Beyond Words / Pomiędzy słowami
Poland, Netherlands 2017
Directed by Urszula Antoniak, drama, 87 min, eng subtitles, 16+
Written by Urszula Antoniak
With Jakub Gierszał, Andrzej Chyra, Christian Löber, Justyna Wasilewska
Nothing in Michael, a young and successful Berlin lawyer, gives away his Polish roots. The sudden appearance of his father, who was long presumed dead, plunges Michael into an existential crisis. Father and son, two complete strangers, spend a weekend together, torn between empathy, rejection and mistrust. As Michael’s roots catch up with him, a painful clash seems inevitable...
Beyond Words is the fourth feature film by the award-winning writer-director Urszula Antoniak (Nothing Personal – CinEast 2011). Shot in black and white, this highly atmospheric and multi-layered drama touches on the difficult subject of assimilation and identity.
Awards
Gdynia Polish FF 2017 (Best Cinematography, Best Sound)
San Sebastian IFF 2017 (Official Competition)
Toronto IFF 2017 (Contemporary World Cinema)
Warsaw IFF (Ecumenical Jury Award)