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WORLD SALES AND FESTIVAL MEMENTO FILMS INTERNATIONAL 9, cité Paradis - 75010 Paris - France T 33 1 53 34 90 33 [email protected] [email protected] NOWHERE PRESENTS

A FILM BY Malgorzata Szumowska

PRODUCERS NOWHERE Jacek Drosio Malgorzata Szumowska AND MICHAl ENGLERT

CO-PRODUCERS D35 S.A. Marcin Kryjom KINO SWIAT Marcin Piasecki MAZOWIECKI FUNDUSZ FILMOWY Aleksandra Kielan

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER LAMBROS ZIOTAS

A POLISH FILM INSTITUTE CO-FINANCED PRODUCTION GENERAL DIRECTOR Agnieszka Odorowicz

POLAND / COLOUR / 90 MIN / 2K / 2.39 / 2015 World sales and Festival PRESS IN BERLIN producer MEMENTO FILMS INTERNATIONAL MAGALI MONTET NOWHERE 9, cité Paradis - 75010 Paris - France T +33 6 71 63 36 16 ul. Narbutta 27/4, 02-536 T +33 1 53 34 90 33 [email protected] , Poland [email protected] DELPHINE MAYELE tel :+48 500 892253 [email protected] T +33 6 60 89 85 41 [email protected] [email protected] synopsis Poland, nowadays. The intertwined stories of a criminal prosecutor, his anorexic daughter and her therapist who claims she can communicate with the dead loved ones. Three radically different approaches to the body and soul. What was the initial trigger for BODY? interview WITH THE DIRECTOR I wanted to make a film about anorexics. body has a lot of different meanings were still I thought about it for a long time but then gave present in my mind. A body – physical, astral, How has the Polish religious and political culture up this idea as I felt that this theme would be dead - might be treated as an object, might be influenced the way you’ve treated this subject, especially so hermetic and closed that it would not reach adored and hated. So this story has emerged the audience. However, the plot about the plot from the material that the body is. for the character of the therapist? about Olga's character and the idea that a The action takes place in present day Poland, ging from one day to another, where Church BODY features various approaches to our relationship with although it looks a bit like it took place 20 years no longer has such a strong impact on po- ago. And this is something I wanted to show. litics and state, people of a certain age feel our body and our sensory experience of the world. Just around the corner of new hip shops that simply lost. sell organic food are people living the way they Can you explain them? Anna searches for a meaning in her job. She did back in the 90s. Poland of ordinary people treats the sick girls in a very emotional way Olga hates her body, which she sees as so- objects. He doesn't believe in anything. is less «photogenic» and this is the Poland of and wants to implement new therapeutic me- mething useless. She wants to be free, to be these people that I’m showing, people who Anna, who believes in the disembodiment thods, but Polish hospitals are not open nor void of its corporeality. She is a victim of this earn less than the national average salary wor- - or in other words in ghosts – attempts to ready for that. She is seen as a lunatic. Anna contemporary chase for an ideal body which king state jobs and are miles away from the convince him to believe. Each character is finds her faith in spiritualism, as Catholicism is in the end doesn't exist at all. hipster cafes in their neighbourhood. There somehow trapped in his or her own body. He for her an obsolete and untrue form. Her father doesn't know how to help her. He is old and embittered while Anna has in a way are thousands of people like these. Today, 25 sees dead bodies in his everyday life which in lost her sexuality. years after the collapse of communism, in a his pragmatic and lonely world become just country where everything is constantly chan- There is a sense of comedy and humor in this film despite the rather tragic reality and the fragility of the characters, how did you manage to lighten the tone? Perhaps Michal, the co-writer of the script, laugh it would be impossible to face all the and I are at this time in our lives when a too things that happen to us. Serious subjects serious and snobby tone is just getting tiring like faith for exemple. Such subjects would to us. Despite its brutality, life tends to be quite sound silly if they weren’t overcome with hu- funny even in the most violent moments. And mour, even if it’s black humour. maybe it is the case because without a good Why did you cast Maja Ostaszewska for the role of the therapist? The human body is recurring theme in your films, what is it about Maja is an outstanding theatre actress. Her tend to be either bland or destined for women portfolio includes many significant roles in in their 20s. I dreamt about using Maja’s talent it that fascinates you? cinema, but most importantly she frequently and creating a character that would allow her I'm fascinated by the body as a machine, terrible limits, it can become an obsession. plays withKrzysztof Warlikowski, a very well- to use her experience. Together with Michal which let our lifes go. For me, to live – means To all intents and purposes everything might known Polish theatre director. Polish cinema Englert we created this character of the thera- also to create. Only an efficient body can allow be related to the body. Thus, we search for doesn’t offer many role opportunities for wo- pist for her, being totally aware of the comedy us to do a great activities, to create, to move, something that is aside from it, we miss this men older than 40 years old as characters skills that Maja has demonstrated in theatre. to sleep and function. The body can impose thing that is outside of it. Documentary 1997 - Day in the Life of Tomek Karat 1999 - Seven Lessons of Love 2000 - A Wedding in the House of Loneliness 2001 - Documentary... 2005 - My Father, Maciek 2006 - Nothing To Be Scared Of Feature film 2000 - Happy Man 2004 - Stranger 2008 - 33 Scenes From Life 2011 - Elles 2013 - In the Name of... 2015 - Body Małgorzata Szumowska belongs to the most prominent Polish filmmakers and covers a broad spectrum working as screenwriter and producer as well as documentary and feature film director. She has been honoured with several international awards, including the Teddy Award for In The Name Of at the Berlin Film Festival and the Silver Leopard Award at the Locarno Film festival DIRECTOR’SMałgorzata SzumowskaBIO for 33 Scenes From Life. Malgorzata Szumowska was twice nominated for the European Film Awards for Happy Man short film and Stranger. She is a winner of many 1995 - Scene 10 prestigious prizes in Poland. 1996 - Before I Disappear Her movie Elles, featuring Juliette Binoche 1997 - Silence short documentary and Anaïs Demoustier, was sold 2000 - Ascension to over 40 countries. In 2015 comes 2004 - Visions Of Europe (part: Crossroad) out her new movie Body. 2005 - Solidarity, Solidarity.... (part: Father) Janusz Gajos – recognised as one of the most distinguished actors in Polish theater and film industry. He has played numerous roles in outstanding movies, including: (dir. ), Three Colors: White (dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski), Interrogation (dir. ), Escape from the 'Liberty' Cinema (dir. Wojciech Marczewski). Well known for his role in the most popular Polish TV series of the ‘60s - Four tank-men and a dog. He is a laureate of many awards for his professional achievements. In 2011 he was honoured by the President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski. He has been working for National Theater in Warsaw since 2003.

