SzaZa ZapraSza Film – Szamburski / Zakrocki duo

and their interdisciplinary encounters with moving pictures

Paweł Szamburski and Patryk Zakrocki are musicians, improvisers and culture promoters active on the Warsaw music scene gathered around Lado ABC label since 1999. They have created music for theatre, film, silent movies, contemporary dance, animated shorts and storytelling shows. In 2009 the duo was awarded for their music at the international theatre festival Kontrapunkt in Szczecin and won the Minister of Culture Award at The National Theatre’s 15. Competition for Staging Contemporary Polish Drama.

With support from the Warsaw City Council SzaZa duo has completed numerous unique projects, impressively combining various art disciplines with music. They have worked on music and dance shows such as “Caffe Latte” in collaboration with Dada von Bzdulow Theatre from Gdańsk and “Zdarzenia” with Łódź’s Pracownia Fizyczna; storytelling shows with live music “O niewiedzy w praktyce czyli rowerem do Portugalii” by theatre director Piotr Cieplak and “King SzaZa” based on fairy tales and stories by Marcin Gokieli; and Joseph Chaikin’s monodrama “War in Heaven” starring Krzysztof Globisz and Barbara Garstka.

In their film-based interdisciplinary works, Szamburski and Zakrocki have created original scores (performed live) to the earliest shorts, Ladislaw Starewicz animations and experimental films by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson. In the years 2010 - 2012 the musicians, thanks to the support from Polish Cultural Institutes in New York, Madrid, Vienna and Paris, as well as film studio Se- ma-for, Filmoteka Narodowa (National Film Archive) and Adam Mickiewicz Institute, presented their projects in Japan, China, Austria, France, Spain, North America, Iceland, Norway and as far as Uruguay. Szamburski/Zakrocki also performed at the cultural events in Vienna celebrating the Polish presidency of the European Union. Film screenings with their music performed live (including “Polański/SzaZa” and “Starewicz/SzaZa” projects) were featured at festivals around the world such as International Animation and Comic Conference in Beijing, Polish Jazz Days in Tokyo, Soco Festival in Montevideo, National Museum of Art Film Festival in Washington D.C., Polish Cinema Festivals in Chicago, Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles and Paris, Insomnia Festival in Tromsø and Unsound Festival New York. FILM PROJECTS - DESCRIPTION

SzaZaZe + Themersons’ films with live music

SzaZaZe is Szamburski, Zakrocki and Zemler. As part of the interdisciplinary project “SzaZa ZapraSza” they have created an original soundtrack to the extraordinary films by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson. Sounds of percussion instruments, clarinets, mandolin, violin and mbira (kalimba) in evocative, subtle improvised pieces complement, narrate and provide live commentary for the film works.

An evening with SzaZaZe trio is divided into three parts: a short solo piece by Hubert Zemler on drums and percussion, a concert by Szamburski/Zakrocki/Zemler trio and a screening of experimental films by the Themersons to the live accompaniment by the trio.

Stefan and Franciszka Themersons were a couple of avant-garde artists, creators of many significant works including “The Adventures of a Good Citizen” and the manifesto of creative freedom and intellectual independence. In the years 1930 -1937 Stefan Themerson and his wife Franciszka made five avant-garde films (“Pharmacy” and “The Adventures of a Good Citizen” among them, however the latter one is the only prewar Themersons’ film that survived), which are considered milestones in the history of the Polish experimental and avant-garde cinema. The films were created with the use of an original device that enabled photographing objects placed on transparent paper frame by frame. The Themersons also edited newspaper f.a. dedicated to art film. In the 1930s, using simple equipment at their home studio, the Themersons made a few experimental films that earned their place in the history of the European avant-garde cinema next to the works of Hans Richter, Man Ray, Fernand Léger or Luis Buñuel. They were, in chronological order, “Pharmacy”, “Europa”, “Musical Moment”, “Short Circuit” and “The Adventures of a Good Citizen”. The first two, created with the use of moving photograms, were shown exclusively at special screenings; they raised great controversy amongst viewers and critics. The films were made with the use of a device built by the Themersons themselves that enabled photographing objects frame by frame. This method was an improved version of techniques used in photogram and early surrealist films by Man Ray. The idea for “Europe” completed in 1932 was inspired by a futurist poem by Anatol Stern published in 1929 with illustrations by Mieczysław Szczuka and Teresa Żarnowerówna. The film was meant to be a visual representation of the poem’s catastrophic vision of Europe doomed to utter destruction. Only a handful of frames survived to this day, there is also a film “Europa II” – a restored version by Piotr Zarębski. “Pharmacy” is another lost film that was restored, this time by an American artist Bruce Czeczewski. “Musical Moment” and “Short Circuit” were short pieces shown in cinemas as a supplement to feature films, however their high artistic value impressed some critics to the point, where they would give them more space in their reviews than the actual features. To this day these works are regularly presented at avant- garde cinema festivals around the world.

