September 11, 2017, Łódź, Klub Wytwórnia, 11th edition of the Urbanator Days 2017 music workshops. In the photo: Michał Urbaniak, photo by Łukasz Szeląg As far as I remember, I met Zbigniew Seifert in the mid or late ’60s during a jam session at one of the clubs in Warsaw. At that time, Zbyszek was collaborating with Tomasz Stańko. He was a quiet guy, playing the saxophone. Later, he also started playing the violin, just like me – sometimes combining both instruments. Polish jazz musicians formed a real family back then – a group of somewhat crazy and courageous people. We played jazz essenti ..read more

The 1905 portrait of Władysław Reymont by Jacek Malczewski is available on the digital collection of the National Museum in Warsaw at cyfrowe.mnw.art.pl Joanna Sokołowska-Gwizdka On November 13, 1924, Władysław Reymont was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his monumental novel “The Peasants.” This four-volume epic, which Reymont wrote between 1901 and 1908, was published in installments in “Tygodnik Illustrowany” from 1904 to 1909. The novel’s action spans ten months—from September to July at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries—and is set in the small village of Lipce. It is divid ..read more

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In the spring and summer of 2024, renowned Polish pianist and champion of Fryderyk Chopin’s music, Marek Drewnowski, captivated audiences with a series of concerts in extraordinary venues: the Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra, Royal Łazienki Park, and the Palace in Mała Wieś. Each performance was not only a top-tier musical experience but also an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of art in some of Poland’s most historic settings ..read more

A conversation with director Kinga Dębska, conducted during the 48th Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. Feast of Fire A Film about Happiness, Ambition, and Secrets Joanna Sokołowska-Gwizdka: During this year's festival in Gdynia, your latest film, adapted from Jakub Małecki's novel, qualified for the main competition. What inspired you in the book to bring it to the screen? Kinga Dębska: The journey began when the producer, Piotr Dzięcioł, reached out with the offer. While I generally lean towards crafting films from my own scripts, I thought, "If you have this book, send it to me." At that time ..read more

A conversation with the screenwriter - Marcin Ciastoń. Marcin CiastoŃ (Photo by Agata Murawska) Joanna Sokołowska-Gwizdka: Mr. Marcin, during this year's Polish Film Festival in Austin, Texas, we are showing the psychological thriller "Wyrwa," inspired by Wojciech Chmielarz's novel. How was your experience adapting this novel into a screenplay? Marcin Ciastoń: Producers Joanna and Paweł Wernikowie, along with director Bartosz Konopka, brought me on board for this project. Before that happened, I of course read the book and quite quickly thought of an idea for it. Intriguingly, I found echoes ..read more

An exclusive interview with graphic artist – Patrycja Longawa, conducted by Joanna Sokołowska-Gwizdka. Patrycja is a winner of over 70 awards in prestigious utility art competitions, and her works have been showcased in 400 exhibitions across 40 countries around the globe. (More posters! and the Polish language version of this interview is also available on CultureAve.com) Joanna Sokołowska-Gwizdka: Patrycja, you crafted an outstanding poster for us to announce the 18th Polish Film Festival in Austin. Its originality and meticulous detail stand out in every aspect. It not only meets the de ..read more

In an interview with Tomasz Magierski, the director discusses his documentary, 'Julian Stańczak. To Catch the Light'. The film delves into the mesmerizing world of Julian Stańczak, a seminal figure in the Op-art movement and a Polish-American artist renowned for his vibrant geometric patterns that play with perception. Joanna Sokołowska-Gwizdka: During this year's Polish Film Festival in Austin, we will present your documentary film 'Julian Stańczak. To Catch the Light.' The film took 8 years to make. Why so long? Tomasz Magierski: First, thank you very much for inviting the film to the festiv ..read more

As Danuta Boba celebrated her 100th birthday, she was honored with the Medal of the National Education Commission for her contributions to Home Education. In the film, her daughter, Bożena Boba-Dyga, reflects on her mother's journey: EXCERPT from Bożena Boba-Dyga (Kraków): "On January 27, 1921, Danusia was born into the bourgeois Vašin family in Krakow. As you can easily calculate, she has turned one hundred years old, and what's more, she's still going strong. This round anniversary, which we usually wish for by singing "Happy 100th," became an occasion to recall her extraordinary story. Afte ..read more

When words won’t do, thoughts won’t do, and imagination no longer feels like imagining; there is still music – only music for this world, for this life. —Wiesław Myśliwski, A Treatise on Shelling Beans Can music change us? Can it change the world? These are the questions we may ask ourselves while watching the documentary Chopin: I Am Not Afraid of Darkness, written and directed by Joanna Kaczmarek. It follows an international project of sharing Fryderyk Chopin’s music with audiences at several locations stigmatized by historical events. This venture is undertaken by three pianists: Leszek Mo ..read more