ACTORs' BIO Maja Ostaszewska – a notable Polish movie and theater actress. She cooperated with the most important Polish theater directors, works permanently for well known in Poland and in the world Nowy Teatr (New Theater) directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski. She played lead role in Katyn directed by Andrzej Wajda. Maja Ostaszewska performed for many film directors in such productions as: In The Name Of by Małgorzata Szumowska, The Pianist directed by Roman Polański. She’s a laureate of many film awards. Maja Ostaszewska has been an activist and a defender of animals' rights for a couple of years now. PRODUCER’S PROFILE NOWHERE was established in May 2013 and made its debut with Body, whose world premiere is going to take place during the 65th Berlin International Film Festival. The founders of NOWHERE are experienced film makers: a film director Małgorzata Szumowska, DOP Michał Englert , a film editor Jacek Drosio and an actor Mateusz Kościukiewicz. Sharing their passion to cinema, NOWHERE was found to discover and support new, original and independent filmmakers, from all over the world.

Michał Englert (cinematographer, writer and producer) He is a member of the European Film Academy. He’s made several features, shorts, documentaries, commercials, music videos, both in the Polish and international industry. The movies he collaborated on were presented and awarded in such a prestigious international film festivals as Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Sundance, Locarno, and many more. He also cooperated with such film directors as Małgorzata Szumowska, Ari Folman, Jacek Borcuch. His work was acknowledged by international press like Variety, Screen International, TimeOut, The Hollywood Reporter, etc. He won Best Cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival, the and at the FF Mexico. cast THE PROSECUTOR Janusz Gajos ANNA THE THERAPIST Maja Ostaszewska OLGA Justyna Suwała THE PROSECUTOR’S GIRLFRIEND Ewa Dałkowska THE DOCTOR Adam Woronowicz THE PROSECUTOR’S ASSISTANT Tomasz Ziętek THE WOMAN WHO LOST HER SON Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik THE NURSE Ewa Kolasińska THE GRAVEDIGGER Roman Gancarczyk THE NEIGHBOR Władysław Kowalski DIRECTOR Małgorzata Szumowska SCREENPLAY Małgorzata Szumowska Michał Englert CINEMATOGRAPHER Michał Englert EDITOR Jacek Drosio SOUND DESIGNERS Kacper Habisiak Marcin Kasiński SOUND Marcin Jachyra PRODUCTION DESIGNER Elwira Pluta PRODUCTION MANAGER Marek Bączyk COSTUME DESIGNERS Katarzyna Lewińska crew Julia Jarża-Brataniec MAKE-UP ARTIST Agnieszka Hodowana 1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Hubert Koprowicz CASTING DIRECTOR Majka Skryśkiewicz PRODUCERS Jacek Drosio Małgorzata Szumowska Michał Englert EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Lambros Ziotas CO-PRODUCERS D35 (Marcin Kryjom) Kino Świat (Marcin Piasecki) Mazowiecki Fundusz Filmowy (Anna Kielan)