Archive of films King Ubu / Ubu Król

Poland
2003, 95 min

Section: Special Events
Year: 2004

This adaptation of Alfred Jarry’s play about greed and the usurpation of power exposes the absurdities of the present day. Expressionistic in form, grotesque in style, the film accuses the world of humans and politics as a complete degradation of the system through the toleration of corruption and patronage, through the support of ridiculous economic and military projects.

Synopsis

Perhaps young Alfred Jarry never imagined that his King Ubu would be as applicable today as ever. Szulkin’s Ubu corrupts the sympathizing dregs of society with drink; influential fellow citizens he subjugates through zealous officiousness. He then takes the throne in a bloody conspiracy, and from there he primitively and vigorously manipulates the electorate. He promises them democracy and freedom but he and his obtuse and cruel coterie only look after their own personal gain. The reforms put into practice are absurd, the state’s coffers gape with emptiness as does the plundered land, and the impoverished masses are grumbling. The royal couple and their lackeys increase the terror. Then, forced by envoys of a foreign power, he initiates a military campaign against the Russian Tsar and is defeated. The people depose the greedy king and his vulgar queen. Sporting a Stalinesque moustache, the powerful Tsar occupies Ubu’s residence and with the agreement of the envoys installs a new queen who promises to be an obedient puppet. The overthrown Ubu escapes to a neighbouring country. His spirit is buoyed by the assurance that people of his ilk will never vanish. This whirling carnival of senseless malevolence is underscored by songs and perfectly harmonizes with the film’s absurd and timeless stylisation.

About the director

Piotr Szulkin (b. 1950, Gdansk) graduated from a fine arts high school (1970) and then in direction from Lodz’ National Film, Television & Theatre School (PWSFTViT) in 1975. He directs for film, theatre and television, and dabbles in literature as well. He has shot several short films: Everything (Wzystko), The Birth (Narodziny), Working Women (Kobiety pracujące), A Girl with a Devil (Dziewce s ciortem), Charming Eyes (Oczy uroczne) and Meat (Mieso). He has incorporated his original futurological vision, drawn from pessimistic reflections on the continuing decline of humanism, in features with imaginative scenographic solutions: Golem (1979), War of the Worlds (Wojna światów – Następne stulecie, 1981), O-bi, o-ba (O-bi, O-ba. Koniec ciwilizacji, 1985) and Ga, Ga - Glory to the Heroes (Ga, ga – chwala bohateram, 1985); such films gained him several major prizes at home and abroad. After the movie Femina (1991) he returned to his penchant for absurdity, sarcasm and artistic originality in Ubu the King (Ubu Król, 2003). 

Contacts

EURO-FILM
Wolynska 20/3, 60-637, Poznan
Poland
Tel: +48 22 840 5652
Fax: +48 22 840 4909
E-mail: [email protected]

SPI International Poland
ul. Tyniecka 38A, 02-621, Warsaw
Poland
Tel: +48 22 854 0337, +48 22 646 2036
Fax: +48 22 848 4570
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.spi.pl

Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
Pulawska 61, 02-595, Warsaw
Poland
Tel: +48 22 845 4041
Fax: +48 22 845 5586
E-mail: [email protected]

+ 1

About the film

Color, 35 mm

Section:	Special Events

Director:	Piotr Szulkin
Screenplay:	Piotr Szulkin
Dir. of Photography:	Dariusz Kuc
Editor:	Elzbieta Kurkowska
Producer:	Iwona Cichowska
Production:	EURO-FILM, koprodukce / in coproduction with: Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
Cast:	Jan Peszek, Katarzyna Figura, Krzysztof Kowalewski, Zofia Saretok, Maria Ciunelis, Wojciech Siemion, Marek Siudym, Julita Tomasik
Contact:	EURO-FILM, SPI International Poland, Agencja Produkcji Filmowej

Guests

Jolanta Galicka

Festival Consultant, Producer

Katarzyna Figura

Actress

Ivan Hronec

Cinema Representative, Distributor, Festival Organizer, TV Representative

Piotr Reisch

Producer