The shooting of the feature film “Simona Kossak” directed by Adrian Panek has wraped up. Sandra Drzymalska plays Simona Kossak – woman, who comes from a family of famous painters and has become a symbol of the extraordinary relationship between man and nature. Jakub Gierszał plays her long-time partner – Lech Wilczek. The cast also includes Agata Kulesza, Borys Szyc, Olga Bołądź and Marta Stalmierska. The film’s premiere is planned for 2024. See the first photos from the set.
“Simona Kossak” is an inspiring story about independence and determination in finding your own place on Earth. It is a story about the eternal need for closeness and finding one’s flock.
Simona Kossak, daughter of the painter Jerzy Kossak and granddaughter of Wojciech, deprived of the talent that has defined her family for generations, grows up without knowing the warmth of home, as her mother is rather despotic. After graduation she leaves everything – home, tradition, social conventions – and takes up a job as a scientist in Białowieża. It’s then when she starts life on her own terms. She settles in the middle of the forest, in a house without electricity or running water, surrounded by wild nature. There, in a magical wilderness, she meets photographer Lech Wilczek, with whom she shares her passions – love for nature and… the need for freedom. Their extraordinary relationship defies all that’s considered standard. However, Simona’s ideas about the work of a naturalist and the position of a young woman in a world dominated by men are painfully verified. She must defend not only her ideals, but also the world of plants and animals.
– There is something archetypal in a heroine who rebels and runs away from her family, origins, home and goes to the unknown, only to forget who she was or who she was told to be. As a result, she finds her true self. She merges her biography with that of her family, maintaining her independence. She finds herself in what determines her. This is a story about life itself and about love that transcends our personal existence and makes us aware of being a part of something bigger. This film is also a story about the Białowieża Forest itself, its history and the people associated with it – says director and screenwriter Adrian Panek.
The producers of the film “Simona Kossak” are Magdalena Kamińska and Agata Szymańska from the Balapolis studio. Co-producers: Documentary and Feature Film Studio, Masovian Cultural Institute, Krakow Festival Office and Hollman Emea Limited. NEXT FILM is responsible for distribution.
The film is co-financed by the Polish Film Institute.
The cinema premiere is planned for 2024.
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SIMONA KOSSAK
Cast: Sandra Drzymalska, Jakub Gierszał, Agata Kulesza, Borys Szyc, Olga Bołądź, Dariusz Chojnacki, Marta Stalmierska
Directed by: Adrian Panek
Script: Adrian Panek
Photos: Jakub Stolecki
Editing: Piotr Kmiecik
Scenography: Agata Adamus
Interior decoration: Anna Pabisiak
Costumes: Kalina Lach, Paulina Sieniarska
Make-up: Anna Nobel
Production manager: Julia Jendrysik
Producer: Magdalena Kamińska, Agata Szymańska
Production: Balapolis
Co-production: Documentary and Feature Film Studio, Masovian Cultural Institute, Krakow Festival Office, Hollman Emea Limited
Distribution: NEXT FILM
Co-financing: Polish Film Institute