POD WULKANEM
UNDER THE VOLCANO
Performance
At first glance, the patchwork family is stranded in paradise. They are even allowed to stay in the hotel for free. Yet no one can enjoy a holiday if their homeland is under attack and their relatives and friends are on a train west or seeking refuge in a bunker. What is to happen next? Why is no one here interested in what is happening at home and the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Should they return home or stay put? Is a shared future even possible? Sofia's father and his wife argue endlessly about these questions as well as matters of lesser significance. Meanwhile, the 15-year-old daughter increasingly isolates herself and goes her own way
As in his debut BREAD AND SALT (an entry to the FFC 2022 Feature Film Competition), Damian Kocur narrates a story about people like me and you told with assiduous attention to detail and a documentary-like approach with its almost transitionless scenes, captured as if in passing, tungsten light and elaborate effects which, owing to their everyday nature, strike a chord with the viewer.
The dormant volcano Pico del Teide towers in the background. It underlines how far removed the family (still) seems to be from the horror unfolding back home, whilst also symbolising how much is simmering under the surface of sun, sand and street parties.
Text: Rainer Mende
06.11.2024 | 21:30 | Weltspiegel Großer Saal (original version with English and German subtitles)
07.11.2024 | 10:00 | Weltspiegel Saal 2 (original version with English and German subtitles)
Damian Kocur, Marta Konarzewska
Nikita Kuzmienko
Serhii Avdieiev
Sofiia Berezovska,
Roman Lutskyi,
Anastasiia Karpienko,
Fedir Pugachov
Grzegorz Sloniewski, Michal Maksym
Damian Kocur - Director, scriptwriter, and cinematographer. PhD student at the Łódź Film School. He is the author of several internationally awarded short films. His debut feature film BREAD AND SALT (2022) was awarded the Special Jury Prize in the Orizzonti competition at the Venice Film Festival 2022, Cairo IFF, Antalya IFF, Cottbus Film Festival, and many more. His last short film AS IT WAS was nominated for Palme d'Or at Cannes 2023.
