- Occupation
Producer, Director - Country
Poland
Dembiński Mirosław
Ada Gallery
Ada Raichonak and her husband Aleh are an aged couple of farmers. Most of their neighbors are still forced to work in kolkhoz. But the life of farmers in Belarus is not much easier. Working hard at the farm, Ada founded an art gallery in her village and organizes summer art workshops for painters who come from all over the country. The film will tell about collisions between the artists who hate authoritarian regime which makes Belarus the "last dictatorship in Europe", the peasants who are influenced by populist propaganda of the authorities and Ada who tries to reconcile all of them with the help of the 'magic power of art…' The village of Germanovichy is situated in a very beautiful place, but it seems that the atmosphere there is saturated with spite, aggression and despair. Like in 19 th century the people live mostly in old wooden houses without running water. They use horses for transportation and for cultivation their small pieces of land. There is no private property for land and people are forced to work in kolkhozes. Those who are trying to organize the farmer business are treated badly by the authorities. The life of both farmers and kolkhoz workers is very hard. More and more people die of alcoholism. But there are people who don’t give up. Our film will tell about Ada Rajchonak, the wife of farmer Aleg, who is trying, in defiance of the authorities, to show the beauty of Art to her neighbors, to tell them about the history of their land, to organize them to vote for democratic changes during the elections.
Music Partisans
The documentary presents young rock music bands who are in opposition with Lukaszenka’s regime. They express their attitude to surrounding reality trough their music, cloths, behavior. The main character, a 20 year-old girl and rock singer. If she lived in Berlin her name would be Petra. If in Paris, Claire, but unfortunately she’s from Minsk and her name is Svieta. She sings: There is no way to work, there is no way to learn Death is not allowed, birth is not allowed But enough of this, it’s time to wake up Svieta is very passionate, believing that Byelorussia will one day be free. Lavon Volski is more sceptical. He is ten years older than Svieta and leader of the most popular rock band in Byelorussia called NRM, (Independent Republic of Dreams). He describes his country: Byelorussia is a great country. The cities are clean and Lukashenko is no slouch. These are the two basic arguments but how long one can rely on them Byelorussia is perfect for those who lack initiative and talent. One goes to work but does not like working The people who take part in the rock music movement are like a little spark. This is very important because from a little spark a great fire, the fire of freedom can begin.
Losers and Winners
The main idea of "Losers and winners" is to observe preparation of the teams of homeless people from Poland, Russia, USA, South Africa in their country and at the final of Homeless Streetsoccer World Championship in Graz (Austria). This is brilliant occasion to see them not only as football players, but also as real people with their very dramatic life experience.
Dwarfs Go to Ukraine
When the "Orange Revolution" began in the Ukraine, the Polish dwarfs took it upon themselves to support it. The movement began in Warsaw with the collecting of support statements on a 200-meter long orange banner which was later hung from the thirtieth floor of the Palace of Culture. The heads of the two candidates: Yushchenko and Yanukovich, were carved from chocolate. The Ukrainian star named Ruslana had began to make an orange scarf which was continued during the nights by the dwarfs. A week before tha last round of the elections, an orange bus left Warsaw heading towards Kiev.
Grandpa
Janusz Orlowski is a 79-year-old man full of energy. There wouldn`t be anything special about it, except that he is is also a paraglider. His enviroment is very much varied, but young people predominate. The frail, old man doesn`t fit among them, but they have accepted him. Flying is Janusz`s passion. When he`s in the air nothing matters, he`s just happy.
A Lesson of Belorussian
After the Soviet Union collapsed, Belorussia became an independent country and general Lyceum was founded in Minsk with the aim of raising an elite Belorussian intelligents. However, in 1995, Lukashenko came to power. Democracy and freedom came to an end. Also the Lyceum was labelled a banned institution. The Lyceum pupils did not give up and steadfastly kept on studying in the underground. The presidential elections, for which Lukashenko changed the Constitution in order to be elected for the third term, became the culminating point of the film. Despite the fear of repression, thousands of people entered the streets. In the main square of Minsk, the Lyceum pupils joined forces to build a independent city and they were brutally pacified by military. Hundreds of people ended up in prison. However, the Lyceum pupils deeply believe that Belorussia will be a free country one day.
Such Was Our Youth
This a psychological documentary. The film tells the stories about the children who were taken to the concentration camp in Gross Rosen during the Second World War.
Crisis in Paradise
Martin van Den Broek was Philips manager in Belarus in early 1990-ies, just after Perestroika. He met a group of young artists there who became his friends. Later they had to move to Western Europe. Martin organized the meeting with his friends in Holland to talk about art, history and issues connected with Belarus which are still current.
