Still from Marek Stacharski's "Simple Desires", photo: SPInka
Disappointed with where they are at with their lives, when everyday problems become overwhelming, the family in Marek Stacharski's film begins to drift apart. Jola, a single mother and artistic woman unfulfilled in her carrer, her partner, involved in petty crime and Rafał who at all costs pursues his teenage lusts. Jola, hard working and resourceful and Rafał live in a small town near the border. Her husband Zbyszek is in prison. After having served his sentence, he returns to petty crime. In the meantime Rafał gets involved with a gang led by a young Russian from Georgia and starts to sell drugs at school. The mother, unable to cope with the burdens starts to drink.
Directed by Marek Stachurski and set in Przemyśl - the town where he was born, Simple Desires is the story of simple people and moslty, as the filmmaker underlines, "about the need for closeness with other people".
Marek Stacharski (born in 1960) — director and screenwriter; graduated from the department of law at the Jagiellonian University and Postgraduate School of Journalism at the University of Warsaw. He has also graduated from the Film School in Łódź and the National Film and Television School in Great Britain. In the years 1987-2001, he worked as a journalist and director of documentaries, in the Documentary Section for Channel One of the Polish Television. During that time, he made more than 50 documentary programmes and films. While in London, he made 3 short documentary films. His feature debut is Facing Up.
"Simple Desires", Poland, 2011, 85 minutes. Screenplay and directing: Marek Stacharski, cinematography: Yori Fabian, scenography: Iga Kowalczuk, costumes: Aneta Brzezik, music: Marcin Nierubiec, editing: Marek Mirkiewicz, production management: Bogusława Barzycka, producer: Maciej Kubiak. Produkcja: Film Design Maciej Kubiak, distribution: SPI International Polska. Cast: Aleksandra Nieśpielak, Bartłomiej Topa, Michał Śliwa, Lolita Dedyukh, Janusz Chabior, Antoni Królikowski, Jan Stawarz, Andrzej Mrowiec. In cinemas in Poland May 25th 2012.
Sources: culture.pl, Tofifest Festival
Editor: Marta Jazowska