WHAT THE...HEN

POLISH TITLE: CO DO...KURY?

Łukasz Puczko is one of the most highly valued creators of super-realistic puppets. When plans emerge to build an industrial poultry farm near his home, he decides to protest in the best way he knows – by building a two-metre-tall hen. When the war in Ukraine breaks out, he opens his home to a refugee family. Among them is Sabina, an adolescent who gradually finds a space of safety and creative expression in the puppeteer’s workshop. With time, she becomes his assistant and a continuator of his unique craft. Their relationship – based on trust, patience and mutual curiosity – turns into an intergenerational artistic collaboration. Together they embark on a tour of European puppetry festivals, bringing with them not only their creations, but also a deeply humanistic message about community, art and the power of action.

GENRE:
documentary
COUNTRY:
Polska
RUNNING TIME:
76'
YEAR:
COLOUR:
colour
DIRECTING:
Joanna Deja
SCRIPT:
Joanna Deja
DOP:
Michał Stajniak, Jan Prosiński
EDITOR:
Marcin Piatkowski, Arkadiusz Iwaniuk
CAST:
Łukasz Puczko, Sabina Bohynska
MUSIC:
Stefan Wesołowski
PRODUCTION:
Justyna Kluczewska, Maciek Ostatek

Joanna Deja »

A graduate of the Faculty of Film, Television and Photography at the Academy of Film, Art and Design in Łódź, and film editing at the Film and Television Academy in Warsaw. A participant of Story Lab, the Wajda School, and Doc Development. She has been working in the media for over a decade. Making and editing her own reportages, short films and television programmes, she is also a co-author of screenplays. Her short film “Split”, co-produced by TVP, won almost 20 awards all over the world. “What the… Hen?” is her debut feature-length documentary.