WOMAN ON THE ROOF
POLAND, FRANCE, SWEDEN
WOMAN ON THE ROOF Kobieta na dachu
2022 – DCP – colore – 97’
Direction: Anna Jadowska
Screenplay: Anna Jadowska
Cinematography: Ita Zbroniec-Zajt
Editing: Julia Grégory, Piotr Kmiecik
Set design: Anna Pabisiak
Original music: Katharina Nuttall
Costumes: Maja Skrzypek
Cast: Dorota Pomyka?a (Mira), Bogdan Koca (Julek), Adam Bobik (Mariusz), Agnieszka Suchora (Ula), Ewa Stan?czyk (tirocinante intern), Edyta Januszewska (Dagmara), Aneta Spirydowicz (Dana), Milena Lisiecka (Danuta), Magdalena Ma?Czko (Monika), Karolina Adamczyk (Ela)
Producers: Maria Blicharska Martin-Lacroix, Damien McDonald, Mimi Spång, Anna-Maria Kantarius
Production: Donten & Lacroix Films (Pl), Blick Productions (Fr), Garagefilm (Se)
World Sales: Loco Films
synopsis
Mirka, a 60-year old woman, appears to have a normal life. One morning she starts her day like any other, wakes up early, puts her family’s clothes out to dry and purchases food for her fish and commits a bank robbery with a kitchen knife. She discovers her need for money is surpassed only by her need for love.
Polacca con il suo film Now Me. Anche il suo ultimo lungometraggio Wild Roses (2017) riceve numerosi riconoscimenti, tra cui l’Impact Award Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Stoccolma e 5 premi al Festival Internazionale del Cinema di Cottbus.
the director: Anna Jadowska
Graduated from ?ód? Film School and Wajda Masterschool of Directing, her feature Touch Me (Berlinale 2003 Forum section) wins the Grand Independent Cinema Prize in Poland in 2004. The same year, her short film Corridor is selected to the Cannes International Critics’ Week. In 2005, she wins the Best Polish Debut Award for her film Now, Me. Her last feature, Wild Roses (2017) wins again numerous awards among which the Impact Award Stockholm IFF, 5 Awards Cottbus IFF.
director’s statement
“The situation of women in Poland and many other countries remains very difficult. In traditional family relationships, women are forced to limit their own needs. Mirka sees her circumstances as obvious. They could not be otherwise. Although she observes others around her – younger women who make different choices – she cannot even imagine her life changing at all.
Mirka was locked in a very tight stereotype. As wife and mother, she was limited to a mechanical routine which left no room for introspection. She, alone, kept the household going and never asked for help – nor did anyone ever offer it. Asking for help would have been an admission of failure.
In the cinema, the female character over 60 is almost absent. Just as in the real world, women of this age before invisible to society. In making this film, I wanted to show a complex real female figure who, despite the fact that she plays important social roles, also has very personal emotional needs that, suppressed over the years, speak loudly.”
Filmography
2003 Dotknij mnie (Touch Me)
2004 Corridor (short)
2005 Teraz ja (Now, Me)
2017 Dzikie róze (Wild Roses)
2022 Kobieta na dachu (Woman on the Roof)
Awards and festivals
2022 Tribeca FF – Int. Narrative Competition: Best Performance to Dorota Pomyka?a
2022 Gdynia Polish FF – Best Actress
2022 Calgary IFF – International Competition
2022 ?ód? Camerimage: Best Director, Best Cinematography
2023 Brussels IFF – Directors’ Week Award
2023 Polish Fim Awards: nominations as Best Film, Best Director