directed by Maria Sadowska, biographical drama, 117 min, eng subtitles, 16+
written by Krzysztof Rak
with Magdalena Boczarska, Piotr Adamczyk, Justyna Wasilewska, Eryk Lubos, Arkadiusz Jakubik
The second feature film by well-known Polish singer and film director Maria Sadowska (Women's Day, CinEast 2015) is a fascinating biography of the most famous and highly respected Polish sexologist of communist-era Poland, the woman who revolutionised the sex life of the whole country – Michalina Wis³ocka. We follow her story through the three different stages of her life that led to the writing of “The Art of Loving” - the most popular Polish sex guide: post-war Poland in the 1940's, the Stalinist era of the 1950's and the Polish People’s Republic in the 1970's. As a highly respected doctor, Wis³ocka helps her patients to get to know their bodies and solve problems arising from a lack of understanding in their relationships. Even though there are people queueing up for an appointment, she needs to struggle with communist officials and the censorship bureau in order to publish her book, which she finally manages to achieve in 1976, thanks to her perseverance. Over the years the book sells 7 million copies, leaving even the Holy Bible trailing behind.