The producers describe the movie with the following words:
Poland, 1990. The winds of change are blowing in Poland. The first euphoric year of freedom, but also of uncertainty for the future. Four apparently happy women of different ages decide it’s time to change their lives, fight for their happiness and fulfill their desires.
Agata is a young mother, trapped in an unhappy marriage, who seeks refuge in another, impossible relationship. Renata is an older teacher fascinated with her neighbor Marzena - a lonely former local beauty queen, whose husband works in Germany. Marzena’s sister Iza is a headmistress in love with the father of one of her students.
Tomasz Wasilewski’s film is a Polish-Swedish co-production realised by an international crew. Behind the camera stood Oleg Mutu, the Romanian cinematographer responsible for movies such as Cristian Mungiu’s 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (awarded the Palme d’Or in 2007) and Sergei Loznitsa’s In the Fog.
The film stars Julia Kijowska, Magdalena Cielecka, Dorota Kolak, Marta Nieradkiewicz, Tomasz Tyndyk, Andrzej Chyra and Łukasz Simlat. Wasilewski’s film will compete with productions from directors such as Thomas Vinterberg (known for The Celebration and The Hunt) and André Téchiné (Wild Reeds). This year Meryl Streep will be the Berlinale’s jury president.
The 66th Berlinale will take place between 11th and 21st February 2016 and will feature three Polish co-productions: United States of Love; Tomáš Weinreb’s and Petr Kazda’s I, Olga Hepnarová, starring Michalina Olszańska; and Marta Mironowicz’s documentary Zud about an eleven-year-old boy growing up in the steppes of Mongolia. Last year, during the 2015 Berlinale, the Silver Bear for Best Director was awarded to Małgorzata Szumowska, director of Body.
Sources: PISF, Manana, Berlinale, edited by BS, translated by OK, 12 Jan 2016