Movie reviews

WATCH DOCS 2023

It took place at Muranów and Kinoteka cinemas and on mojeekino.pl. From March 2024 it had screenings in 30 towns across Poland. 20 films were presented online, 56 in cinemas. All but 2 Polish ones which had been finished just before the festival had English subtitles. Player.pl from 11th to 31st December, showed films from previous editions. With 23 editions so far it's the oldest documentary film festival. And the 2023 edition had a beautiful poster. 

MUR (WALLS)

Watchable. Shown in Poland nearly 3 months after the release of "Zielona granica" ("Green Border"), it looks like a documentary copy of that feature: the same plot, with the addition of  Kasia Smutniak's family and their conversations about walls of Jewish ghettos in WW2. It shows two sides of the problem: volunteers rescuing illegal migrants and Border Guards. Little archive footage is presented, most are conversations and pictures of the same roads, woods and fields, as well as similar houses to those known from "Zielona granica" ("Green Border"). Sadly, the whole thing is awfully protracted, meandering. In spite of the agitating topic, the film appears lacklustre, it lacks dynamics. There's a post-credit which could just as well be in the picture or removed entirely.

The film was completed a year before Agnieszka Holland's feature and never consulted with Agnieszka Holland or that crew. It was made for Italian audience in order to tour the country and discuss with the public. "Zielona granica" ("Green Border") was released in Italy in 2024. Kasia Smutniak, who had been living in Italy for 25 years already, and Marella went without a plan, having learnt how to record. The Border Guards had no idea this documentary would be shot. The shooting took 2 weeks, editing 9 months.