ART & HISTORY
Selection of short documentaries on art, history & music.
Wanda i Józef Gosławscy: The Art of Life
This short documentary was created for a temporary exhibition entitled "Wanda and Józef Gosławski: The Art of Life" presented in the Chopin Museum in Żelazowa Wola. It tells the story of a couple of artists, Wanda and Józef Gosławski, and presents their ways to create art in times of scarcity in the communist Poland.
Poland, 2024
duration: 8 min.
interviewed by: Maria Kominek-Karolak, Maciej Drzażdżewski
cinematographer: Marcin Zawadziński, Kacper Sędzielewski, Mateusz Rychłowski
editing & colour grading: Joanna Janikowska
drone: Filip Dowjat
sound: Mateusz Irisik
executive producer: Maciej Drzażdżewski
produced by: Chopin Institute
Production details:
BREATHE IN: PHOTOBOOK
The film, produced by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, tells a story of how Filip Dowjat's photo book "Breathe In" came to be – from the initial idea, through camera work, photo editing, and searching for the right visual language, up until the printing process. It is a meeting with the author, the emotions which accompanied him while he created materials for the album, as well as with other people whose work and commitment resulted in the creation of this unique photo book.
Production details:
Poland, 2025
duration: 10 min.
directing & cinematography: Bartosz Świniarski
editing & colour grading: Joanna Janikowska
sound on set: Mateusz Irisik, Marta Kosiorowska
sound postproduction: Mateusz Irisik
additional footage: Filip Dowjat
executive producer: Urszula Bielicka
produced by: Chopin Institute
polonaise our trace
This short documentary is a look at the process of creating a performance by the Cracovia Danza Court Ballet. Mesmerising show called "Polonaise our trace" is a journey following the echos of polonaise across various epochs. The film also presents the social context of the polonaise and its importance for Polish identity. The documentary has been created as part of the Polish Music Heritage programme.
Production details:
Poland, 2022
duration: 19 min.
directing: Aleksandra Potoczek
cinematography: Artur Wierzbicki, Michał Żuberek, Joanna Janikowska
editing: Joanna Janikowska
executive producer: Ewa Owsiak
produced by: Chopin Institute
Żelazowa Wola:
The Score of the space
This short documentary presents the 200-year history of Chopin's birthplace. Thanks to a wealth of archival material, the film follows various periods from the early XIXth century to the present day. It also shows the many attempts and turbulences in the creation of the museum and it's spectacular park. The place is now visited every year by thousands of admirers of Chopin's music from all over the world.
Production details:
Poland, 2023
duration: 14 min.
directing & editing: Joanna Janikowska
cinematography: Michał Stajniak, Marcin Zawadziński, Filip Dowjat, Nicolás Villegas H., Paulina Kowol
executive producers: Urszula Bielicka, Ewa Owsiak, Zofia Rogala
produced by: Chopin Institute
Tomasz Ritter | CHOPIN, CHOPIN!
How was the soundtrack for the film "CHOPIN, CHOPIN!" created? In this short documentary, Tomasz Ritter talks about his contribution to the extraordinary portrait of Fryderyk Chopin in the blockbuster "CHOPIN CHOPIN!"
Production details:
Poland, 2025
duration: 10 min.
cinematography: Filip Dowjat
editing & colour grading: Joanna Janikowska
executive producer: Urszula Bielicka
produced by: Chopin Institute