Special Events 2004 / Ubu Król / Poland 2003
This adaptation of Alfred Jarry’s play about greed and the usurpation of power exposes the absurdities of the present day. Expressionistic in form, grotesque in style, the film accuses the world of humans and politics as a complete degradation of the system through the toleration of corruption and patronage, through the support of ridiculous economic and military projects.
Perhaps young Alfred Jarry never imagined that his King Ubu would be as applicable today as ever. Szulkin’s Ubu corrupts the sympathizing dregs of society with drink; influential fellow citizens he subjugates through zealous officiousness. He then takes the throne in a bloody conspiracy, and from there he primitively and vigorously manipulates the electorate. He promises them democracy and freedom but he and his obtuse and cruel coterie only look after their own personal gain. The reforms put into practice are absurd, the state’s coffers gape with emptiness as does the plundered land, and the impoverished masses are grumbling. The royal couple and their lackeys increase the terror. Then, forced by envoys of a foreign power, he initiates a military campaign against the Russian Tsar and is defeated. The people depose the greedy king and his vulgar queen. Sporting a Stalinesque moustache, the powerful Tsar occupies Ubu’s residence and with the agreement of the envoys installs a new queen who promises to be an obedient puppet. The overthrown Ubu escapes to a neighbouring country. His spirit is buoyed by the assurance that people of his ilk will never vanish. This whirling carnival of senseless malevolence is underscored by songs and perfectly harmonizes with the film’s absurd and timeless stylisation.
95 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Piotr Szulkin
/ Screenplay Piotr Szulkin
/ Dir. of Photography Dariusz Kuc
/ Editor Elzbieta Kurkowska
/ Producer Iwona Cichowska
/ Production EURO-FILM, koprodukce / in coproduction with: Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
/ Cast Jan Peszek, Katarzyna Figura, Krzysztof Kowalewski, Zofia Saretok, Maria Ciunelis, Wojciech Siemion, Marek Siudym, Julita Tomasik
/ Contact EURO-FILM, SPI International Poland, Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
Piotr Szulkin (b. 1950, Gdansk) graduated from a fine arts high school (1970) and then in direction from Lodz’ National Film, Television & Theatre School (PWSFTViT) in 1975. He directs for film, theatre and television, and dabbles in literature as well. He has shot several short films: Everything (Wzystko), The Birth (Narodziny), Working Women (Kobiety pracujące), A Girl with a Devil (Dziewce s ciortem), Charming Eyes (Oczy uroczne) and Meat (Mieso). He has incorporated his original futurological vision, drawn from pessimistic reflections on the continuing decline of humanism, in features with imaginative scenographic solutions: Golem (1979), War of the Worlds (Wojna światów – Następne stulecie, 1981), O-bi, o-ba (O-bi, O-ba. Koniec ciwilizacji, 1985) and Ga, Ga - Glory to the Heroes (Ga, ga – chwala bohateram, 1985); such films gained him several major prizes at home and abroad. After the movie Femina (1991) he returned to his penchant for absurdity, sarcasm and artistic originality in Ubu the King (Ubu Król, 2003).
EURO-FILM
Wolynska 20/3, 60-637, Poznan
Poland
Phone: +48 22 840 5652
Fax: +48 22 840 4909
E-mail: [email protected]
SPI International Poland
ul. Tyniecka 38A, 02-621, Warsaw
Poland
Phone: +48 22 854 0337, +48 22 646 2036
Fax: +48 22 848 4570
E-mail: [email protected]
Agencja Produkcji Filmowej
Pulawska 61, 02-595, Warsaw
Poland
Phone: +48 22 845 4041
Fax: +48 22 845 5586
E-mail: [email protected]
Jolanta Galicka
Festival Consultant, Producer
Katarzyna Figura
Actress
Ivan Hronec
Cinema Representative, Distributor, Festival Organizer, TV Representative
Piotr Reisch
Producer
First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.
