News

Set in Poland in the year 1670, Netflix’s latest offering of the same name chronicles the account of Jan Pawel, a Polish nobleman. For as long as he could remember, Jan Pawel (Bartlomiej Topa) had only one dream: to go down in history as the most famous man in Poland. Jan had three children: Stanislaw (Michal Balicki), Jakub (Michal Sikorski), and Aniela (Martyna Byczkowska). As for his wife, Zofia (Katarzyna Herman), she wasn’t someone you would call to rejuvenate your boring party. She was more like the lost soul of a dead person, endlessly tormenting a man, as Jan Pawel stated on multiple occasions. They had very little in common except their shared hatred for their neighbor, Andrzej, who owned a bigger half of their village.

Spoilers Ahead

Why Did Jan Pawel Hate Andrzej?

Andrzej was just another landowner, like Jan Pawel, who wanted to raise the taxes given...

History, once characterised by its harsh and painful aspects, can eventually transform into the subject of humour and a wellspring of creative inspiration for artists. War is no exception. In Pray For Peace, Train For War Polish director Agnieszka Elbanowska creates a funny and satirical world that resembles war.

The plot revolves around Tytus, (Michał Sikorski) a young man who becomes a member of the local paramilitary group established by his father (Juliusz Chrzastowski). It is within this group that he crosses paths with Natalia (Kinga Jasik), a notably stronger and more experienced young woman. Tytus' dad is obsessed with the Second World War and endeavors to provide young people with an experience akin to the conflict era. Throughout the film, the director pokes fun not only at the military camp but also at the idea of warfare itself.

The narative is full of humour and punchlines from the start,...

Making a sophisticated satire isn't a one-day job. The authors believe it's always that simple to criticise something or someone without a second thought. No wonder Agnieszka Elbanowska, the director of Pray For Peace, Train For War, a parody about joining Poland's territorial defence force, lost herself in her project.

If other Polish comedies are fueled by shrewdness, Elbanowska’s work is the opposite. In a way, she infantilises an important main subject, which is supposed to function as a warning for future generations. Rather than a coherent narrative line, we follow the metaphysical journey of Tytus (Michał Sikorski), a young teenager dreaming of becoming a soldier. During the practical course, he will learn every “useful” skill to get himself prepared for war, even if one is not supposed to come soon. This simple premise tells it all: Elbanowska hits notes of defiant comedy, condemning the need to cultivate military service.

Dead End is a Netflix thriller comedy series directed by Grzegorz Jaroszuk and Jakub Piatek starring Jasmina Polak, Anna Ilczuk and Michal Sikorski.

A thriller with loads of comedy that manages to find its own eccentric voice.

Premise

Four people are car-sharing when they accidental cross paths with a bank robber on the run.

Dead End (2022) About the Series

An interesting production, that takes from the classic American road-movies and sets it in Poland, with funny and distinctive characters, from the bank robber, to the four car passengers he has to deal with, or who have to deal with him in the this ‘Dead End’ road that is different and peculiar, and will surprise with its casual and lighthearted tone.

In six episodes in which the story unfolds in its own rhythm, and where comedy is successfully meshed with action and strangeness in equal parts. This is a refreshing bet,...

Festival organisers paid tribute to Ukrainian filmmakers at the awards ceremony.

Bartosz Blaschke’s Sonata has been named best film at Sofia International Film Festival, which is staging its first full in-person edition since the start of the pandemic.

The Polish filmmaker’s debut feature picked up the Sofia City of Film Grand Prix as well as the audience award at a ceremony in the Bulgarian capital on Saturday (March 19). The drama is based on the true story of musician Grzegorz Plonka, who was initially diagnosed as autistic before it is discovered he had acute hearing loss.

The feature received...