The Story. Volhynia is painfully candid and a groundbreaking film. Marek Kazubal, Rzeczpospolita

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1 VOLHYNIA 1

2 The Story A small village inhabited by Ukrainians, Poles and Jews in the former Eastern Borderlands of the pre-war Poland. In Spring of 1939 Zofia Glowacka (17) is in love with the Ukrainian boy Petro, but her parents marry her forcibly with much older, rich widower Maciej Skiba. Through Zofia s eyes we witness the unfolding events triggered by the outbreak of the 2nd World War. The life of the village is first affected by the Soviet occupation, then by the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Throughout Germans and their accomplices murder local Jews. Meanwhile Ukrainian hopes for establishing an independent state keep growing, and so does the tension between Polish and Ukrainian neighbors. In the summer of 1943 a wave of brutal ethnic cleansing erupts in Volhynia. Set against this historical backdrop, is Zofia s struggle to save her own life and lives of her children. Volhynia is painfully candid and a groundbreaking film. Marek Kazubal, Rzeczpospolita 2

3 History The film focuses on the tragic episode of the ethnic cleansing that erupted in the Summer of 1943 in the eastern provinces of pre-war Poland (today in the Ukraine). The region was inhabited mostly by the Ukrainian population. Ukrainians treated in pre-war Poland as 2-nd class citizens had a long list of grievances against the Polish state. Following the outbreak of Second World War the area was first occupied by the Soviet Union, then by the Nazi Germany. Germans have frustrated dreams of winning the national independence held by the Ukrainian nationalists. Thus in early spring of 1943 nationalistic Ukrainian Uprising Army started operations against the Soviet partisan units and German military outposts. In the summer a massive wave of attacks against the Polish civilian population has started. This story of an ethnic conflict within the World War is very little known outside Poland. And yet Volhynia is also a story about love love that conquers all barriers in unhuman times. It doesn t judge mutual wrongdoings, it doesn t lead towards any political thesis. It offers a holistic picture of the world in which evil is looking for a way to manifest itself and it finds it. Tadeusz Sobolewski, Gazeta Wyborcza 3

4 Director Wojtek Smarzowski The subject of the genocide in the East is especially important at the time of Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation, because such reconciliation can t be founded on hiding the truth. Forgetting past crimes opens way to new ones. And yet the film is not aimed against Ukrainians or any other nationality. It is aimed against nationalism. Subject is not merely local. It is universal. At the very same time when the Russian-Orthodox priests were blessing axes, saws and pitch-forks of UPA (Ukrainian Uprising Army) fighters, in the Balkans Catholic priests were blessing knives of Croatian Ustaše. This film must boil with emotions. But I also know it has to be made wisely. It is my ambition to build a bridge, not the wall. To make a film about love in unhuman times, which conquers all barriers, A film about the value of being humane. I hope, that after seeing this film some viewers will return home only to embrace their children. Volhynia is most likely Wojtek Smarzowski s best film. Krzysztof Polaski, Tele Magazyn 4

5 The Film Volhynia is one of the largest productions of the Polish cinematography in recent years. It was shot from the Fall of 2014 to the Spring of 2016 in 5 shooting periods numbering 80 shooting days altogether. The script called for over 130 named characters. The film was shot on multiple locations in Poland, including 4 open-air museums and still involved a huge set construction and CGI work. The budget of the film was 4.5 mil Euro. Production was preceded by a very extensive research not only regarding historical issues but also focusing on the material culture, folk customs and folk music of the province. Special attention was paid to reconstruct in dialogues local dialects of Polish and Ukrainian spoken at the time in the area. As a result a very true portrait of the world which does not exist anymore was obtained. The film is meant to be a warning against dangers of nationalism, reminding us to what a man obsessed with an ideology and having proper means to his disposal is capable of. Unfortunately this theme remains universal and actual. This film is a study of evil, and therefore Smarzowski appears to me as a contemporary cinematographic Dostoyevsky. Paweł Siennicki, Polska The Times 5

