“Johnny” wins yet another award! Although the film directed by Daniel Jaroszek premiered more than a year ago, it continues to set viewers’ hearts and minds alight. “Johnny” adds another prize to its impressive list of accolades – Best Feature Film at the 38th Maksymiliany International Film Festival 2023. The jury justified its verdict as follows:
The makers of Johnny have achieved the seemingly impossible – they managed to speak about holiness in the language of a modern person, without a trace of kitsch, where “less” often means more. They showed that the truths of the Gospel can be carried into our here and now. It is a professionally crafted film that makes skilful use of the art of cinema, which is always an added value, and the whole remains coherent, keeping its rhythm and narrative tension with humour and tenderness. It is universal and accessible to every viewer in Poland and around the world. It tells and shows what love is. That it is not a serving of platitudes and moralising. “Johnny” carries the message that if something breaks down in our lives, God does not cross us off His list, but gives us a second chance.
The award was received by the film’s producer and CEO of NEXT FILM, Robert Kijak.
This year “Johnny” also received a nomination for the TOTUS TUUS 2023 award, presented to individuals and institutions who draw inspiration from the teaching of John Paul II and contribute to building a civilisation of love.
ABOUT THE FILM “JOHNNY”
“Johnny” is a story based on true events that moves and inspires. It is told from the perspective of Patryk Galewski, a young man in the care of Father Jan Kaczkowski – a boy who did not have an easy start in life.
Patryk breaks into a house in a small town. A court sentence orders him to do community service at the hospice in Puck, where he meets the remarkable Father Jan Kaczkowski. The priest gets young vocational-school boys, seemingly tough rebels, involved in helping the sick. In his work he focuses on closeness, tenderness and fighting for relationships with other people. He teaches empathy. And he does it with a wholesale supply of humour, which earns him enormous popularity. Soon afterwards, Jan himself faces the challenge of battling illness. Patryk finds himself in a situation that will change his entire life.
Father Jan Kaczkowski, esteemed by believers and atheists alike, is played by Dawid Ogrodnik. Patryk Galewski is played by Piotr Trojan. The cast also includes Anna Dymna, Maria Pakulnis, Marta Stalmierska, Magdalena Czerwińska, Witold Dębicki and Joachim Lamża.
The producer of “Johnny” is Robert Kijak (NEXT FILM). The co-producers are TVN, Grupa Moderator Studio Filmowe, Warmia Resort, Rafał Różański, Visual Work Rebel Media, Dawid Podsiadło, Maciej Woć, Sebastian Kwiatkowski, Aneta Graff-Dąbrowska, Abstraction Plan, Deamsound, Cineline, Maciej Kraszewski and Dobra Robota.
“Johnny” was made in cooperation with Father Jan’s family and the Father Jan Kaczkowski Foundation.
The film drew more than a million viewers to cinemas. It also enjoyed enormous popularity on streaming platforms.
