The annual, two-part festival presents classic Polish cinema as well as contemporary works produced by the newest generation of the country's filmmakers. It showcases internationally recognized films that might not otherwise be seen in the area and attracts renowned Polish actors, directors, screenwriters, and critics to Rochester.
The festival is sponsored by the Skalny Center, the Polish Film Institute, the Polish Filmmakers Association, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York and the Polish Heritage Society of Rochester.
Schedule of Events:
7:00 pm: Kulej, all that Glitters isn't gold - 148 minutes
The story of Jerzy and Helena Kulej, the most vibrant married couple of the 1960s in Poland. He is a legendary boxer, a two-time European and eight-time Polish champion, the only Polish boxer to have won two Olympic golds, and though never knocked out in the ring, collapsing many a times in his private life. She is a strong woman, always there by his side, but refusing to stay in his shadow forever. The film focuses on the 1964-68 period when Jerzy Kulej won gold at the Olympic Games in Tokyo only to repeat that feat in Mexico. It's a multifaceted story of the sportsman's successes on the ring and the colours of the era, but also a tale of the turbulent fate of the Kulejs' marriage where great love was put to the test while trying to tackle a great success.