6 Crew Director: Screenplay: Photography: Art. Director: Editing: Music: Sound: Civilian Costumes: Military Costumes: Makeup: VFX - CGI: Producers: Wojtek Smarzowski Wojtek Smarzowski inspired by Hatred, a collection of short stories by Stanisław Srokowski Piotr Sobociński jr. PSC Marek Zawierucha Paweł Laskowski PSM Mikołaj Trzaska Jacek Hamela, Katarzyna Dzida-Hamela Wanda Kowalska, Paweł Grabarczyk Magdalena Rutkiewicz-Luterek Agata Drozdowska Ewa Drobiec, Daria Siejak Paweł Tybora, Magdalena Strękowska, Konrad Dąbrowski, Paweł Krupa, Szymon Krupa Dariusz Pietrykowski, Andrzej Połeć, Feliks Pastusiak 6

7 Production Manager: Production Company: Coproducers: Cofinancing: Paweł Bareński Film It National Audiovisual Institute, Denaro, Canal+ Poland, Bemar, Polish Public Television TVP S.A., Andrzej Łudziński Productions, Odra Film, National Centre for Culture, OXY Net The Polish Film Institute, Lower Silesia Voivodship, City of Wrocław, Lubelskie Voivodship Cast: Michalina Łabacz Arkadiusz Jakubik Vasili Vasylyk Adrian Zaremba Lech Dyblik Jacek Braciak Iza Kuna Oleksandr Chesherov Janusz Chabior Iryna Skladan Zofia Skiba Petro Antek Wilk Hawryluk Głowacki Głowacka Mykoła Melnyczuk father Joseph Olga Hapyna 7

8 Maria Sobocińka Oleksandr Zbarazkyi Gieorgii Povolotskyi Matylda Krajewska Ignacy Sut Gabriela Muskała Andrzej Popiel Beata Łuczak Oles Fedorchenko Luydmyla Honcharowa Serhiy Bachyk Volodymyr Protsiuk Tomasz Sapryk Wojciech Zieliński Etel Szyc Jarosław Gruda Przemysław Strojkowski Ignacy Klim Daniel Garbacz Wiktor Madejczyk Hela Wasyl Huk miller Marysia Skiba Franek Skiba Bronka Romek Głowacki żona Hawryluka Iwan Huk Petro s sister Andrij Orłyk Izaak Meltzer Chmura Chajka Meltzer Lisowski Ołeś Hawryluk Mosiek Kac Jasiek 1941 Jasiek 1943 Wojtek Smarzowski s Volhynia appears as one of the most important Polish movies in recent years. Jakub Demiańczuk, Gazeta Prawna.pl 8

9 Technical specs: Country of production: Year of production: Length: Languages: Subtitles: Format: Sound: Poland min. Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, German, Yiddish English 1:2,35, color Dolby 5.1 9

10 Festivals and Awards World premiere September 23, 2016 at the Gdynia Polish Films Festival Theatrical release in Poland October Polish Box Office 1.4 mil viewers International premiere Vilnius IFF March 25, 2017 Major Awards 41st Gdynia Polish Film Festival 2016 The Best Cinematography Piotr Sobociński jr. The Best Actor s Debut Michalina Łabacz The Best Makeup Ewa Drobiec Eagles 2016 Awards of the Polish Film Academy 14 nominations 9 wins: The Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Music, Best Sound, Best Costumes, Best Editing, Audience Award OFF Camera IFF 2017 Best Picture in the Polish Films Competition Best Actor Arkadiusz Jakubik Golden Film Award of the Polish Chapter of FIPRESCI 10

11 Wojtek Smarzowski Bio & Filmography Studied at the Department of Cinematography of the Film School in Lodz. Started his career successfully directing music videos. Directed several TV dramas and TV series. Debuted as feature film writer and director with The Earlobe in Writer and director of The Wedding (2004) and The Dark House (2009). Director of The Rose (2011). His films won over close to 100 film festival awards. Major Filmography 2016 Wołyń / Volhynia Screenwriter & Director 2013 Anioł / The Angel Screenwriter & Director 2013 Drogówka / Traffic Department Screenwriter & Director 2011 Róża / Rose Director 2009 Dom Zły / The Dark House Screenwriter (co-author) & Director 2004 Wesele / The Wedding Screenwriter & Director 1998 Malżowina / The Earlobe Screenwriter & Director 11

12 For Festival and sales inquiries please contact: Feliks Pastusiak Mobile no: at Film it Ltd. 32 Rozana Street Warsaw, Poland Tel: , Fax: Pictures copyright note: Krzysztof Wiktor/Film it 12