DOCUMENTARIES > PREMIERES' 11 > CHEMO
February
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CHEMO
Director: Pawel Lozinski
Nationality: Poland (2009)
Duration: 58 minutes
Genre: Social
Original version in Polish with subtitles in Catalan and Spanish Direction and production: Pawel Lozinski
Screenplay: Pawel Lozinski
Direction of photography: Kacper Lisowski
Edition: Katarzyna Maciejko – Kowalczyk
Distributor: Krakow Film Foundation
SYNOPSIS
The day ward at the Warsaw oncology clinic is always full of chatter. Conversation seems to be part of the treatment, nattering with a bedside neighbour part of the prescription. Women and men, young and old exchange home remedies, share their worries and give advice to one another. A father intends to live long enough to read his son’s Master’s thesis; another plans to attend a wedding; and an expectant mother looks forward to meeting her new baby. They talk about their regrets, their fears, and the lies they tell their loved ones in order to spare them the pain. Ordinary moments are magnified in close-up shots: a smile, a tear, a glance of hope. For some of them, these will be their last conversations. For others, it will become the kindest memory of that period of sickness spent in hospitals.
THE DIRECTOR
Pawel Lozinski (Warsaw, 1965) is director, scriptwriter and producer of documentary and fiction. He earned his degree from the Film Directing Department of Łódź Film School. His documentary films include Birthplace (1992), The Way It Is (1999), Sisters (1999), Between the Doors (2004), Wygnańcy (2005), Kitty, Kitty (2008) and Chemo (2009). He has won prestigious awards at festivals in Bornholm, Paris, Leipzig and Krakow.
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
> 49th Krakow Film Festival (Silver Hobby Horse for the Best Documentary) – Poland, 2009
> One World – International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival (Best Director Award) – Czech Republic, 2010
> DOK Leipzig (MDR Award) – Germany, 2009
> Hot Docs – Canada, 2010
