Leon Niemczyk

Nightmarish and claustrophobic film from Grzegorz Królikiewicz, one of the most formally radical and innovative Polish filmmakers, yet also one of the least known. Sadly not included in the Polish boxed set of his work, the film shares a little in common with Trier’s Befrielsesbilleder and Lopushansky’s Letters From A Dead Man, along with Ryszard Czekala’s Czlowiek i chleb. Shot almost entirely in darkness with obfuscated framing, it’s difficult to capture film’s unusual beauty in still images, but the densely oppressive atmosphere is overwhelming.Read More »

Story:
A young boy is sent to a boarding school run by an eccentric scientist/magician. He befriends a talking bird named Matt and is told how it lost its human form, Matt was once a boy prince. Touched by the story, our young hero vows to help his feathered friend regain his true identity. The fairytale is based on the eternal conflict between Good and Evil. Good symbolised by Mr Blot means benevolence, understanding of different people and nature. Evil symbolised by Alois Bubble means egotism and thirst for power. But above all Mr Blot’s Academy is always full of fun and humour.Read More »

Quote:
Before he got all famous with movies like Rosemary’s Baby and The Pianist, Roman Polanski created Knife in the Water, his first feature film.

Water is a small but incredibly engaging movie, taking place during a day trip on a Polish lake. In the film, upscale couple Andrzej and Krystyna (Leon Niemczyk and Jolanta Umecka) drive out to the marina to take a little ride on the water, picking up a tenacious, beefcake hitchhiker (Zygmunt Malanowicz, whose character is unnamed in the film) and letting him go along on the trip. Andrzej goes to outrageous lengths to belittle his passenger, as the two men obliquely battle for the attention of Krystyna. It all comes to a head with Andrzej pushing the non-swimming blonde kid into the water, right after tossing his beloved knife into the drink. And there’s more to come after that.Read More »