We know the movie which will open 55.KFF!

“The Dybbuk. A Tale of Wandering Souls” will open the 55th Krakow Film Festival!

This year’s, 55th Krakow Film Festival begins with the film "The Dybbuk. A tale of wandering souls"  directed by Krzysztof Kopczyński. The international première of the film is held during the festival’s opening ceremony, on May 31, 18:00 in Kijów.Centrum. The documentary by Krzysztof Kopczyński will also participate in Polish competition and international documentary film competition.

The film transports us to Uman, currently a Ukrainian city with a hundred thousand inhabitants, which is a sacred place for Hasidic Jews. The rabbi Nachman, one of the most important personages of Hasidism, taught there and was buried there. Every year, tens of pilgrims come here to celebrate together Rosh Hashanah, that is, Jewish New Year. The film shows the tensions, which appear between the pilgrims and the locals. In a poor post-Communist town, which revives thanks to the Jewish guests, also the demons of nationalism and religious intolerance revive, such as dreams about great Ukraine of Cossacks.  The dispute has also the basis in ordinary, everyday life – who can trade in the city and where, which language should be used on billboards and lastly, where one can and where one cannot place a cross.  This is how the author himself talks about his film:

"The Dybbuk. A Tale of Wandering Souls" fot. Witold Krassowski

"This film is very important  both for Jews and for Poles, as well as for Ukrainians," emphasised Krzysztof Gierat, the festival’s director. "It comes in a very important moment in our Polish-Ukrainian relations, and also shows the essential matter of religion – whether and to what extent is it possible to freely express religious feelings on the territory which is not one’s own? The Hasidic Jews coming to Uman believe that they make a pilgrimage here to gain salvation, according to the promise of rabbi Nachman, however, their presence is more and more irritating to the locals." 

The film is accompanied by two events – the photography exhibition by Witold Krassowski in Pauza in Garden – the vernissage is held on June 1,  16:00, and the debate prepared by Tygodnik Powszechny (the hall of the Academy of Fine Arts, June 2, 17.00). Admission free for both associated events.

"The Dybbuk. A Tale of Wandering Souls" fot. Witold Krassowski