Feature film directed by Przemysław Wojcieszek, 2001.
Twenty-one-year-old Marcin, a huge fan of James Dean and the British rock band The Smiths, lives in a small town in the south of Poland and works as an automobile mechanic. His mother has been dead for upwards of a dozen years, while his father passed away just a few days ago. Marcin has no close relations, so he must attend to the funeral arrangements himself. He is aided by his girlfriend Kaśka. The day before the funeral, Kaska tells Marcin that she will be leaving town to go to school in Chicago. Her parents are very much in favor of her departing and hope that this will prevent her from ever having to stand in line at the local unemployment office. For Marcin, the news is a tremendous blow. He himself dropped out of college to help his ailing father run their automotive repair shop. Now his father has passed away, and if Kaśka leaves for Chicago, Marcin will be left all alone. He knows that the girl may never come back again. In the meantime, Marcin's distant relatives arrive for the funeral, some of them from far off. As their host, Marcin must show them hospitality and as a result has less and less time to persuade Kaśka to stay, to convince her that even in this "shitty place" they can live "louder than bombs," as long as they do it together.
"(...) In minute observations, gestures and slightly overstated scenes, Wojcieszek's film captures the spiritual condition of today's youth, who do not know who they are nor who they would want to be. They know only who they don't want to be." (Anita Piotrowska, "Tygodnik Powszechny" Weekly)
"This is a strong voice of the younger generation. Instead of whimpering about the hopeless life that young people lead among housing blocks or confusing himself with unsuccessful formal experimentation, Wojcieszek finally gives us a film with guts, an interesting story line and a slightly anarchic and somewhat grim sense of humor. (...) Unlike most Polish films, which come across as having been made because of an obligation or strictly for making money, one can see that Wojcieszek created this film out of passion and a desire to tell a striking story. What is more, the director succeeded in evading another trap - his deep personal involvement did not strip deprive his film of lightness. He treats his characters seriously, but a note of irony is easily perceptible throughout this work. There is no masochism here, no excessive Hamletizing, just drama mixed with comedy. To put it simply - the prose of life. It has been long since we have seen a Polish film that would be so formally fresh, yet so mature in the manner in which it examines the world. Though the director treats his protagonists seriously, his retelling of their adventures is anarchic and somewhat grimly humorous." (Tomasz Tiuryn, "Gazeta Wyborcza" Daily)
- Głośniej od bomb / Louder Than Bombs. Poland, 2001. Written and directed by Przemysław Wojcieszek. Director of photography: Jolanta Dylewska. Production designer: Michal Hrisulidis. Music by Bartosz Straburzynski. Editing: Krzysztof Osiecki. Executive production: Skorpion Art Film. Featuring: Rafal Mackowiak (Marcin Koprowski), Sylwia Juszczak (Kaska, Marcin's girlfriend), Andrzej Galla (Marian, Marcin's uncle), Magdalena Schejbal (Jagoda, Dzefrej's girlfriend), Grazyna Krukowna (Teresa, Marcin's aunt), Krzysztof Czeczot (Dzefrej, Marcin's cousin), Michal Tarkowski (Wiesław, Kaska's father), Teresa Sawicka (Krystyna, Kaska's mother), Robert Gonera (Andrzej, Marcin's friend), Ilona Ostrowska (Magda, Andrzej's girlfriend), Lech Janerka (Father Wojciech). Production: Skorpion Art Film , Canal+ Polska, Agencja Produkcji Filmowej, color, 87'.
Awards:
- 2001
- Polish Feature Film Festival, Gdynia - Acting Debut Award of the Mayor of Gdańsk for Magdalena Schejbal
- Koszalińskie Spotkania Filmowe / Koszalin Film Meetings, Koszalin - Best Actor in a Starring Role for Krzysztof Czeczot
- 2002
- Ogólnopolski Festiwal Sztuki Filmowej "Prowincjonalia" / "Prowincjonalia" Polish National Festival of Film Art, Wrzesnia - Journalists' Award
- Slamdance Film Festival, Park City, Utah - Kodak Vision Award For Best Cinematography for Jolanta Dylewska