The show features the following films by the Themersons:

The Adventures of a Good Citizen – an irrational humoresque written by Themersons, black and white, sound film, 35mm, 10 minutes, Warsaw1937

Calling Mr. Smith – a film commissioned by the Film Office of the Ministry of Information and Documentation, written by Themersons; features photographs and fragments of documentaries, colour, sound film, 35mm, 10 minutes, London 1943

The Eye & The Ear - film commissioned by the Film Office of the Ministry of Information and Documentation, photograms in motion, black and white, sound film 35 mm, 10 minutes, London1944 / 45 Starewicz / SzaZa

The project was founded by the musical duo SzaZa in collaboration with the Łódź film studio Se-ma-for. It combines very colourful, multi-layered and evocative music by Szamburski and Zakrocki with early 20th century stop-motion puppet animations by Ladislaw Starewicz; the duo provides live soundtrack to the films. The Starewicz / SzaZa project was presented at prestigious festivals in Japan, China, France, Spain and Switzerland as part of the Se-ma-for European-Asian Tour. At this show/performance/concert two very dynamic narratives meet – the silent cinema (in this case groundbreaking animation and puppet film) and spontaneous musical and sound expression closely connected with the image.

Films shown with live music: 1911 – Miest kinoopieratora – The Cameraman's Revenge – Zemsta kinooperatora. 1911 – Rożdiestwo obitatieli liesa – The Insects' Christmas – Boże Narodzenie w lesie. 1915 – Lilija Bielgii – The Lily of Belgium – Lilia Belgii. 1927 – La Cigale et la Fourmi – The Ant and the Grasshopper – Konik Polny i Mrówka.

Władysław Starewicz – (1882-1965) was a pioneer of animated puppet film. He was raised in Kaunas. Starewicz’s artistic talent manifested itself early: as a young boy he painted, made drawings and took photos; at one point he also became a popular caricaturist. However his greatest passion was collecting and studying insects, which had a major impact on his film career. At 28 Starewicz, inspired by the subject of his research, conducted an original experiment in his small home studio. He wished to record the battle of two stag beetles, but was stymied by the fact that the nocturnal creatures inevitably went to sleep whenever the stage lighting was turned on. Starewicz decided to re-create the fight through stop-motion animation: by replacing the beetles' legs with wire, attached with sealing wax to their thorax, he was able to create articulated insect puppets. He dressed his “knights” in costumes, knee boots, gave them rapiers and built a period setting. The convention he employed is essential since it determined the form of his future creative output, but his filming technique had equal importance. Starewicz divided the beetles’ movement into phases and took frame-by-frame photos of them, thus discovering stop-motion method. It was 1910. He created his works with help from his wife Anna and editor Maria Wodzińska (who went on to become the head of editing in a film studio). On March 26, 1912 Starewicz premiered his stag beetle film, which took him two years of experiments and research to make. The Beautiful Leukanida is the first puppet film in the history of cinema. In search for creative freedom, Starewicz made several live-action films: parodies and anti-war political grotesque pieces. In 1919 he left Russia and opened a puppet film studio in Paris. The films that were created there had a worldwide distribution and even reached Hollywood. Today Starewicz is considered a great pioneer of stop- motion animation and puppet film. Polański / SzaZa

