13 Jun THE PAWNSHOP

Posted at 11:55h in International selection by

THE PAWNSHOP

Poland / 2022 / 81′

DIRECTED BY: Łukasz Kowalski
SCREENPLAY BY: Lukasz Kowalski
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Stanislaw Cuske
EDITED BY: Adriana Fernandez Castellanos, Filip Kowalski, Jakub Darewski, Kosma Kowalczyk
MUSIC: Krzysztof Janczak
PRODUCERS: Anna Mazerant, Lukasz Kowalski
PRODUCED BY: 4.30 Studio

FESTIVALS & AWARDS: DocAviv (2022), Krakow FF (2022), Sydney Underground FF (2022), DocLisboa (2022), DOK Leipzig (2022), Ji.hlava (2022), One World FF (2022), IDFA (2022), CPH:DOX (2022), Visions du Réel (2022), Astra FF: Grand Prix (2022), Athens IFF Opening Nights: Special Mention (2022), Millennium Docs Against Gravity (2022), Melbourne IFF (2022), Makedox (2022), International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (2022), , CinEast (2022),  Braunschweig IFF (2022), Kasseler Dokfest (2022), DocPoint (2023)

Jola and Wiesiek are a pair of eccentric Polish businessmen who run probably the biggest pawnshop in Europe. However, inhabitants of their city, deprived of a livelihood after the closure of nearby mines, pawn increasingly absurd and useless objects. Together with their junk, they are dragging in their problems, but neither Wiesiek’s crazy marketing ideas nor Jola’s tender heart can help the failing business. Although the pawnshop brings losses, it becomes an important center of life for the local community. Soon, however, it finds itself on the brink of bankruptcy, and Jola and Wiesiek’s relationship is put to the test. With disaster looming, the owners make one last attempt to save their business and their love.

Lukasz Kowalski – director, journalist, and creator of television programs. He graduated from the Department of Philology at the University of Silesia in Katowice and Wajda School in Warsaw. Since 2007 he is professionally associated with TVP – Polish Television. Author of over 170 short documentary films and intervention and investigative reportages broadcast on many TVP channels. He won many awards in the most prestigious nationwide journalist competitions. Since 2018 co-owner of 4:30 Studio, a boutique production company based in Katowice. He participated in many master classes, workshops, and professional training (also abroad) in the field of media and film direction.