Women and Polish Cinema by Radkiewicz, Malgorzata; Ostrowska, Elzbieta;

Short description:

An in-depth exploration of the vital, yet often overlooked, contributions of women across Polish film history.

Long description:

Across Polish film history, the contributions of women have often been overshadowed by their male counterparts. While figures like Wanda Jakubowska, Barbara Sass-Zdort, and Agnieszka Holland have garnered recognition, many others remain marginalized and their work alarmingly under-researched. This open access book redresses this imbalance, providing a comprehensive analysis of women's engagement in Polish cinema from as early as the 1930s up to present day.

The volume provides an in-depth exploration of the careers and achievements of women both in front of and behind the camera. These include actresses such as Nora Ney, Jadwiga Smosarska, and Lena Zelichowska; producers like Maria Hirszbein; directors such as Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, Krystyna Janda, Natalia Koryncka-Gruz, Urszula Urbaniak, and Izabella Cywinskal; as well as scriptwriters, editors, and amateur filmmakers. In doing so, it challenges traditional film historiography, uncovering the systemic neglect and patriarchal structures that have long suppressed women's contributions to the industry.

The case studies presented also revise the Western perspective on Polish and Eastern European cinema, challenging the misplaced notion that it is primarily a politically engaged, male-dominated auteur cinema. In doing so, the volume initiates the long-overdue process of rewriting the vernacular history of Polish cinema.

Table of Contents:

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Acknowledgments
List of illustrations
Elzbieta Ostrowska, Malgorzata Radkiewicz, Introduction: Out of frame, devoid of fame: Polish Cinema's marginalized women

Part One: Broken voices
1. Grzegorz Rogowski, ""Women in Pre-war Film: Based on biographies of Nora Ney, Jadwiga Smosarska and Lena Zelichowska""
2. Paulina Kwiatkowska, ""Women's Problems - Women's Solutions: Female students of the Film School in L-dz between the reality of socialism and socialist realism""
3. Magdalena Podsiadlo-Kwiecien, ""Disappearing debutantes in post-transformation Polish cinema 1989-2005""

Part Two: Voices from the margins
4. Hanna Margolis ""Halina Bielinska and Katarzyna Latallo: How They Became (or not?) the Mothers of Polish Animation""
5. Jadwiga Huckov-, ""'Women of coal': post-war industrialization in films by female documentary filmmakers""
6. Magdalena Walo, ""The Forgotten Mothers of Children's Cinema: Directors from Wanda Jakubowska's Circle""
7. Paulina Haratyk, ""Janina Matejuk and the Amateur Film Clubs Movement""

Part Three: (In)dependent voices
8. Sebastian Jagielski, ""An actress's sovereignty: the emancipatory project of Lucyna Winnicka""
9. Malgorzata Radkiewicz, ""Women in The Film Unit 'X': in the Shadow of Andrzej Wajda""
10. Elzbieta Ostrowska, ""The 'Man of Providence' and his 'Secret Advisor': the collaboration of Andrzej Wajda and Agnieszka Holland""

Bibliography