Ada Raichonak and her husband Aleh are an aged couple of farmers. Most of their neighbors are still forced to work in kolkhoz. But the life of farmers in Belarus is not much easier. Working hard at the farm, Ada founded an art gallery in her village and organizes summer art workshops for painters who come from all over the country. The film will tell about collisions between the artists who hate authoritarian regime which makes Belarus the "last dictatorship in Europe", the peasants who are influenced by populist propaganda of the authorities and Ada who tries to reconcile all of them with the help of the 'magic power of art…' The village of Germanovichy is situated in a very beautiful place, but it seems that the atmosphere there is saturated with spite, aggression and despair. Like in 19 th century the people live mostly in old wooden houses without running water. They use horses for transportation and for cultivation their small pieces of land. There is no private property for land and people are forced to work in kolkhozes. Those who are trying to organize the farmer business are treated badly by the authorities. The life of both farmers and kolkhoz workers is very hard. More and more people die of alcoholism. But there are people who don’t give up. Our film will tell about Ada Rajchonak, the wife of farmer Aleg, who is trying, in defiance of the authorities, to show the beauty of Art to her neighbors, to tell them about the history of their land, to organize them to vote for democratic changes during the elections.
Music Partisans
The documentary presents young rock music bands who are in opposition with Lukaszenka’s regime. They express their attitude to surrounding reality trough their music, cloths, behavior. The main character, a 20 year-old girl and rock singer. If she lived in Berlin her name would be Petra. If in Paris, Claire, but unfortunately she’s from Minsk and her name is Svieta. She sings: There is no way to work, there is no way to learn Death is not allowed, birth is not allowed But enough of this, it’s time to wake up Svieta is very passionate, believing that Byelorussia will one day be free. Lavon Volski is more sceptical. He is ten years older than Svieta and leader of the most popular rock band in Byelorussia called NRM, (Independent Republic of Dreams). He describes his country: Byelorussia is a great country. The cities are clean and Lukashenko is no slouch. These are the two basic arguments but how long one can rely on them Byelorussia is perfect for those who lack initiative and talent. One goes to work but does not like working The people who take part in the rock music movement are like a little spark. This is very important because from a little spark a great fire, the fire of freedom can begin.
Losers and Winners
The main idea of "Losers and winners" is to observe preparation of the teams of homeless people from Poland, Russia, USA, South Africa in their country and at the final of Homeless Streetsoccer World Championship in Graz (Austria). This is brilliant occasion to see them not only as football players, but also as real people with their very dramatic life experience.
Dwarfs Go to Ukraine
When the "Orange Revolution" began in the Ukraine, the Polish dwarfs took it upon themselves to support it. The movement began in Warsaw with the collecting of support statements on a 200-meter long orange banner which was later hung from the thirtieth floor of the Palace of Culture. The heads of the two candidates: Yushchenko and Yanukovich, were carved from chocolate. The Ukrainian star named Ruslana had began to make an orange scarf which was continued during the nights by the dwarfs. A week before tha last round of the elections, an orange bus left Warsaw heading towards Kiev.
Grandpa
Janusz Orlowski is a 79-year-old man full of energy. There wouldn`t be anything special about it, except that he is is also a paraglider. His enviroment is very much varied, but young people predominate. The frail, old man doesn`t fit among them, but they have accepted him. Flying is Janusz`s passion. When he`s in the air nothing matters, he`s just happy.
A Lesson of Belorussian
After the Soviet Union collapsed, Belorussia became an independent country and general Lyceum was founded in Minsk with the aim of raising an elite Belorussian intelligents. However, in 1995, Lukashenko came to power. Democracy and freedom came to an end. Also the Lyceum was labelled a banned institution. The Lyceum pupils did not give up and steadfastly kept on studying in the underground. The presidential elections, for which Lukashenko changed the Constitution in order to be elected for the third term, became the culminating point of the film. Despite the fear of repression, thousands of people entered the streets. In the main square of Minsk, the Lyceum pupils joined forces to build a independent city and they were brutally pacified by military. Hundreds of people ended up in prison. However, the Lyceum pupils deeply believe that Belorussia will be a free country one day.
Such Was Our Youth
This a psychological documentary. The film tells the stories about the children who were taken to the concentration camp in Gross Rosen during the Second World War.
Crisis in Paradise
Martin van Den Broek was Philips manager in Belarus in early 1990-ies, just after Perestroika. He met a group of young artists there who became his friends. Later they had to move to Western Europe. Martin organized the meeting with his friends in Holland to talk about art, history and issues connected with Belarus which are still current.
Collection
Vice-mayor of Gdansk Maciej Lisicki found his first postcard with a view of pre-revolutionary Minsk among endless antiquarian stands of the famous Dominican Fair. Mr. Lisicki’s grandfather was a switch-man at the Minsk railway and was executed in times of Stalin repressions. His father in 1945, immediately after the war, risking his life crossed the Soviet border and got to Gdansk. Still the links between Minsk and Gdansk had existed much earlier. Here Mr. Lisicki shows, for example, a postcard which was sent from Minsk to Gdansk as early as 1909 and thus is a symbol linking two dear to his heart cities. Gdansk occupies an equal place in Mr. Lisicki’s heart. He donated to the History Museum of Gdansk a French newspaper with the Should the French die for Gdansk? Today this question sounds like a bitter recollection for those, who are trying to live for themselves, ignoring someone else's problems in different parts of European continent. And Mr. Lisicki cannot feel indifferent about the fact that the regime, which is called “Last dictatorship of Europe”, still reigns in Minsk. Thanks to his efforts for seven years Gdansk is giving shelter to the teachers and students of Humanities Lyceum from Minsk, which had been closed by Belarusian authorities for the democratic standards of its educational approach.
