To mark Poland’s presidency in the Council of the European Union, Bozar is organising Focus on Poland, with talks, films and an exhibition alongside the finest Polish music. 

Bozar welcomes one of the most powerful and original voices in the Polish cinema scene of the past twenty years: Małgorzata Szumowska. Her name stands out as an exception in the cinematic landscape of the region, having gained widespread attention almost from the beginning of her career. Together with her long-time collaborator Michał Englert, she will be present for two evenings at Bozar to discuss their artistic practice and the stories that inhabit their films.

Małgorzata Szumowska – born in 1973, Szumowska is an alumna of both Kraków’s Jagiellonian University, where she studied art history, and Łódź’s famed film school. It was at the latter that she met Michał Englert, her close collaborator as co-screenwriter and cinematographer ever since. After a series of short movies that soon revealed her as a valuable new voice, she directed her debut feature, Happy Man (2000), nominated for the European Film Awards and awarded at the Thessaloniki Festival. From here she begins a solid and abundant filmography, present in all major competitions, of which stand out titles such as Elles, starring Juliette Binoche; Body, Best Director at the Berlinale; or Mug, Grand Prize of the Jury at the same festival. In 2023, her last film “Women of…” was presented at the Venise International Film Festival in the main competition.

Michał Englert has collaborated with Małgorzata Szumowska since their years at film school. A cinematographer, screenwriter, producer, and director, he contributed to the creation of The Congress by Ari Folman, as well as numerous other films. What sets his work apart is the naturalistic nuance of his cinematography, which imparts a refined delicacy to the films, creating a contrast to the intensity of the subjects explored.

‘Never Gonna Snow Again!’

They live in a walled part of the city, have everything their hearts desire, but are bored to distraction. Then Zhenia – a mysterious wellness masseuse from the Ukraine – arrives, and the lives of these Polish nouveau riche suddenly gain some spiritual fulfilment. Since Poland has been a member of the EU, wealth in that country has grown spectacularly. So much so that the nouveau riche are withdrawing into ‘gated communities’. 

‘33 Scenes from Life’

Julia is a beloved daughter, wife, and successful artist-photographer, living a happy life. Suddenly, everything changes. The death of the family dog is followed by her mother’s cancer diagnosis, and her husband’s absence leaves her to care for her father. 33 Scenes From Life explores the moment when we shift from childhood to adulthood, facing pain, suffering, and inevitable doubts. This film won the Locarno Special Jury Prize and was also selected for the Toronto Film Festival in 2008.

28 March, 19:00 → 20:50
Original version: Polish
Language: German Polish
Subtitles: English
Bozar
The 23 rue Ravenstein 23
1000 Brussels

TICKETS

‘Woman of…’

Woman of…  tells the story of Aniela Wesoly, and her experience as a transgender woman in a small, unwelcoming Polish town, between 1980 and 2022. The path to freedom as a trans woman reveals challenges in marriage, parenthood, family tensions, and complex interactions that place her in impossible situations. What choices and sacrifices will Aniela have to make?

Co-organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the international cultural program of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2025