FOUR POLISH PRODUCTIONS AT VISIONS DU REEL
Three world premieres in international competitions and a screening of The Guest by Zvika Gregory Portnoy and Zuzanna Solakiewicz. The Burning Lights competition is going to feature the premiere screening of Tomasz Wolski's The Big Chief, whilst the medium and short film competition will see Grzegorz Piekarski and Natalia Pietsch's The Town That Drove Away and Emilia Śniegoska's Double Trouble.
Visions du Reél has been organised in the Swiss city of Nyon since 1969. In its early days, it mainly featured Swiss films and productions from the Eastern Bloc, as they were very difficult for Western European audiences to see. Today, Visions du Reél is one of the largest documentary film festivals in Europe.
The protagonist of Tomasz Wolski's latest documentary is Leopold Trepper, the legendary spy and creator of the Red Orchestra, who in the 1960s and 70s fought for the right to leave Poland. The Big Chief was under constant surveillance, deprived of work and his passport, and struggled against government repression. The international campaign for his release was met with slander and accusations of treason. Only a hunger strike and mounting public pressure led to him finally departing for Israel. His story is one of surveillance, resistance, and perseverance.
Emilia Śniegoska's Double Trouble follows Hanka and Bronka – two women left alone after the deaths of their husbands and the departure of their children. Facing daily life with humour and determination, they fight for their independence and must make a decision that is going to transform their lives. Is the world of these lifelong friends coming to an end?
The Town That Drove Away by Grzegorz Piekarski and Natalia Pietsch portrays Kurds living in the historic village of Hasankeyf who are forced to relocate due to the planned construction of a dam. The stark beauty of Anatolian landscapes surrounds demolished neighbourhoods, which become the stage for a political game that demands obedience and submission. When everything disappears, only a bitter and unsettling sense of dignity remains.
The special Highlights section will feature The Guest by Zvika Gregory Portnoy and Zuzanna Solakiewicz. The main character, Maciek, lives with his family on the Polish side of the border. He has taken in an exhausted Syrian refugee, 27-year-old Alhyder. After regaining his strength, Alhyder is faced with a big question: what now? Where can he go without putting himself or Maciek in danger? A great tension can be felt throughout this sensitive, sharply observant documentary. Without a shred of sensationalism, the camera reads emotions on the faces of the silent Polish family members and their grateful guest. The situation is dire, and a solution remains out of reach. Yet, the film manages to show the warmth of human aid and connection.
The complete programme of the Swiss festival can be found here.