2001, 106 min, 35 mm

in Polish with English subtitles

 

Angelus

 

Direction:                   Lech Majewski

Screenplay:                Lech Majewski, Ireneusz Siwiński, Bronisław Maj

Cinematography:       Adam Sikora

Music:                        Lech Majewski

Scenography:             Katarzyna Sobańska- Strzałkowska, Lech Majewski

 

Cast:                           Jan Siodlaczek, Jacenty Jędrusik, Małgorzata Madejowska, Grzegorz Stasiak, Małgorzata Gadecka, Andrzej Mastalerz, Paweł Sztajnert

 

 

The fictive story of the film was inspired by a true story: the story of startling, internationally unique phenomenon, the occult commune of Janow, active in 1920-60 in Silesia. It became known to the society thanks to the paintings of the commune's members, which in several cases (Teofil Ociepka, Erwin Sowka) achieved international success. The time and place of the film's action are concrete and clearly defined: Katowice, Janow and Nikiszowiec, early 1950s. The message of the film consists of a defense of poetic, metaphysical sensibility and imagination, of the attitude of searching for the Mystery and the Sense, a defense of the human being against materialism and totalitarianism. Visual compositions taking cue from the painters’ visions bestow this movie with additional power of expression.

 

In 1920s the district of Janow, like almost all of Silesia, was a particular cultural enclave. The habitants were separated both from Polish roots and the German elite and they formed a separate, closed cultural group, where the old traditions, beliefs, customs and rites were cultivated. Magic was omnipresent as well as the belief in the real existence of various "creatures" and alchemy practices were applied. The interest for parapsychology and hermetic sciences caused Janow to become an important occult centre. The status of the master of secret sciences belonged to Teofil Ociepka, miner and painter. A strong occult commune formed around him. Ociepka and his disciples, simple uneducated miners, searched for the "philosophic stone" and pursued spiritual perfection, which would permit them to penetrate the Principle and the Sense of the World and of God, to reach the mystery of Existence. Their activities included elements of occultism, alchemy and theosophy with archaic and magical Silesian beliefs. The circle of Janow was in the times of Stalin a startling, metaphysical oasis, a charming adventure. This phenomenon was consciously and consequently falsified by the authorities of the People's Republic of Poland. This story, its paradoxes and contrasts were the inspiration for Lech J. Majewski's concentrated and "painted" film.

 

Links (in Polish):

http://fotomarcin2.republika.pl/an80.shtml

http://www.angelus.stopklatka.pl/

 

Lech Majewski

B. 1953

Film and theater director, artist by education, screenwriter, poet, and composer by predilection. Graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and  the film direction department of The National Film and Television Academy. His graduation novel, “Annunciation” became his fiction debut. At the same time he began to publish his own poetry and prose in several periodicals. In 1977 he directed Homer’s “Odyssey” at the Studio Theater and he published his first book of poetry, “Tales of 1000 Nights and One City.” In 1978 he wrote “Searching for Paradise.” He also published books of poetry “Apartment” (1981), “Museum of My Destitution” (1997), “Saint Sebastian” (1998), the novels “Rats of Manhattan” (1993) and “Pilgrimage to the Grave of the Wonderful Brigitte Bardot” (1996), and essays about Fellini. In the 1980’s  he lived in Great Britain and the USA, where he made the film “Flight of the Spruce Goose” and then the thriller “Prisoner of Rio.” Since 1993 he has been successfully directing operas, such as Krzysztof Penderecki’s “King Ubu” at the Great Theater in Lodz and George Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Great Theater in Warsaw, “Pokoj Saren” based on his own libretto and music with Jozef Skrzek in the Silesian Opera.

 

 

Filmography:

 

2001    Angelus

1999    Wojaczek - writer

1997    The Roe Deer’s Room - director, writer, music

1996    Basquiat - director, writer

1992    The Gospel according to Harry - director, writer

1989    Prisoner of Rio - director, writer

1985    Flight of the Spruce Goose - director, writer

1980    The Knight - director, writer

1978    Annunciation – director, writer