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''Reverse'' (original title: ''Rewers'') is a 2009 Polish
comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
film, directed by
Borys Lankosz Borys Lankosz (born 31 March 1973, Kraków) is a Polish film director. He graduated from the National Film School in Łódź. His debut film "Evolution" (2001) received several awards, i.a. the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco Internationa ...
.


Plot

This film is set in
Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
in the 1950s, with a few flash-forwards to present-day Warsaw. The main character is Sabina, a quiet, shy woman who has just turned thirty, and lives with her mother and ailing grandmother. Sabina lacks a man in her life, and her mother tries hard to find a husband for her. The grandmother, an eccentric lady with a sharp tongue from whom no secret can be concealed, also gets involved. Successive admirers arrive at their small, but tasteful apartment in an antebellum house, but Sabina shows no interest in any of them. One night, appearing out of nowhere, comes the charming, intelligent, and good-looking Bronislaw. Bronislaw is apparently interested in Sabina, and courts her, and Sabina falls hopelessly in love with him. But when Bronislaw reveals that he is a member of the secret police, and wants Sabina to spy on her boss at the state-run publishing house, things go from bad to worse to macabre. Sabina, her mother and her grandmother are fortunately up to the challenge, revealing a darker side to their otherwise affable personalities.


Cast

*
Agata Buzek Agata Bronisława Buzek (born 20 September 1976) is a Polish actress and model. She began her career appearing in films ''The Ballad of the Windshield Washers'' (1998), ''The Gateway of Europe'' (1999), ''The Hexer (film), The Hexer'' (2001) and ...
as Sabina *
Krystyna Janda Krystyna Jolanta Janda (; born 18 December 1952) is a Polish film and theatre actress, director, and singer. She is best known internationally for playing leading roles in several films by Polish film director Andrzej Wajda, including '' Man of ...
as Sabina's mother *
Anna Polony Anna Polony (born 21 January 1939) is a Polish actress and theatre director. She is former ''Prorector'' of the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Kraków. The media dubbed Polony 'the First Lady of Polish Theatre' or 'the Dame of the Polish Theatre". ...
as Sabina's grandmother *
Marcin Dorociński Marcin Grzegorz Dorociński (Polish: ; born 22 June 1973) is a Polish film, television and stage actor. He is known for playing roles in such films as '' Pitbull'' (2005), '' Reverse'' (2009), ''Rose'' (2011), '' Jack Strong'' (2014), ''Hurricane' ...
as Bronisław * Łukasz Konopka as Arkadiusz *
Adam Woronowicz Adam Woronowicz (; born 25 December 1973) is a Polish character actor. He has appeared in more than 90 films since 1995. He received seven Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nominations, winning once for the 2010 drama film, ''The Chr ...
as Mr Józef * Bronisław Wrocławski as Director Barski * Błażej Wójcik as Marcel *
Jacek Poniedziałek Jacek Poniedziałek (born 6 August 1965, Kraków) is a Polish film, theatre and television actor as well as a theatre director and translator. Life and career He was born on 6 August 1965 in Kraków and grew up in the city's Olsza II District. ...
as a dignitary


Reception

Soon after its premiere, it became evident that this modest black-and-white film about Stalinist Poland (now a subject of research of film theorists as well as sociologists), was to become a box office hit, which in the Polish domestic market effectively competes with the biggest Hollywood hits such as Twilight Saga or
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
. Pre-premiere screenings of ''Reverse'' at the oldest Warsaw cinema Wisła became the site of meetings of the Polish intelligentsia and “high society", renewing a forgotten Polish tradition of spontaneous post-screening meetings and film discussions. In conjunction with an Oscar promotional campaign, ''Reverse'' was shown in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
at
MOMA The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
and the
Directors Guild of America The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of Film director, film and Television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dir ...
Theatre. ''Reverse'' was also well received by American film critics as evidenced by reviews which appeared in ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' and ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
''. The
Polish Film Academy The Polish Film Academy (Polish: ''Polska Akademia Filmowa'') is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures. History The academy was founded in 2003 on the initiative of the I ...
nominated ''Reverse'' for the
Polish Film Awards The Eagles Polish Film Awards, or The Eagles () is the national film award of Poland. It has been delivered annually since 1999, with the first event held on 21 June, by the National Chamber of Audiovisual Producers (KIPA). Since 2003 they have b ...
: Eagles in 13 categories, eventually winning awards in eight of those, among them the Best Film Award. ''Reverse'' set a new record for the number of awards granted, surpassing the previous record held by
Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (; born 18 August 1933) is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Roman Polanski, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Britis ...
's '' The Pianist''. Soon thereafter, awards began to appear on the international arena. ''Reverse'' received
FIPRESCI The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for ''Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique'') is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the wor ...
Award at the
Warsaw Film Festival Warsaw Film Festival (; WFF), also known as Warsaw International Film Festival, is an annual international film festival held every October in Warsaw, Poland. The 40th edition of the festival will take place from 11 to 20 October 2024. Histor ...
; the St. George Award at the
Moscow International Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (, Transliteration, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is a film festival first held in Moscow in 1935 and became regular since 1959. From its inception to ...
; as well as the Grand Jury Prize for Best New Director at the
Seattle International Film Festival The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is a film festival held annually in Seattle, Washington, United States, since 1976. It usually takes place in late May and/or early June. It is one of the largest festivals in the world, and feature ...
. The decision of the latter award was articulated by the jury as follows: “
Borys Lankosz Borys Lankosz (born 31 March 1973, Kraków) is a Polish film director. He graduated from the National Film School in Łódź. His debut film "Evolution" (2001) received several awards, i.a. the Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco Internationa ...
’s ''Reverse'' succeeds its substantial ambition to tell the story of love, family, and loyalty in a brutal post war Warsaw. Uniquely, first time director Lankosz manages to deliver a highly stylized vision without sacrificing character, story, or performance. We are happy and honored to give the best new director award to this touching, thrilling, and deeply human film.”


Awards

The film won five awards at the 2009
Polish Film Festival The Gdynia Film Festival aka FPFF (until 2011: Polish Film Festival, Polish: ''Festiwal Polskich Filmów Fabularnych w Gdyni'') is an annual film festival first held in Gdańsk (1974–1986), now held in Gdynia, Poland. It has taken place every ...
Golden Lion *Best film (Borys Lankosz) *Producer of the best film (Jerzy Kapuściński) Individual awards * Best actress (Agata Buzek) * Best cinematography (Marcin Koszałka) * Best music (Włodzimierz Pawlik) * Best supporting Actor (Marcin Dorociński) * Best makeup (Mirosława Wojtczak, Ludmiła Krawczyk, Waldemar Pokromski) It also won the
FIPRESCI The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for ''Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique'') is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the wor ...
award at the Warsaw Film Festival for the best Eastern European debut.Strong Competition for 34th Polish Film Festival
* 2010 Eagle Award, Best Screenplay (
Andrzej Bart Andrzej Bart (born 1951 in Wrocław, Poland) is a Polish literature, Polish novelist, screenwriter and film director. He is called the Polish Thomas Pynchon
)


References


External links

* *
Review


{{Polish submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film 2009 films Polish black-and-white films 2009 black comedy films Films set in the 1950s Films set in Warsaw 2000s Polish-language films Rape and revenge films Polish black comedy films KADR films