Dominika Ostalowska Movies
- 2007
With the Polish-language drama Hope (2007), scribe and longtime Kieslowski collaborator Krzysztof Piesiewicz resurrects the tone, feel and themes of their classic Decalogue, by scripting a highly cerebral meditation on morality and ethos. Rafal Fundalej stars as Francis, a clever idealist who works in a church alongside his janitor dad. Late one night, Francis borrows his girlfriend Clare's (Kamilla Baar) video camera, to catch a dangerous art thief, Benedict (Wojciech Pszoniak) lifting an ancient tile from the building. Before long, the young man reaps the vengeance of the burglar, who blows up Francis's car as an obvious and vitriolic threat; the latter merely demands that the culprit replace the artifact and replace the vehicle. Meanwhile, a slightly oafish cop, Sopel (Zbigniew Zamachowski) learns of the goings-on and closes in on Benedict himself. Stanislaw Mucha directs. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rafal Fundalej, Kamilla Baar, (more)
- 1999
Lech Majewski, a poet and screenwriter for Basquiat (1996), directs this stylized biopic of Polish rebel Rafal Wojaczek, who became the stuff of folklore after his spectacular 1971 suicide. Drunk and depressed, Wojaczek walks through windows, jumps from two story buildings, and gets into frequent fights. Though he has frequent sexual dalliances with the nursing staff during his recurrent trips to the hospital, his true love remains his poetry. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dominika Ostalowska
Jerzy Stuhr scripted, directed and plays four roles in this Polish comedy about four men -- an army officer, a college instructor, a priest, and a drug dealer -- and their relationships with four females. An attractive student (Dominika Ostalowska) puts the teacher in an awkward spot when she reveals her love for him. An 11-year-old (Karolina Ostrozna) informs the priest that she's his daughter. The army officer is pleased when confronted by a past lover (Irina Alfiorowa). The drug dealer, taken prisoner, must decide whether or not to trust his wife (Katarzyna Figura) with his hidden loot. In the wrap-up, the elderly accountant (Jerzy Nowak) passes judgment on all four men. Stuhr acted in films by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, who had some input here by offering advice to Stuhr on this screenplay. Shown at the 1997 Venice Film Festival, this film is also known as Love Stories. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerzy Stuhr, Dominika Ostalowska, (more)
Outwardly Janos and Erno Witman seem like typical middle class teens, but beneath their facades of normalcy, the two are deeply disturbed and obsessed with the nature of sex and death. Leaving much to the viewer's imagination, this horrific and highly atmospheric tale begins in a small Hungarian town in 1914. The brothers live a happy, well-adjusted life until their father, a tax inspector, suddenly dies in terribly painful manner. After the funeral, Janos and Erno pay a nighttime visit to his grave and begin reflecting on death. They spy a big owl which they capture. On the way home, they find a dog tied up outside a bar and steal it. Six months pass. When their biology teacher dissects a frog in class one day, the two renew their fascination with death and begin experimenting on their pets -- their experimentation occurs off-camera. Their lives become even stranger when Janos becomes obsessed with a young prostitute. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
