“Most moving as a perfect love story” – this is what one could read about the film “Woman of…” Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert could be read in reviews after the world premiere at the prestigious Venice Film Festival (The Film Verdict). It’s a tender story about the struggle for oneself, but also about the beauty of true intimacy, starring Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Joanna Kulig, Mateusz Więcławek and Bogumiła Bajor. Polish premiere on April 5. The trailer is already online.
– It is not easy to tell the entire life story of one person, nor is it easy to capture their heart and soul and feelings and sufferings and joys and experiences in a coherent and captivating story that anyone can connect with – Alex Billington of FirstShowing.net wrote in Venice, emphasizing that Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert have succeeded. The film received nothing but positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes – the world’s editors spared no praise for the Polish production:
It holds its audience with the sheer, plangent emotional force of its storytelling, and via an enormously sympathetic lead performance by Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik… – Variety
An affecting portrait of hope and hard-won self-knowledge – The Hollywood Reporter
A subtle film with revolutionary potential – Cineuropa
A sprawling, lyrical and senstive journey of a woman becoming her true self – Indiewire
There is a wonderftul quality tom Szumowska and Englert’s direction in how they portray opitimism and small acts of kindnesss – Awardswatch
In addition to Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Joanna Kulig, Mateusz Więcławek and Bogumiła Bajor, the film stars Jerzy Bończak, Anna Tomaszewska, Jacek Braciak, Renata Dancewicz, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Tomasz Schuchardt, Mikołaj Grabowski, among others.
The world premiere of the film took place at the Venice International Film Festival (Main Competition). Subsequently, it was screened at numerous festivals around the world: Busan IFF, Sao Paolo IFF, Thessaloniki FF, Scanorama, QCinema FF, Goa FF, Tbilisi IFF, Les Arcs and Gothenburg. In the near future, “Woman with…” will be seen by audiences at the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival, International Film Festival of Uruguay, Crossing the Screen IFF, Istanbul IFF, Sofia IFF, University College London, Polish Film Festival in Singapore, Seattle IFF, Sydney IFF, Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara and Munich IFF.
At the invitation of Miuccia Prada, there will be a special screening at Fundazione Prada in Milan. The filmmakers also have their first screenings in the United States ahead of them.
“Woman of…” will enter theaters throughout Europe – the film has been sold to Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Benelux, Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland, Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. International sales agent, Memento International, is in talks in the UK and North America.
WOMAN WITH…
Genre: drama
Country: Poland, Sweden
Language: Polish
Year: 2023
The story of Aniela Merry. She led an ordinary life – growing up in a small town, work, love, marriage, family. However, she could never be fully herself – Aniela was born in a male body. What choices will she make? Will she be ready to sacrifice everything so that she can live a normal and fear-free life?
THE PLAYERS:
Aniela – Malgorzata Hajewska
Iza – Joanna Kulig
Young Aniela – Mateusz Więcławek
Young Iza – Bogumiła Bajor
and: Jerzy Bończak, Anna Tomaszewska, Jacek Braciak, Franciszek Englert, Renata Dancewicz, Wojciech Mecwaldowski, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Piotr Bondyra, Pola Gonciarz, Mikołaj Chroboczek, Tomasz Schuchardt, Mikołaj Grabowski, Helena Sujecka, Krystyna Krotoska, Piotr Polak, Mirosław Kropielnicki, Paweł Tomaszewski and Piotr Cyrwus.
EKIPA:
Director: Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert
Screenplay: Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert
Cinematography: Michal Englert
Editing: Jarosław Kamiński
Production design: Marek Zawierucha
Costumes: Anna Englert
Character design: Waldemar Pokromski and Monika Kaleta
Sound on set: Marcin Jachyra
Sound: Marcin Kasinski, Filip Krzemień
Music: Jimek
Production: NOMAD Films, Plio Limited
In co-production with: Film i Väst, Common Ground Pictures
Producers: Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Katarzyna Jordan-Kulczyk, Grzegorz Jankilevitsch, Bogna Szewczyk-Skupień, Małgorzata Szumowska, Michał Englert
Co-producers: Jonas Kellagher, Kristina Börjeson
Production co-financed by the Polish Film Institute