The Story

Two couples go on a short holiday with kids where their relationships, and parental skills, will be tested. Winner of the Europa Cinemas Label for Best European film at the 56th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

An intimate comedy-drama portraying the generation of today's 40-year-olds from the perspective of a woman who is in need of profound changes in her life. Set in the Scandinavian landscape of the island of Bornholm, the film highlights the pitfalls of raising children, emergence of midlife crises and gradual partnership breakdown.

Middle-class married couple Maja (Agnieszka Grochowska) and Hubert (Maciej Stuhr) take their two pre-teen boys Eryk and Wiktor on the annual camping trip to the tranquil Danish island of Bornholm. As usual they travel with their old friend Dawid (Grzegorz Damiecki) and his son Kaj this time joined by Dawid’s new and much younger girlfriend Nina (Jasmina Polak). The idyllic holiday is unexpectedly interrupted by an incident between their children that will trigger a wave of accusations and long hidden emotions.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

?WINNER: Best European Film, Europa Cinemas Label I 56th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival  I 2022

NOMINATED: Polish Feature Films Competition I Off Camera International Festival of Independent Cinema I 2022

"Kazejak’s film is a wickedly funny dark comedy not afraid to ruffle some feathers." — Robert Daniels; RogerEbert.com"All in all, Kazejak crafts a solid feature. Even though its core theme – the mid-life crisis and the desire to “break free” from a life of duties and frustrations – is certainly not novel, the helmer manages to keep viewers hooked through a balanced mix of psychological drama and (very) bitter comedy, arousing our curiosity with the mystery behind the incident involving the kids in the first part and seeing how the adults will end up changing (or will they?) after this absurd weekend" — Davide Abbatescianni review, KARLOVY VARY 2022 Competition

Rating

E

Duration

96 min

Cast

Agnieszka Grochowska, Maciej Stuhr, Grzegorz Damiecki, Jasmina Polak, Magnus Krepper

Director

Anna Kazejak-Dawid