From all Roman Polanski’s works, his short films have probably the least exposure. Between 1958-1962, as a student of the National Film School in Łódź, Polanski created a series of short films, from playful technique exercises like “Murder” (1957) and “A Toothful Smile”, through metaphorical “Break Up the Dance” (1957) and “Mammals” (1962) to “” (1958), which brought Polanski international acclaim. These etudes display the glimpses of surreal, often dark style Polanski would explore in his later works, as well as his narrative genius and relentless search for the truth about human nature, regardless of the cruelty and viciousness he may uncover. That grotesque, often disturbing world of early Polanski films combined with precise and inventive direction can be found in his later masterpieces such as “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Chinatown” or “The Pianist”.

Szamburski / Zakrocki created a very dynamic soundtrack that makes conversation with images. The musicians comment and add new voice to the narration, showing how important music and sound can be in a film. By referencing compositions and the original music that was used in these shorts SzaZa creates new, unique narrative field.

Films shown with live music:

MORDERSTWO (Murder) Poland 1957 35 mm, 1min 30 sec. UŚMIECH ZĘBICZNY (A Toothful Smile) Poland 1957 35 mm, 1 min 27 sec. ROZBIJEMY ZABAWĘ (Break Up the Dance) Poland 1957 35 mm, 7 min 38 sec. DWAJ LUDZIE Z SZAFĄ (Two Men and a Wardrobe) Poland 1958 35 mm, 15 min. KIEDY SPADAJĄ ANIOŁY () Poland 1959 35 mm, 22 min. LAMPA (The Lamp) Poland 1959 35 mm, 7 min 50 sek. WORKSHOPS

Music workshops with SzaZa - Szamburski / Zakrocki.

Two-day music workshop conducted by the Warsaw-based SzaZa duo is primarily focused on the music in the interdisciplinary context. Relying on their vast experience in making music for theatre, film and dance Szamburski and Zakrocki introduce the participants to the mysteries of a composer’s work, and present useful equipment and methods of creating “music in a context”.

Music in a film context will be illustrated by projects created in cooperation with the FilmotekaNarodowa (National Film Archive), National Film School in Łódź and Se-ma-for animation studio such as Polanski/SzaZa, Starewicz/SzaZa and Themerson/SzaZaZe. With active participation of the workshop guests the musicians will discuss narration in film, music as a commentary and counterpoint, and providing soundtrack for particular scenes. Using examples Szamburski and Zakrocki will present the wide range of options and functions for music in a film, as well as composing techniques. Together with the workshop participants they will interpret scenes from movies in various ways and create music that gives the scenes humorous, serious or dramatic tone, or simply works as an illustrative soundscape. The films presented during the workshop range from silent movies (Starewicz, Melieux) through experimental cinema (Themerson), first stop motion animation (Ladislaw Starewicz) to contemporary film (student etudes by Roman Polanski).

Paweł Szamburski and Patryk Zakrocki will also describe – in the form of live music and conversation – their experiences of working with artists, directors and choreographers such as Piotr Cieplak, Paweł Miśkiewicz, Leszek Bzdyl, Krzysztof Globisz, Marcin Gokieli, as well as dance group Pracownia Fizyczna from Łódź or Teatr Montownia. The musicians present various working techniques for different forms, art disciplines and interactions. Possible subjects:

Music and text in theatre / Music and theatre performance with no text / Music in contemporary dance / Music for silent movies / Music and performance art/

Szamburski / Zakrocki will also talk about improvisation in music and creative act. How is music related to other arts in terms of timing, improvisatory freedom and creative nature? The musicians explain which aspects of collaboration with theatre are fulfilling and which ones can be limiting, and why.

At the end and during the workshop the artists present instruments and equipment that facilitates creating live compositions, introduce the participants to the easiest and most effective composing techniques and get them involved in making music together!