directors

NEW
WORLD
THE AUTHORS OF THE FILM
Directed by: Elżbieta Benkowska, Michał Wawrzecki, Łukasz Ostalski
Written by: Monika Dembinska, Elżbieta Benkowska, Izabela Aleksandrowicz,
Maksymilian Nowicki
Cinematography by: Sławomir Witek, Cezary Stolecki, Piotr Pawlus
Art Direction by: Katarzyna Filimoniuk
Costume Design by: Ewa Gronowska
Make up by: Agnieszka Hodowana
Casting Director: Ewa Brodzka
Music: Jerzy Rogiewicz
Sound department: Marek Wronko, Aleksandra Pniak, Kacper Habisiak, Marcin
Kasiński
Film Edited by: Irena Siedlar
Production Manager: Inga Kruk
Producer: Jan Kwieciński
Co-produced by: Telewizja Polska Agencja Produkcji Telewizyjnej i Filmowej
Co-financed by: Polish Film Institute PISF
Produced by: Akson Studio
CAST
Olga Aksyonova- Żanna
Julian Świeżewski- Janek
Dominika Maiseyenka- Sonia
Svetlana Anikej- Irina
Mirosław Kotowicz- Adam
Hassan Akkouch- Azzam
Dariusz Chojnacki- Łukasz
Irena Melcer- Ewa
Sebastian Fabijański- Artur
Karina Minaeva- Wiera
Stanislav Boklan- Ivan
Georgiy Leshchenko- Borys
SYNOPSIS:
"The New World" are three moving stories of three young people trying to find
their place in a better world ... in Poland. Żanna ran off with her child from
Belarus, a land plunged into chaos, leaving her husband - a well-known
oppositionist. Azzam worked for the Polish army in Afghanistan as a translator,
due to which he was considered a traitor. Now he's trying to cope with war
trauma. Rejected by her family, Wiera had left Ukraine to begin a new life when
suddenly her past started haunting her.
SUMMARY:
In a journey to a better world, in a flee from harm, we look at the fates of three
young immigrants from Belarus, Ukraine and Afghanistan, for whom Poland has
become the title New World.
Żanna – a Belarusian is living, along with her daughter, at her sister's apartment
in Warsaw, after having left her Belarusian husband, an opposition fighter.
Żanna wants to move out as soon as possible to finally have a normal life with
her boyfriend. Her husband stands in the way of her plans by deciding to sign a
loyalty oath during yet another arrest, in which he states the reason for the
decision is the longing for his family. Whom will Żanna choose? Will she listen
to her heart or reason?
Azzam – an Afghan who works for the Polish army as a translator is considered
to be a traitor in his homeland. After his evacuation to Poland he has a hard
time recovering after the experience of war. The price he has to pay for
freedom turns out be very high. Will he find his place in the new world where
he will always remain “foreign”?
Wiera – a Ukrainian who runs away to Poland in secret to have a sex change
operation. The surprise visit from her father and little son forces her to face
who she really is, and whom she wants to become. Can you be a good father in
a woman's body?
DIRECTORS
ELŻBIETA BENKOWSKA
A graduate of the directing department in the Gdynia Film School and Slavic
studies at the Gdańsk University. Her diploma film “Olena”, as the first Polish
film in this category, was qualified in the short film competition at the 66th
International Film Festival in Cannes, “Short Film Palme d'Or”.
MICHAŁ WAWRZECKI
A theatre and film director, scriptwriter, the author of short fiction and
documentary films. The graduate of the directing and production department
at the Katowice Film School as well as the Cracow Script School.
ŁUKASZ OSTALSKI
The graduate of social studies department at the University of Gdańsk. An
award winning press photographer. In 2013 he graduated from the directing
department at Gdynia Film School. His diploma film “Mother” has won
numerous awards at Polish and international film festivals.
PRODUCER
Established in 1992, Akson Studio is one of the leading production companies in
Poland. It has been cooperating with such outstanding filmmakers as: Andrzej
Wajda, Roman Polanski, Márta Mészáros, Jerzy Skolimowski and many others.
For over 20 years Akson Studio has successfully produced and co-produced
more than 40 TV series and 35 feature films such as Oscar nominated KATYN,
awarded at the Berlinale SWEET RUSH, awarded at the Venice Film Festival
ESSENTIAL KILLING. Akson Studio has also produced two of the recent biggest
Polish movies WARSAW 44 and highly acclaimed WALESA: MAN OF HOPE.