Forest
Poland, Czech Republic2024documentary88'Polish Documentary Panorama
Fresh university graduates, Asia and Marek escaped to their own paradise. They bought an old house near the eastern border of Poland, in the Białowieża Forest, the oldest forest of Europe. This is where their children were born: Marysia, Ignacy and Franek. Their life is immersed in nature and the forest is their second home, tamed and trusted. European bison and herds of roe deer often come up to their windows. The kids have a happy childhood, a loving mum and a caring dad. But one day, their forest changes as Strangers and Others show up. Freezing cold, often sick, hungry, lost… Refugees, unwelcome neither in Poland, nor in Belarus. The big politics comes knocking on their door, and the children are unable to cope with that. They have to redefine the notions of good and evil and understand why their mum cries in the forest even though their family keeps helping these strangers…
- directed by
- Q&A guestLidia Duda
Screenwriter and documentary film director. She is a graduate of Culture Studies at the University of Wrocław. She has made a number of recognized documentaries, such as "I Do Not Agree to the World in Which My Characters Live" (2002), "U nas w Pietraszach" (2002), "Hercules" (2004), "Hercules Ventures into the World" (2005) and "The Brothers" (2007). Her awards include the Grand Prix in Canton, the Platinum REMI Award in Houston and the Golden Hobby Horse in Krakow.
- cinematography
- Zuzanna Zachara-Hassairi
- script
- Lidia Duda
- sound
- Krzysztof Ridan
- editing
- Lidia Duda, Filip Stanisławski
- production
- Patryk Sielecki, Michał Ostatkiewicz, Aleksandra Ostatkiewicz (Fundacja Filmowa Lumisenta)
- Photo