THE QUEEN OF SILENCE

POLISH TITLE: KRÓLOWA CISZY

The film tells the story of a 10 years old deaf gypsy girl, living at an illegal settlement in Poland. As the whole community faces the threat of eviction, brutal attacks from the neighbours and extreme poverty – Denisa tries to find her own way to deal with the hardships of everydaylife.One day, going through the local dumspters in search of clothes and wood, Denisa fidns a box of Bollywood films. Ever since fascinated by the glamour world she sees on a small TV (whenever her parents can afford fuel as there is no electricity at the settling) Denisa is making her own Bollywood clothes and rehearsing dance choreographies untill she reaches perfection. Day by day she brings other kids from the settling into her magic world. Our film has two layers -strictly observational documentary and musical shot in Bollywood style. The musical sequences are the opposite of what we see in the real world (however they have their beginnings in the documentary ones). In the musical Denisa can become anyone she wants – even a Queen that has power over people that treat the gypsy children really badly. After finding an old plastic crown Denisa moves into the magic world of dance and imagination.

GENRE:

documentary / fiction

COUNTRYI:

Poland, Germany

RUNNING TIME:

80'

YEAR:

2014

COLOUR:

kolorowy

DIRECTING:

Agnieszka Zwiefka

SCRIPT:

Agnieszka Zwiefka

DOP:

Armand Urbaniak

EDITOR:

Hansjörg Weißbrich, Thomas Ernst

MUSIC:

Cocorosie, Dani Pintul Banatului, Jessica de Rooij

PRODUCER:

HBO Poland, Chilli Productions, Ma.ja.de., Odra Film, ARTE/ZDF