her drive and passion are constantly tested by the down-to-earth reality of navigating a male-dominated world of science and technology.
Staying among the stars: Charli XCX made her debut alongside Lena Góra in Pete Ohs' latest film. And this debut took place on Polish soil, because it is in Warsaw that Nel (Lena Góra) and Bethany (Charli XCX) meet. An old acquaintance blossoms anew, and the supporting role of our capital city delights patriotic hearts. Just as we are delighted by the fact that Erupcja is the brainchild of our US in Progress program. Everything stays in the family.
Anniversary, dir. Jan Komasa
When a new member joins an influential family, their world turns into a nightmare. The first Hollywood feature by Jan Komasa, director of the Oscar-nominated Corpus Christi, as well as the hits Warsaw 44 and Suicide Room.
Erupcja, dir. Pete Ohs
Does love always have to border on madness? Bethany (Charli XCX) has a partner who intends to propose to her on a trip, but a volcanic eruption changes their plans. They’re stranded in Warsaw, which means one thing for Bethany: Nel (Lena Góra), who fascinates her, is somewhere nearby.
My Sunnyside, dir. Matylda Kawka
Allie and Joe are a loving couple living in New York’s Sunnyside. Their wedding, however, exposes deep family tensions surrounding their transgender identity. Kawka’s debut film offers insight into the sources of non-acceptance and systemic barriers, but above all, it is a story of love and the everyday reality of being oneself.
Rocket Girl, dir. Agnes Swiercz
The spectacular footage of rocket launches in the Mojave Desert that opens Agnes Swiercz’s debut documentary lets us briefly lift off from the ground – and glimpse the world through the eyes of its protagonist. Sixteen-year-old Eleni is passionate about technology and space, and her goal is to win a competition for the best rocket model.
Child of Dust, dir. Weronika Mliczewska
Thousands of children born to American soldiers live in Vietnam. Sang, one of them, sets out years later to find the father he never met. Child of Dust is a quiet, moving meditation on identity, war’s aftermath, and the fragile hope of reconciliation.
