Official Selection - Competition 2013 / Papusza / Poland 2013
Bronisława Wajs (1908–1987), known as Papusza, is the world’s most famous Romany poet. Her life in Poland is swathed in mystery, and her talent for writing poetry brought her fame. Her own people, however, cursed her for having betrayed the secrets of ancient Romany culture and customs.
Romany poet Bronisława Wajs (1908-1987), known as Papusza, is a Polish legend. Instead of attempting a classical biographical piece, the filmmakers bring to life events that were important both for the destiny of this talented woman, and for the modern history of her ethnic group. The black-and-white photography conjures up a poetic and, in places, raw testimony of the regions travelled by the Romanies before the Second World War and immediately after it. The film also treats the decline of their best traditions, and the physical and moral deprivation they suffered after being forced to abandon their nomadic existence. Although Papusza at various stages of her life remains the focus of the story, it is not until the latter half of the movie that fragments are pieced together to form a picture of her youth, her unhappy marriage, her character and also her custom of setting down her experiences and feelings in verse on scraps of paper. The film moves between several time planes which, while requiring vigilance from the audience, makes for a compelling evocation of the personal tragedy of a woman whose poetic gift brought her fame, but also damnation.
131 min / Black & white, DCP
World premiere
Director Joanna Kos-Krauze, Krzysztof Krauze
/ Screenplay Joanna Kos-Krauze, Krzysztof Krauze
/ Dir. of Photography Krzysztof Ptak, Wojciech Staroń
/ Music Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz
/ Editor Krzysztof Szpetmański
/ Producer Lambros Ziotas
/ Production Argomedia
/ Cast Jowita Budnik, Antoni Pawlicki, Zbigniew Waleryś
/ Contact New Europe Film Sales
Krzysztof Krauze (b. 1953, Warsaw) studied photography in Łodż (1978) and worked as a director for both Se-Ma-For and Irzykowski studios, and also with TOR (1985-91). For his feature debut New York, 4 AM (1988) he won the Bronze Lion at the festival in Gdansk, where he later won the Special Jury Prize for Street Games (1996). He won a series of awards for The Debt (1999) – Golden Lions and the Critics’ Award in Gdynia, the Eagle Award for Best Direction and Screenplay of the Year, and Best Direction at the Philadelphia IFF. He enjoyed international success (incl. the Crystal Globe at KVIFF 2005 and a Golden Hugo at the Chicago IFF) for My Nikifor (2004), co-written with his wife Joanna Kos-Krauze (b. 1972, Olsztyn), who also co-wrote and co-directed the films Savior’s Square (2005 – Golden Lions at Gdynia and competition screening at KVIFF 2007) and Papusza (2013).
New Europe Film Sales
Puławska 152/5, 02-670, Warsaw
Poland
Phone: +48 609 804 296, +48 600 173 205
E-mail: [email protected]
Joanna Kos-Krauze
Film Director, Producer, Screenwriter
Jan Naszewski
Sales Agent
Katarzyna Siniarska
Sales Agent
Jowita Budnik
Actress
Antoni Pawlicki
Actor
Zbigniew Waleryś
Actor
Lambros Ziotas
Producer
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