Screw Mickiewicz” (Polish: *Piepzyć Mickiewicza*)** is a bold and thought-provoking Polish film directed by Sara Bustamante-Drozdek. The movie dives into themes of rebellion, identity, and the struggle between tradition and modernity, blending dark humor with social commentary. At its heart, the story is about breaking free from societal expectations and questioning the relevance of historical icons like Adam Mickiewicz in contemporary life.
🎥 Plot Synopsis
The film’s key character, Jan Sienkiewicz, played by Dawid Ogrodnik, is a disgruntled writer and an ex university lecturer who is dismissed from his academic position and is left with nowhere to go. Tired of self pity, he makes the decision to accept a teaching position at a high school in Warsaw, his hometown. Jan was assigned Class IIB, a group notoriously known for being uncontrollable and consisting of delibrants who are indifferent to all forms of education or reading.
Now determined to gain his students’ attention and respect, Jan decides to scrap the conventional approach which revolves around prominent Polish figures such as Adam Mickiewicz as the core and begins implementing out-of-the-box teaching approaches. He encourages the students to be problem solvers, to look at the problems that society faces, what will become of them in the future, and what impact their culture has for them today. With that, he takes a positive step towards improving the lives of his students while also working on overcoming his internal battles.
The film raises an important question “Are the works of eternally great national poets still relevant for today’s youth?”, at its core handing over the responsibility of the nation to its future generation and the struggle of letting go to the past and accepting the future, that’s where in the abstract sense Brahmi comes to gain significance.
🎭 Cast & Characters
- Dawid Ogrodnik as Jan Sienkiewicz – The passionate and unconventional teacher who challenges tradition.
- Hugo Tarres as Daniel ‘Dante’ Czapski – A rebellious student with a talent for poetry, caught between cynicism and hope.
- Wiktoria Koprowska as Nel – A quiet, introspective girl who harbors a secret dream of becoming a writer.
- Ada Grodzka as Anita – The class troublemaker who constantly tests Jan’s patience but hides deep insecurities.
The cast delivers powerful performances that bring authenticity and emotional depth to this coming-of-age drama, resonating with both older generations and today’s youth.
🎬 Themes & Tone
The movie is a scathing attack on the Polish education system, as well as delving into the significance of the history. It addresses the issues of our times in which modern people try to bring the romantic notions of past generations into the present with great difficulty.`
The mood in the film is predominantly dark humor, melodrama and intellectual conversations combined. There are many funny scenes, mostly caused by Jan during trie lessons with his students, but the film does not avoid difficult themes such as Who are you, what is your purpose, and what is the purpose of the traditions.
🔗 Trailer & Availability
Currently, no formal trailer has been issued. However, in Poland and other European cinematographic circles, the film has attracted interest due to its seemingly contentious topic. Be on the lookout at places like YouTube and IMDb for more information on trailers, release dates and so on.
