This event offers a feast for fans of cult and visionary science fiction works—at the crossing of cinema and comics. The meeting of these two artistic universes revolves around a foundational text of Polish SF: On the Silver Globe by Jerzy Żuławski (1874–1915), a novel written nearly 120 years ago that continues to inspire contemporary creators.

Film screening : On the Silver Globe / Na srebrnym Globie, dir. Andrzej Żuławski, 1987

The first part of the event features a screening of Andrzej Żuławski’s cult film—a legendary work marked by censorship and artistic resistance.

A free adaptation of the book by the director’s great-uncle, the film follows an expedition of astronauts who settle on a foreign planet to found a new civilization. Over time, social structures, beliefs, and rituals emerge, until the arrival of a mysterious messiah disrupts this fragile balance.

Considered by Taste of Cinema one of the best non-Hollywood science fiction films of all time, On the Silver Globe remains one of the most singular and radical projects in film history. Shot between 1976 and 1977, interrupted by authorities, and completed only ten years later, it became a symbol of artistic freedom against political constraints. Both an epic fresco and an intimate reflection, the film questions human nature—the need to believe, the mechanisms of power, and the tension between individual and collective. Filmed notably in the Wieliczka salt mine, the Łeba dunes, and the Gobi Desert without special effects, it impresses with the strength of its visual universe. Its visionary scenography and intensity make it an extraordinary cinematic experience.

Excerpt from a review: Awe is perhaps the word that best describes this monumental work—through its ambition, the richness of its themes, the beauty of its costumes and landscapes, as well as the power of an artistic vision deployed despite numerous constraints, including political ones. 
https://blog.revueversus.com/2025/07/03/sur-le-globe-dargent-dandrzej-zulawski-incontournable/

Andrzej Żuławski (1940–2016) was a director, screenwriter, and writer from an artistic family. He studied philosophy at the Sorbonne and filmmaking at IDHEC in Paris. Assistant to Andrzej Wajda, he debuted with The Third Part of the Night (1971). After the ban on The Devil (1972) and the interruption of On the Silver Globe, he settled in France, where he made films such as The Important Thing Is to Love, Possession, and The Public Woman. His work is characterized by visionary intensity and apocalyptic poetics.

This exceptional science-fiction production will be complemented by an introduction  by Pierre Van Cutsem, a Belgian-Polish translator of Polish literature, PhD candidate at the University of Silesia, and specialist in Polish and Central European fantasy literature. He is the author of translations from Polish to French of Stefan Grabiński’s short story anthology The Mistress of Szamota and Other Fantastic Stories (Le Visage Vert, 2025), as well as of the comic Lunatycy (Les lunatiques, Éditions Blueman, 2025) by Adam Fyda and Marek Ospalski, inspired by Jerzy Żuławski’s novel On the Silver Globe.

Comic book adaptation: Les lunatiques by Adam Fyda and Marek Ospalski

The second part of the event focuses on a contemporary adaptation of Jerzy Żuławski’s work through the medium of comics, featuring an ambitious adaptation of On the Silver Globe.

Les lunatiques
Éditions Blueman, 2023
Artwork: Adam Fyda
Script: Adam Fyda, Marek Ospalski
Translation from Polish: Pierre Van Cutsem

The action of Les lunatiques takes place in 1913. A group of pioneers heads to the far side of the Moon in search of an atmosphere and life forms. Very quickly, the expedition becomes a one-way journey: the break with Earth and isolation lead to a progressive and disturbing transformation of the protagonists. The work retains the philosophical depth of the original while offering an immersive visual experience.

Excerpt from a review: Lunatycy  is a unique comic, executed with a great mastery. The authors breathe new life into this century-old story while preserving its timeless scope. A captivating story, visually striking and intellectually stimulating.
https://www.gloskultury.pl/kosmiczna-paranoja-adam-fyda-marek-ospalski-lunatycy/

Very beautiful images with a slightly retro charm, convincing characters, drama, and subtle echoes of Hergé’s aesthetic—an work that will appeal to both science fiction fans and new readers. 
https://www.ligneclaire.info/les-lunatiques-une-face-cachee-mysterieuse-701034.html

Adam Fyda is a Polish comic book artist, painter, illustrator, and graphic designer, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, where he studied painting. He works as an independent visual creator, combining artistic practice with experience gained in communication and design agencies. Fascinated by science fiction, fantasy, and classic horror, he is notably known for his comics with science fiction and horror accents.

Event Schedule

Saturday, April 18
Film screening: On the Silver Globe
Cinéma Palace
1 PM
Tickets

Book signing with Adam Fyda and Pierre Van Cutsem
Librairie Brüsel Anspach
3 PM to 6 PM
Reservation 

During their visit to Brussels, Pierre Van Cutsem and Adam Fyda will also meet with the students of the Polish Studies  department at the Université Libre de Bruxelles to share their knowledge of the classic Polish science fiction and practice of literary translation.