Movie reviews

LIBERAMI (DELIVER US)

Watchable. Nothing as shocking as what I have heard of from other sources. But worth seeing to understand why people seek this kind of help. The viewpoint of the priests and of the exorcised faithful is presented. Both sides admit "the possessed" are attention seekers. When the faithful have emotional issues or mental ones, e.g. drug abuse, in order to avoid the stigma of frequenting a psychiatrist they turn to exorcists who exhibit the care those troubled folk lack in their daily lives.

The screening was followed by a bizarre conference. Turns out now, in the 21st century, most Polish Catholics believe in possessions so, consequently, find exorcisms useful. The number of exorcists in Poland has grown enormously over the last 20 years. Priest Professor Kobyliński put it down to the pentecostalization of religion and called these practices abuse, to which Mariusz Błochowiak, who publishes monthly "Egzorcysta" ("Exorcist"),  reacted that priests with academic titles "intelectualize religion and negate the fact magic works". Exorcist priest Andrzej Grefkowicz claimed that in Poland it looked different than in the film about Sicily, Italy. Still, he maintained "blessed salt" was necessary in such practices. His proof was going to be a person who before and after being given salt coughed a lot. To me it's a clear effect of sucking, just like with sweets which also stop dry cough temporarily. To him it was a sign that "blessed" salt worked. Priest Kobyliński pointed out that in assessing whether the person needs an exorcism we have to take into consideration development of neuroscience, among others. He explained around 2007 preachers from Asia, Africa, Latin America imported their religiousness to Poland. They are perceived as antiheroes now. Absurds include use of sausage or head cheese to chase away the purported demon of vegetarianism or receiving text messages from Satan. They're amateurs but the changes are so deep that a big part of the Catholic Church takes them for a fact. Blochowiak insisted: "Devil has control over matter" hence text messages from him are "real". Michał Kondrat - the distributor, in the past an exorcist's assistant for 5 years - was against "psychologizing the rituals since they're followed by a healing". Priest Grefkowicz clarified that such people are first directed to a psychologic surgery  by which exorcists work. He confirmed it's hard to persuade a person to visit a psychiatrist. Still, he maintains possession "is always a result of breaking the first commandment". So the person must recant the other gods one by one. Priest Kobyliński saw it rather as destroying and humiliating, he knows of people harmed by exorcists where the prosecutor should step in. He added similar behaviours are exhibited by people when the person is ill, e.g. with Hashimoto's disease. Religions have been blooming since the 1990s, but mainly on the irrational level. Now pentecoastal that is syncretic churches dominate. Priest Grefkowicz, who has exorcised for 19 years, was convinced that what we saw in the movie were "authentic possessions" which he, "with his experience", could recognize immediately. Priest Kobyliński found pulling people by their hair and dredge them with salt were reprehensible, "we have religious illiteracy nowadays". Exorcisms are free of charge both in Poland and in Vatican. I enquired what the "correct" process of exorcisms looked like in Polant. Priest Grefkowicz listed several prayers. I remarked his answer was in opposition to what I had heard of: sexual harassment, torture, resulting even in spine damage. He sneered: "And you believe it?" "If we don't protect them, they can hurt themselves". I didn not continue. What do they protect them from while praying?! He sees the number of active exorcists to be sufficient in many dioceses. Blochowiak commented on the division between a mental illness and a posession: "mixed states are possible" of a mental disease and a possession simultaneously. About priest Kobyliński he said: "wrongly understood rationalism due to a lack of knowledge in the field". Priest Kobyliński asked a valid question: "Why would Satan possess a teenage girl?" "Evil incarnated was what happened in Poland in the beginning of the 20th century." At the same time even priest Kobyliński did not support the idea of a ban on exorcisms.

VIA CARPATIA

Watchable. The road through the south of Europe in search of a refugee presents Europe in a state of devastation, almost war-like. A bleak picture.

KAMERA AKCJA FILM CRITICS' FESTIVAL

I did not attend but from the announcement I know they were going to talk about violence in the film industry in Poland - with Agnieszka Holland and producer Natalia Grzegorzek, about new contemporary cinephiles with Grażyna Torbicka, about technologies. Case-studies were to include "Love Express. Zniknięcie Waleriana Borowczyka" ("Love Express. The Disappearance of Walerian Borowczyk"). A few 10-second screenings were planned too.