Cinematic Poland: Bad Luck (Zezowate szczęście, 1960)

🇬🇧 CINEMATIC POLAND: "Bad Luck" („Zezowate szczęście", 1960), dir. Andrzej Munk, black comedy, Poland, 107 min. Jan Piszczyk (Bogumił Kobiela) is petty bourgeois Jew and son of a Warsaw tailor. One day the middle-aged Piszczyk is laid off from a job, which prompting him to reflect on his life in a series of flashbacks. These flashbacks span the history of Poland, from the rise of fascist anti-Semitism during the 1920s to the postwar Stalinist era. Piszczyk emerges as a political and social chameleon, willing to adapt himself to any situation. His opportunism repeatedly leads him to ludicrous and pathetic failures. ℹ️ The film is based on a screenplay by Jerzy Stefan Stawiński. As a hallmark of the Polish School movement, the production sparked significant controversy among critics. On one hand, the director and screenwriter faced criticism for allegedly mocking Polish history. On the other hand, some reviewers recognized "Bad Luck" as a universal parable about the importance of maintaining one's individuality and agency. 🎤 Lecture and discussion in English held by prof. Mirosław Przylipiak - film scholar, film historian and theoretician, translator. Author of many books on the theory of Polish and world cinema, including "Kino stylu zerowego. Z zagadnień estetyki filmu fabularnego" (1994; 2016), "Kino najnowsze" (1999, together with Jerzy Szyłak), "Poetyka kina dokumentalnego" (2000; Bolesław Michałek Award for the best film book of the year). Movie with English subtitles 🎫 Ticket price: 15 PLN normal / 10 PLN discount ticket * * Discount is for students and employees of the University of Gdansk and students of the University of the Third Age | Employees of the University of Gdansk Library - free entry | Movie with English subtitles _________________________________________________________________ CINEMATIC POLAND is an initiative of the Andrzej Wajda Film Center of the University of Gdansk, Medical University of Gdansk and the Cooperation and International Relations Office, an unit established to cooperate with the foreign part of the academic community. One of its tasks is to familiarize foreigners with Polish culture, including the history of Polish cinematography. Thanks to Cinematic Poland, foreign students and employees will have the opportunity to watch both classic films and contemporary productions.

🇬🇧 CINEMATIC POLAND: "Bad Luck" („Zezowate szczęście", 1960), dir. Andrzej Munk, black comedy, Poland, 107 min. Jan Piszczyk (Bogumił Kobiela) is petty bourgeois Jew and son of a Warsaw tailor. One day the middle-aged Piszczyk is laid off from a job, which prompting him to reflect on his life in a series of flashbacks. These flashbacks span the history of Poland, from the rise of fascist anti-Semitism during the 1920s to the postwar Stalinist era. Piszczyk emerges as a political and social chameleon, willing to adapt himself to any situation. His opportunism repeatedly leads him to ludicrous and pathetic failures. ℹ️ The film is based on a screenplay by Jerzy Stefan Stawiński. As a hallmark of the Polish School movement, the production sparked significant controversy among critics. On one hand, the director and screenwriter faced criticism for allegedly mocking Polish history. On the other hand, some reviewers recognized "Bad Luck" as a universal parable about the importance of mai...