Bartosz Sak

Ela - Sketches on a Departure

Ela lives in a small provincial town in Poland. Her daily life is stuck in a routine, balancing work and family. But Ela has a dream: Like many young Polish people, Ela, too wants to escape the tristesse of the council housing estate and move West, into a better life.

The Crystal Girl

The film follows a few people in their twenties experiencing love-Adrian, Jacus, Wiesia, The Crystal Girl and Wasyl. Adrian is in his final year studying philosophy. During a lecture on the nature of love, he notices Magda, a socially engaged journalist who has her own radio talk-show. They start dating. Jacus, who shares a dorm room with Adrian, is hopelessly in love with Wasyl. Unable to deal with his unrequited love, Jacus is driven to psychosis. Adrian’s sister Wiesia is soon to be married to Szymon. They are looking for a flat together. When Adrian drops by for a visit, he realizes that Szymon is physically abusing his sister. Wiesia, however, is in denial.

Sweat

Three days in the life of fitness motivator Sylwia Zając, whose presence on social media has made her a celebrity. Although she has hundreds of thousands of followers, is surrounded by loyal employees and admired by acquaintances, she is looking for true intimacy.

These Daughters of Mine

A 40-year old actress (single and strong, yet lonely), her sister (an emotionally unstable schoolteacher whose married-with-kids life appears more orderly) and their domineering father, who gradually loses control over his family due to his wife's sudden illness and his own health troubles; these are the three individuals at the heart of this film, a touching story about the strength of family ties in a situation of imminent danger.

Lena

“Lena” tells a story of a young, pregnant girl who lives in a Warsaw’s tenement. Tired of being constantly left alone in her flat, she develops paranoia: she starts hearing someone breaking in and sees words written on the mirror telling her to abort the child.

Fools

Marlena (62) and Tomasz (42), hidden away from the world in a small seaside town, have been in a happy relationship for many years. Their intricately woven everyday life slowly begins to crumble when, against Tomasz’s will, Marlena allows her son to move in with them. As the past comes back to them in full force they will have to redefine their love, choices and life.

My Debt

A young entrepreneur, Slawomir Sikora, persecuted by a ruthless bandit, commits murders in defense of his loved ones. Sentenced to 25 years in prison, he ends up behind bars, where he has to fight for survival in the environment of recidivists sentenced for the most serious crimes. Deprived of hope for justice, isolated from those he loves, he must find the strength to survive and remain himself. Each day here is a fight to preserve dignity and humanity. It is a game for life, played according to extremely brutal rules. Sikora takes up this fight and cannot be broken. He learns to gain allies and friends, earn respect and maneuver between prison subcultures. Thanks to the friendship with a fugitive from the Foreign Legion convicted of murder and the help of a human rights activist, Sikora manages to believe that not everything is lost for him yet. But key decisions are made far beyond the walls.

The Teacher

A Polish teacher moves to a provincial town and gets involved in investigating the brutal murder of a high school girl. He learns more and more about the mysteries of this murder, revealing corruption and fraud among local elites.