By Brett DeNeve:
Canisius College kicked off its seventh annual Polish Film Festival today with a commencement mass in Christ the King Chapel last evening. A screening of Jerzy Popieluszko: Messenger of Truth (2012), written and produced by Paul Hensler, followed the commencement. This film encapsulates the true story of Solidarity-era martyr Jerzy Popieluszko and his uphill battle for human rights.
If you missed the screening, don’t worry – the actual festival is scheduled later in the week. The Festival is sponsored by The Permanent Chair of Polish Culture at Canisius. Tickets for all screenings are $10 for general admission and $5 for seniors and students. Minus the happenings on Monday, all screenings will be held at the Montante Cultural Center. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
Thursday, November 14 holds a screening of Moj Rower (My Father’s Bike, ’94 2012), directed by Piotr Trzaskalski, at 7:30 p.m. Especially recommended for any lover’s of jazz, this comedy/drama entails a retired musician’s wife leaving him and the family chaos that ensues. Artur Popek will have some of his recent paintings on display prior to the film at 6 p.m. This exhibit will be free of charge. Followed by:
Pokłosie (Aftermath,120’, 2012)
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Montante Cultural Center
7:30 p.m.
Directed by Władysław Pasikowski
Shields Against Evil, Popek’s collection, will also be on display for an opening reception Friday at 5:30 p.m. Popek is chair of the Department of Art at the M. Curie-Sklodowksa in Lubin and also serves as art director for the Society of Arts in Chicago. He designs prints and makes illustrations for books/magazines, including Nowy Dziennik in New York City. Popek himself will be present for this reception ceremony.
Pan Tadeusz (124’ 1928), directed by Ryszard Ordynski, will be screened at 7:30 p.m. This is a silent movie based on an epic poem by Adam Mickiewicz; the film has been modified from its original three-hour long version. There will be live music provided by Marcin Pukaluk and the program is presented in collaboration with the National Cinematheque in Warsaw.
Saturday holds a screening of Uklad Zamkniety (Close Circuit, 100’ 2013), directed by Ryzard Bugajski, at 7:30 p.m. This film is more of a thriller and is stenciled from real-life experiences of three businessmen who have, in their massive successes, earned the wrath of local officials, leading to a scare of imprisonment. A Q&A is scheduled to follow with both the director and actress Maria Mamoma.
The Festival comes to a close Sunday with a look at Roza (Rose, 98’ 2011) at 3 p.m. Directed by Wojciech Smarzowski, this film tells the trying story of the Mazurian region in the years following World War II.
For more information, feel free to call the Office of Modern Language at (716) 888-2835 or visit the website by clicking here.