Vice-mayor of Gdansk Maciej Lisicki found his first postcard with a view of pre-revolutionary Minsk among endless antiquarian stands of the famous Dominican Fair. Mr. Lisicki’s grandfather was a switch-man at the Minsk railway and was executed in times of Stalin repressions. His father in 1945, immediately after the war, risking his life crossed the Soviet border and got to Gdansk. Still the links between Minsk and Gdansk had existed much earlier. Here Mr. Lisicki shows, for example, a postcard which was sent from Minsk to Gdansk as early as 1909 and thus is a symbol linking two dear to his heart cities. Gdansk occupies an equal place in Mr. Lisicki’s heart. He donated to the History Museum of Gdansk a French newspaper with the Should the French die for Gdansk? Today this question sounds like a bitter recollection for those, who are trying to live for themselves, ignoring someone else's problems in different parts of European continent. And Mr. Lisicki cannot feel indifferent about the fact that the regime, which is called “Last dictatorship of Europe”, still reigns in Minsk. Thanks to his efforts for seven years Gdansk is giving shelter to the teachers and students of Humanities Lyceum from Minsk, which had been closed by Belarusian authorities for the democratic standards of its educational approach.
MIROSŁAW DEMBINSKI was born in 1959, in Bydgoszcz. In 1986, he started studies at the Film Directing Department at the Polish National Film, TV and Theatre School in Łódź. In the first year of his studies, he made the film “THE CAUSE SMALLER THAN LIFE”, which won a prize at the "Young Polish Cinema” Film Festival in Gdańsk in 1988. His second year documentary “THE ORANGE ALTERNATIVE” won three prizes (including the main prize) in Oberhausen, Bronze Lajkonik in Cracow and a prize in Gdańsk. “MY LITTLE EVEREST” won 13 prizes at international mountain film festivals.For the 35 minute long made for television fiction film “PLUS, MINUS, INFINITY” starring Z. Zamachowski and Z. Zapasiewicz he got a prize of the Chairman of the Polish Television for the debut in 1990. For a year he was a chairman of the Screenwriting Board of Andrzej Munk Studio before starting work as an academic teacher at the Polish National Film, TV and Theatre School where he continues to work leading classes in documentary film direction. In 2007, he received his doctorate in film.In 1991, he started working as an independent film producer and founded the “FILM STUDIO EVEREST” which produced 50 films and film series.
MIROSŁAW DEMBIŃSKI was born in Bydgoszcz in 1959. In the years 1977-1981 he participated in a student theatre movement as an actor and director, first in Bydgoszcz and then in Torun. In 1978 he started studying mathematics at Nicolaus Copernicus University. Having received a diploma with a distinction he worked as an academic teacher at the Mathematics Institute at the N. Copernicus University for three years.
In 1986 he started to study at the faculty of direction of Lodz Film School. When he graduated, he started working there as an academic teacher of film direction. In 2007, he received his doctorate in film. On 3rd September 1991 he was founded the Film Studio “Everest”. Within over fifteen years of its existence it has produced over fifty films and film series. There are documentaries, reports, short fiction, promotion and advertising films. Altogether over 60 hours of broadcast. These films were awarded 90 times at several international film festivals.
The Film Studio Everest specializes in documentary films made for the television. It co-operates regularly with the Polish Television TVP (the editorial office of documentary at First Channel and Second Channel, the editorial office of the Culture, the Educational Television and the editorial office of the Army Programmes, TVP Belsat, TVP Polonia), Canal+ Poland (documentary and short fiction film), and also with the Educational Film Producers and Film School. Apart from the television, the productions are financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture, Media Plus Programme (European Union) and social organizations and foundations. In 1995 the Film Studio Everest started an international co-production. It co-operates with the Centre Nationale de la Cinematographie (France), Epo Film (Austria), Shoot the Breeze Production (South Africa), Zyga Films (Venezuela), ARTE G.E.I.E. (France – Germany) and others.
Films made by Film Studio Everest were broadcasted on TVP (Poland), Canal+ (Poland), Canal+ (France), BBC-South (England), ZDF (Germany), ARTE G.E.I.E. (France-Germany), SDR (Germany), MDR (Germany), ORF (Austria), SlovakTV (Slovakia), LRT (Lithuania), LTV (Latvia), ETV (Estonia), BNT (Bulgaria), RTS (Serbia and Montenegro), HRT (Croatia), Documania (Spain), Canal 5 (Ukraine), ERT (Greece), YLE (Finland), Al-Jazeera English (Great Britain), YES/DBS (Israel), Czeska Telewizja (CT) (Czech Republic), Canal de Historia (Spain), Sveriges Utbildningsradio (Sweden).
Film Studio Everest
pl. Zwycięstwa 2d nr 2
90 312 Łódź
pl. Zwycięstwa 2d nr 2
90 312 Łódź
East European Stand at Sunny Side of the Doc - 2006