- Occupation
Director - Country
Poland
Pawluczuk Monika
Touching the Air
Germany that completely changed their lives. They csme back more courageous and self-confident. They saw themselves in a different light. Most of them found a good job, started to develop their skils. But the documentary is not only about the seminar. It`s also about different ways of perceiving the beauty of the world. The film shows how beatiful the world can be when we notice the sounds, smells, structures...
Germany that completely changed their lives. They csme back more courageous and self-confident. They saw themselves in a different light. Most of them found a good job, started to develop their skils. But the documentary is not only about the seminar. It`s also about different ways of perceiving the beauty of the world. The film shows how beatiful the world can be when we notice the sounds, smells, structures...
Rings of Burma
Having fled from junta-governed Burma Madzi and Lame hoped for freedom and better life in Thailand. But the fear for their daughters, who stayed behind, is overwhelming. With determination and strenght they fight to keep their family intact. Madzi and Lame belong to Karen people - minority that is prosecuted in junta ruled Burma. In search of safty they flee to Thailand, where together with other Karens they live in a tourist heritage park. But having escaped from one slavery they get trapped in another - in order to survive Madzi needs to act as a local attraction. Karen women, known as "giraffe women", attract tourist to their long forgotten tradition of wearing rings. For thease women, it is the only way of making money, apart from prostitution. Madzi puts the rings at the age of 60; Lame wanders around, because there in no real work for men. Real life is left behind in Burma. They also left their daughter with 5 grandchildren there. although the Karen part of Burma is safer now, lifein the border areas is baset with regular war activity, looting and raping. The mother tries to communicate with her daughter but she cannot get through. At last they manage to talk. They make a decision - the daughter will move to Thailand. Her mother will help bribe soldiers at checkpoints and pay for travel expenses. It will not be easy - the road through the junge is dangerous and they can turn her back at the border. Madzi passes the money through someone and the daughter, with her five children, sets out on her way. Only she does not arrive. The phone is silent. Her mother sends a boat every dat for her, but it returns empty. Madzi is alone in all this - She listens in for messages from Burma, she listens to music. For hours she can sit and stare at the radio. Her husband cannot tear his eyes away from TV series, and their son keeps on excercising. There is a growing confession, he says he does not want his daughter to come as he has no strength to take care of her (they will need to help her build a house, feed the children). after a pause he adds he has never loved madzi. He only married because his parents told him to. Their son looses his first bozing tournament.
Believe in the End of the World
BELIEVE IN THE END OF THE WORLD is a documentary on people preparing for the Apocalypse that is meant to happen in December 2012. There are millions of such people, thousands of which have made advanced preparations - all over the world, most of them in the USA but also in Europe, mainly in Scandinavia. Of course there are “believers” in Poland too. However, for the director Monika Pawluczuk the end of the world predicted in the Mayan calendar is only a pretext to take a closer look at how we deal with fear of “the end” in general. Since it is only in the extreme situations that we can genuinely ask ourselves the question of “what is it that gives us strength?” - for when the end is near, we suddenly get the opportunity to notice everything more intensely, see things clearer and name them honestly.
Having fled from junta-governed Burma Madzi and Lame hoped for freedom and better life in Thailand. But the fear for their daughters, who stayed behind, is overwhelming. With determination and strenght they fight to keep their family intact. Madzi and Lame belong to Karen people - minority that is prosecuted in junta ruled Burma. In search of safty they flee to Thailand, where together with other Karens they live in a tourist heritage park. But having escaped from one slavery they get trapped in another - in order to survive Madzi needs to act as a local attraction. Karen women, known as "giraffe women", attract tourist to their long forgotten tradition of wearing rings. For thease women, it is the only way of making money, apart from prostitution. Madzi puts the rings at the age of 60; Lame wanders around, because there in no real work for men. Real life is left behind in Burma. They also left their daughter with 5 grandchildren there. although the Karen part of Burma is safer now, lifein the border areas is baset with regular war activity, looting and raping. The mother tries to communicate with her daughter but she cannot get through. At last they manage to talk. They make a decision - the daughter will move to Thailand. Her mother will help bribe soldiers at checkpoints and pay for travel expenses. It will not be easy - the road through the junge is dangerous and they can turn her back at the border. Madzi passes the money through someone and the daughter, with her five children, sets out on her way. Only she does not arrive. The phone is silent. Her mother sends a boat every dat for her, but it returns empty. Madzi is alone in all this - She listens in for messages from Burma, she listens to music. For hours she can sit and stare at the radio. Her husband cannot tear his eyes away from TV series, and their son keeps on excercising. There is a growing confession, he says he does not want his daughter to come as he has no strength to take care of her (they will need to help her build a house, feed the children). after a pause he adds he has never loved madzi. He only married because his parents told him to. Their son looses his first bozing tournament.
Believe in the End of the World
BELIEVE IN THE END OF THE WORLD is a documentary on people preparing for the Apocalypse that is meant to happen in December 2012. There are millions of such people, thousands of which have made advanced preparations - all over the world, most of them in the USA but also in Europe, mainly in Scandinavia. Of course there are “believers” in Poland too. However, for the director Monika Pawluczuk the end of the world predicted in the Mayan calendar is only a pretext to take a closer look at how we deal with fear of “the end” in general. Since it is only in the extreme situations that we can genuinely ask ourselves the question of “what is it that gives us strength?” - for when the end is near, we suddenly get the opportunity to notice everything more intensely, see things clearer and name them honestly.
Monika Pawluczuk studied journalism and cultural studies, completed a documentary course in Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing. She has directed several documentaries, including Dotykając powietrza (Touching the Air), To ty się zmień (It’s You Who Should Change), Taki sobie fach (Just a Job), Pierwsza miłość (First Love), Modelki (The Models, awarded a special prize at the European Film Festival Integration You and Me). She has been working in the media industry for over 15 years, author and director of several TV series, former radio host, author of the book Być kobietą i nie zwariować (To Be a Woman without Going Mad).
("It Is You To Change") - 2007 ("Capable at Work") - 2007 ("The Models") - 2006, a special award at the European Film Festival "Integration You and Me" - 2007 ("Touching the Air") - 2004 ("In Search of Lost Taste") - 2004 ("A So-So Job") - 2000
"The Models" - 2006, a special award at the European Film Festival