Malgorzata Foremniak Movies
As directed by Jacek Filipiak, the action-infused Polish thriller Crown Witness dramatizes the meeting of two men, each of whom harbors a deep-seated and potentially explosive agenda. One, a reporter, must guard a potentially incriminating secret from his past, while his subject, a reformed Mafioso, prepares to put his life on the line by testifying against his mob associates. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pawel Malaszynski, Robert Wieckiewicz, (more)
- 2003
Director Jerzy Hoffman brings one of Poland's most famous legends to the screen with this tale of a cruel prince determined to hold onto power, and a brave young warrior who longs to marry a beautiful princess. The time was the 9th Century, and various Slavic tribes wandered the land that would later be known as Poland. As opposed to praising a single deity that united them all, each tribe worshipped their own distinct god. Popiel was a cruel prince who, along with his scheming wife, nefariously plotted to find a means of passing control of the land to their sun and heir. Recognizing the crimes that he is ordered to carry out in order to make this transition of power possible, the commander of Popiel's army - a noble soul named Piastun - decides to part ways with the corrupted ruler. But Popiel strikes back at Piastun with such ferocity that the prince's former aid nearly loses his life. Nursed back to health by a young hunter and warrior named Ziemowit Pastowic, Piastun ultimately makes a full recover. Ziemowit has only recently returned to his homeland after years of sailing the sea with Vikings, and now he has fallen for a pretty merchant's daughter named Dziwa. Later, as Ziemowit asks for Dziwa's hand in marriage, he is devastated to learn that her controlling father Wisz is determined to ensure that his daughter will become a high priestess in a local temple. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michal Zebrowski, Malgorzata Foremniak, (more)
Jasiek (Zbigniew Zamachowski of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors: White) is a former teacher, and the caretaker of a farm in the Polish countryside. He seems to lead a fairly uneventful life. But then Mala (Ola Proszynska), a rebellious ten-year old girl, runs away from her wealthy home and comes to hide out on his farm, bringing along her pet eagle. Soon, Jasiek is visited by the girl's mother (Malgorzata Foremniak) who threatens him, and her father (Andrzej Chyra), who insults him. They both insist that Jasiek use his influence over their daughter to get her to return home. When he's unable to convince the willful kid to move out, he finds himself in danger of losing his meager livelihood. He has to work out some kind of a deal with Mala and her parents. In the meantime, some friends visit from the city and throw a lively little party on the farm. Squint Your Eyes, writer-director Andrzej Jakimowski's debut feature, won a FIPRESCI Special Mention at the 2002 Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival "for a promising debut, presenting a variety of well observed characters in a poetic yet realistic setting." The film had its U.S. premiere at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zbigniew Zamachandowski, Ola Proszynska, (more)
One of the most expensive Polish films ever made, Jerzy Kawalerowicz directs the ancient Roman filmmaking staple Quo Vadis. This remake follows in the style of the MGM Hollywood epic directed by Mervyn Le Roy in 1951. Set in 64 A.D., the story begins with officer Marcus Vinicius (Pawel Delag) returning to Rome to relax with his uncle Petronius (Boguslaw Linda), who works for Emperor Nero (Michal Bajor). Vinicius becomes interested in Jesus when he goes to a Christian gathering in order to see his sweetheart Lygia (Magdalena Mielcarz). Emperor Nero is opposed to the Christians, which leads the way to a firey, explosive, and violent conclusion. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pawel Delag, Magdalena Mielcarz, (more)
Following up on his cult anime masterpieces Patlabor 2 and Ghost in the Shell, Mamoru Oshii makes his live-action debut with this virtual reality thriller set in a near-future cyberpunk wasteland, in which the youth of an unnamed central European nation are enthralled with violent and illegal virtual reality computer games. Ash (Malgorzata Foremniak) is a ruthless "Class A" fighter and reigning queen of the games. She's itching to move to the next level of playing. Aside from her gaming, she lives a loner's life with her pampered dog. She learns from a former team member, Stunner (Bartek Swiderski), that former game master Murphy (Jerzy Gudejko) was crippled after entering the game's most rarified level, "Special A." The level is only accessible under the right set of unusual circumstances. Once admitted, there is only one way out -- to win. Ash can't wait to prove herself and conquer the game. This film was screened at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Malgorzata Foremniak, Wladyslaw Kowalski, (more)
A Jewish boy struggling to survive the Nazi pogrom during World War II finds an unexpected ally in this period drama. As Nazi troops invade Poland, a young boy from Krakow named Romek (Haley Joel Osment) is given to friends by his parents, who smuggle him out of town in hopes of saving him from the advancing armies. Romek is taken to a rural community, where a sympathetic farming family has agreed to put him up, under the pretense that he's a nephew whose parents have fallen ill. Thanks to his blonde hair and blue eyes, Romek is able to blend in with the largely Catholic townsfolk, though a few of the neighbors become quite suspicious when Romek appears not to know elementary prayers and church procedures. The priest (Willem Dafoe) of the neighborhood's church becomes aware of Romek's secret, and is sympathetic to the boy's problems, so in secret, he coaches Romek in basic catechism, while remaining mindful of the lad's Jewish heritage. But while Romek is getting better at fooling others into believing he's Catholic, he can't escape the signs of the devastation that the Nazi onslaught has wrought against his people. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Haley Joel Osment, Willem Dafoe, (more)
