Who is The Big Chief from Tomasz Wolski’s documentary? A distinguished Polish spy of Jewish heritage or an ambiguous double agent? And who is the The Gardener, the Buddhist & the Spy from Håvard Bustnes’ film – an idealist or a cynical player? Both titles have been invited to the International Documentary Competition at the 65th Krakow Film Festival.
“For several years now, Wolski has been combing through archives, writing his version of history through brilliant editing. He reaches for widely known stories but interprets them in his own distinctive way. This time he uncovers a forgotten yet utterly fascinating character. Bustnes employs the poetics of a straightforward TV format but enriches the film with his own dilemmas and limitations, creating a narrative about documentary filmmaking in an age of media ruthlessness and blurred boundaries between truth and fiction”, comments festival director Krzysztof Gierat.
Both titles hold viewers in suspense, despite relying primarily on conversations. Though they feature two entirely different individuals, completely different working methods and distant historical realities, the stakes for Tomasz Wolski’s The Big Chief and Håvard Bustnes’ The Gardener, the Buddhist & the Spy are identical: the Golden Horn in the International Documentary Competition.
Double Agent
A whistleblower or a cynical spy? Who is Rob Moore really? The protagonist of The Gardener, the Buddhist & the Spy spent years producing TV programmes and was also an activist fighting against the international asbestos mafia, who… worked as a spy for the asbestos industry. The man insists that he actually was a double agent, secretly gathering evidence against his own employers. The chance to clear his name ultimately comes in the form of a podcast recorded by two journalists. Director Håvard Bustnes takes part in its production. He not only records interviews with Moore but also accompanies him whilst gardening and during religious practices, attempting to examine him closer and understand his complex character.
The protagonist becomes so ambiguous that instead of answers, we only get more and more questions. The British journalists preparing for the recording are perfectly aware of this. Over time, their information and material gathering about the subject starts to transform into a genuine investigation, where it’s not entirely clear who is deceiving whom.
War Spy
A legendary spy, creator of the Red Orchestra intelligence network. During World War II, he was engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union by collecting and relaying valuable military and political intel about the Third Reich and its allies. After the war, as a Polish Jew, he becomes persona non grata. Yet when in 1968 his fellow worshippers are forced to leave Poland, he is denied a visa. Without work, under constant surveillance, and accused of treason, Leopold Trepper’s only dream is that of emigrating. His Western contacts and interviews given to French journalists are meant to aid him. Unfortunately, this brings even greater slander upon him. The man doesn’t give up; he decides to go on a hunger strike, also influenced by external pressure. His dream of joining his beloved wife Luba and his children and starting a new life in Israel as a family seems within reach.
In The Big Chief, Tomasz Wolski once again dives into archives to tell the fascinating story of a man who, despite repression and surveillance, remains steadfast in his efforts to live in dignity on his own terms.
The International Documentary Competition will feature 15 of the latest films from around the world competing for the Golden and Silver Horns.
Passes for the 65th Krakow Film Festival are now on sale!
The Krakow Film Festival is on the exclusive list of film events qualifying for the Academy Awards® in short film categories (fiction, animation, documentary) and feature-length documentary, the European Film Awards in the same categories, and serves as a qualifying event for the BAFTA Awards.
The Krakow Film Festival is organised with financial support from the City of Krakow, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Polish Film Institute, and the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme. The Polish Filmmakers Association serves as co-organiser.
The 65th Krakow Film Festival will be held from 25 May to 1 June 2025, and online on KFF VOD from 30 May to 15 June.