Clergy / Kler
Poland 2018
Directed by Wojciech Smarzowski, drama, 133 min, de subtitles, 16+
Written by Wojciech Smarzowski, Wojciech Rzehak
With Arkadiusz Jakubik, Jacek Braciak, Robert Więckiewicz, Janusz Gajos, Joanna Kulig
Clergy, a confrontational, record-breaking (over 5 million admissions in Poland) picture by Wojtek Smarzowski (The Mightly Angel, Traffic Department, Hatred), tells the story of three priests who were once bound together by a tragic accident. Lisowski is a careerist and regular priest who dreams of the Vatican; Trybus is a village provost, and Kukuła is a fierce believer.
A gloomy and troubling view of the Catholic Church, examined from the inside, emerges from Smarzowski's film. The director is not afraid to approach uncomfortable, difficult subjects or to talk about things that are often hushed up. We look at this world through the prism of three priests who prove that, to a clergyman, nothing human is alien. A critical look at one of the most influential institutions and its mechanisms, Clergy is an ambitious, realistic and uncompromising drama, delivered with a heavy dose of humor and irony.
Awards:
Polish FF 2018 (Audience Award, Best Film)