And there was Love in the Ghetto

Documentary feature film, Germany, Poland, 80 min., 2019
based on the book by Marek Edelman and Paula Sawicka Love in the Ghetto

Production: A German-Polish co-production between PALLAS FILM and OTTER FILMS

sponsored by: MDM-Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Eurimages, FFA, Creative Europe, Polish Film Institute, Mazovia & Warsaw Film Fund

Directed by: Jolanta Dylewska, Andrzej Wajda

Script: Jolanta Dylewska, Agnieszka Holland

Producers: Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Anna Wydra

The film comes to some extent out of a call by Marek Edelman, the former commander of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising who witnessed the extermination in the Warsaw Ghetto throughout its existence. In 2009, he published a book based on his own experience I BYŁA MIŁOŚD W GETCIE… (AND THERE WAS LOVE IN THE GHETTO…)

Why doesn’t anybody ask me if there was love in the ghetto? Why is nobody interested in this subject? Someone should make a film about love in the ghetto. It was love that let us survive.
This is how the book ends. Because love in Marek Edelman’s book proves to be the most important value, even more precious than life.

And this is what the film is about.

Cast	Role
Marek Edelman	himself / narrator
Aleksandra Poplawska	Dola
Marek Kalita	ethnic German
Alina Swidowska	Mrs. Tennenbaum
Maria Semotiuk	Deda
Eryk Kulm	Deda’s friend
Aleksandra Justa	landlady
Kamilla Baar	Tosia
Lech Mackiewicz	Old Jew
Julia Sierakowska	Hendusia Himelfarb
Patrycja Rojecka	Pola Lifszyc
Piotr Zurawski	Janek Bilak

Director: Jolanta Dylewska, Andrzej Wajda

Author: Jolanta Dylewska, Agnieszka Holland

Production Management: Marta Golba, Joanna Szymańska

Line Producer: Anna Wydra

DOP: Jakub Kijowski, Jolanta Dylewska

Editing: Izabela Pajak

Sound: Zofia Moruś, Paulina Bochenska, Aleksandra Pniak

Production-Design: Anna Wunderlich, Marcin Aziukiewicz

Make-up: Olga Nejbauer, Ewa Kowalewska

Costum-Design: Marta Ostrowicz

Casting: Ewa Brodzka, Etl Szyc

World Premiere: 29.04.2019 at hotDOCS Filmfestival, Toronto / Kanada

Awards:
CAMERIMAGE– Golden Frog for Jakub Kijowski, Jolanta Dylewska (best camera)
Polish Film Academy Awards – Orły2020 (best Documentary)

Festivals:
Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, Warschau (Jury Special Mention)
hotDOCS Filmfestival, Toronto
Festiwal Filmu i Sztuki Dwa Brzegi, Warschau
HER DOCS, Warschau
Energa CAMERIMAGE International Film Festival, Toruń
IFF Triest
ASTRA Film Festival, Sibiu/Rumänien
Polish Film Festival Kinoteka, London
Polish Film Festival in America, Chicago
Polish Film Festival Kinoteka, London