Named for the Polish star of classic films including Andrzej Wajda’s Ashes and Diamonds (1958), and given to young actors since 1969, the Zbigniew Cybulski Award has previously gone to such renowned actors as Daniel Olbrychski, Marcin Dorocinski (2005) and Maciej Stuhr (2008). The prize celebrates talent and individuality.
A moving tale about the struggle for success in the troubled environment of the 1990s, You Are God revolves around Silesian housing projects and the emergence of hip-hop there. As Magik, Paktofonika's frontman, Marcin Kowalczyk is central in the story, as the rapper's previous popularity with Kaliber 44 and his charisma made Paktofonika stand out and endure in people's memories. Formed by three young men from Mikołów and Katowice - Magik, Rahim and Fokus - Paktofonika changed the Polish music scene and became the voice of a generation at the outset of the 21st century.
You Are God was one of the most eagerly awaited Polish features, and after three weeks in cinemas it became the year's most popular Polish film, with 1,237,455 tickets sold (according to Poland Box Office). Kowalczyk, a graduate of the Krakow Theatre School, was named Best Debutant at the 2012 Gdynia Film Festival for his role, and was awarded the Golden Duck for Best Polish actor.
Before Kowalczyk and fellow actors Dawid Ogrodnik (who played Rahim) and Tomasz Schuchardt (as Fokus) stood in front of Leszek Dawid's camera, the young artists joined the hip-hop world for a year, composing songs to achieve a greater understanding of the story's characters. "It was obvious to me that if I am to be accurate in telling the story and become Magik on the set", Kowalczyk said in an interview, "it requires my full concentration. I became introverted because it was necessary and I think that it paid off".
"The effect of their work is astounding", Bartosz Staszczyszyn wrote in his article for culture.pl, "when we look at Fokus, Rahim and Magik from the movie, we don't even suspect that they are in fact actors playing musicians. Marcin Kowalczyk deserves to be praised exceptionally. The emotional intensity of this young actor makes his character - Magik - hypnotic and his story, although well-known, compelling." In an interview with Artur Cichmiński from the website Stopklatka, Kowalczyk says,
When I was younger I came across a video clip called Plus i minus / Plus and Minus and I went crazy over it. When I saw Magik rapping those words, on a black and white screen, I thought it was awesome. I was afraid that this could disappear and never come back. That's how I discovered Kaliber 44 and later Paktofonika. Magik, Fokus and Rahim's work is the voice of a generation, it's incredible poetry and an incredible portrait of those times... [...] In the script to You Are God I also found a story about Poland, about people, about a specific type of environment and a type of human being, his sensitivity. [...] Even if I hadn't gotten the part, I would have agreed to do anything to be a part of the production.
Sources: Polish-language article for culture.pl, culture.pl
Editor: Marta Jazowska