Jaroslaw Kopaczewski Movies
- 1985
A mood of hopelessness subtly pervades this simple story about an equally subtle injustice, the kind that can so easily be attributed to the "system" instead of any single human being. Jozef (Mariusz Dmochowski) is a 60-year old invalid, disabled because of the nature of his work at a factory, who travels to his former steel plant to join in the celebration of its 30th anniversary. Jozef expects to receive an award for his years of service, but when the names of the recipients are read, he is not among them. The oversight occasions an investigation which seems to show that since Jozef did not accept a desk job at the plant after his disability, he is undeserving. Meanwhile, his son and daughter-in-law, who is nine months pregnant with a second child, have just received an eviction notice. The family cannot stay in the apartment belonging to the father because the son left the steel mill and got another job, disqualifying his apartment permit. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mariusz Dmochowski, Jaroslaw Kopaczewski, (more)
- 1982
Originally titled Przesluchanie, the Polish The Interrogation is rough sledding for anyone looking for an "easy" film about political oppression. Cabaret entertainer Krystyna Jadna has a habit of dallying sexually with high-ranking military officers. As a result, she is imprisoned and subject to a vicious interrogation by the secret police, who are convinced that Jadna's brief affair with an army major has fomented an anti-government movement. For 158 grueling minutes, we are shown the lengths to which Jadna's questioners will go to extract their notion of the truth-and the lengths to which the woman will go to cling on to her remaining shreds of dignity. Filmed in 1982, The Interrogation was almost immediately banned in Poland. It was not given an international release until 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Krystyna Janda, Janusz Gajos, (more)
- 1981
Designed by a shameless official as an anti-capitalist propaganda crusade, a three-day marathon race is sabotaged by a dissident who steals the running shoe of the hand-picked favorite. Budny and Stolar are two particular contestants who are highlighted here. Budny is a man with a hidden agenda; his father is held prisoner by the militia and Budny wishes to run the race in order to get close enough to the president -- who will present the awards to the winners -- to make a plea for his father's release. Conversely, Stolar is a self-serving loser who finagles his entry into the race and then turns his lecherous attention to a young woman working for the Party. A vicious indictment of Polish Communist Party officials of the Stalinist era, this symbolic film remained on the shelf for six years before being officially released to appear at the Sydney Film Festival in 1987. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tadeusz Bradecki, Jaroslaw Kopaczewski, (more)
- 1978
Polish writer/director Janusz Kidawa makes his feature directorial debut with this award-winning drama about three construction workers who share a tiny inner-city apartment while working with a crew that's building a new factory. Later, when the foreman is fired for neglecting his job, it becomes increasingly dificult for the group to maintain any semblance of normalcy. Though the trio does their best to keep the production of the factory on track, their growing dissatisfaction and eroding moral values soon takes too heavy a toll to bear. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pejzaz Horyzontalny, Mieczyslaw Hryniewicz, (more)
